The News Explorer Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about News Explorer in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
News Explorer
The Insider’s Guide
RSS reader with iCloud sync across Apple devices, bought once
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among read-later and bookmark apps, read from News Explorer’s own pages.
Made by Betamagic · checked Oct 6, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from News Explorer’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on News Explorer’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 6, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.8
GPA, above 16 of the 36 other read-later and bookmark apps we grade
News Explorer is an RSS reader from Betamagic, a small software company in the Netherlands, built only for Apple platforms. It reads RSS, Atom and JSON feeds as well as Reddit, Mastodon, YouTube and podcast feeds, and it syncs feeds, articles and read status through iCloud across Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Apple TV without a separate account. The Mac app and the mobile app are each bought once, and the Mac edition has a 14-day free trial.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about News Explorer, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Filters and prefilters are there if you want them, not homework.
- 1
Best for a pay-once feed reader with iCloud sync
It syncs through iCloud and reads Reddit, YouTube, Mastodon and podcasts too.
- 2
What it costs
Paid plans start at $4.99 one-time for the mobile edition; $9.99 one-time for the Mac edition.
- 3
You can try it first
14-day free trial of the Mac edition, downloaded from the Betamagic website
- 4
It runs on 2 platforms
macOS and iOS.
- 5
iCloud sync without an account
Feeds, folders, articles, read status, favorites, filters, notes and tags sync through iCloud across Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Apple TV, with no other service to sign up for.
- 6
Many feed types
Reads RSS, Atom, RDF and JSON feeds along with Mastodon, Bluesky, Reddit, YouTube channel and podcast feeds, and a built-in search finds new feeds by keyword.
- 7
Automatic Reader view
For supported sources the app downloads the full original article and shows it in a clean format. Several Reader view engines are available and can be chosen per feed.
- 8
A 2.8 GPA, above 16 of 36
That is against the other read-later and bookmark apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
The plain part of News Explorer you could make: rSS reader. What surrounds it you could not. The 3 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
News Explorer at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from $4.99 one-time for the mobile edition; $9.99 one-time for the Mac edition
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 14-day free trial of the Mac edition, downloaded from the Betamagic website
- Runs on
- macOS, iOS
- Made by
- Betamagic
- Category
- Read Later & Bookmarks
- Our grade
- 2.8 GPA, good
The report card
Best for a pay-once feed reader with iCloud sync
News Explorer is an RSS reader for Apple devices that you buy once: $4.99 for iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Apple TV, and $9.99 for the Mac, as separate purchases. It syncs through iCloud and reads Reddit, YouTube, Mastodon and podcasts too. It's Apple only, needs macOS 15.6 or iOS 18, and the only free look is a 14-day trial of the Mac edition from the maker's site.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | $4.99 once for iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Apple TV, $9.99 once for the Mac. Buy both and you've still spent less than five months of the $3.33 a month that reading apps charge in the middle of this category, and there's nothing more to pay. The Mac edition is in Setapp too. |
| Free plan and trial | C | No free version at all. What you get is a 14-day trial of the Mac edition from Betamagic's own site, with no card named for it, and the App Store editions are paid up front. So you can look before you buy on a Mac, and not on a phone. |
| Features | B | It covers the whole feed-reading job: RSS, Atom, RDF and JSON plus Mastodon, Bluesky, Reddit, YouTube and podcasts, full articles pulled into a Reader view with a choice of engines, filters that sync, prefilters that stop unwanted articles downloading, comments read in the app, and notes and tags. |
| Ease of use | B | No store rating on record, so we go on what the listing shows: you buy it, open it and add feeds, with iCloud doing the syncing so there's no account to make and no service to connect. Filters and prefilters are there if you want them, not homework. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | One family of devices. Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Apple TV, and nothing for web, Windows or Android. Sharing out to Instapaper, Raindrop.io and Readwise is the extent of the connections, and current versions need macOS 15.6 or iOS 18. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who News Explorer is for
- Fits if you're all Apple and want your feeds synced through iCloud without another account
- Works for readers who'd rather pay once than subscribe, and follow Reddit, YouTube, Mastodon and podcasts
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you use Windows, Android or the web, as it's built only for Apple devices
- Not for you if you want to try it on your phone first, since the App Store editions are paid up front
- Not for you if your devices are older, because it needs macOS 15.6 or iOS 18 or later
- Watch out: the Mac and mobile apps are separate purchases, $9.99 and $4.99, and the Watch app needs a paired iPhone
- Too light for linking to other services, as sharing to Instapaper, Raindrop.io and Readwise is all that's listed
Good to know
Good for
- People on Apple devices who want feed sync without creating an account
- Readers who would rather pay once than subscribe
- Following Reddit, YouTube, Mastodon and podcast feeds alongside RSS
Worth knowing
- Built only for Apple platforms, with syncing that relies on iCloud; there is no web, Windows or Android version.
- The Mac app and the mobile app are separate purchases, listed at $9.99 and $4.99 on the US App Store.
- The 14-day trial is a download of the Mac edition; the App Store editions are paid up front.
- Current versions need macOS 15.6 or iOS and iPadOS 18 or later, and the Apple Watch app needs a paired iPhone.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$4.99 one-time
To start
News Explorer is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $4.99 one-time for the mobile edition; $9.99 one-time for the Mac edition.
So you can look before you buy on a Mac, and not on a phone.
Mobile edition
$4.99
one-time purchase (US App Store)
Universal purchase covering iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Apple TV. It does not include the Mac app.
Mac edition
$9.99
one-time purchase (US Mac App Store)
The macOS app. Also sold as a Personal License in the Betamagic Store, where the 14-day trial is offered, and included in Setapp.
Trying it first
14-day free trial of the Mac edition, downloaded from the Betamagic website
Read from apps.apple.com on Oct 6, 2026.
What the app costs elsewhere
Each country’s App Store price for the app, against $4.99 in the United States, in dollars at the day’s rate. The four cheapest and the four dearest of 11.
| Country | Price there | In dollars | Against the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philippines | ₱ 299.00 | $4.76 | about the same |
| Canada | $6.99 | $4.91 | about the same |
| Turkey | ₺249,99 | $5.08 | about the same |
| India | ₹ 499 | $5.16 | about the same |
| Brazil | R$ 29,90 | $5.97 | 20% more |
| South Africa | R99.99 | $6.05 | 21% more |
| United Kingdom | £4.99 | $6.60 | 32% more |
| Germany | 5,99 € | $6.71 | 35% more |
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
2
Places it runs: macOS and iOS
RSS reader with iCloud sync across Apple devices, bought once. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: one-time purchase, rSS reader.
Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Apple TV, and nothing for web, Windows or Android.
- iCloud sync without an account
- Feeds, folders, articles, read status, favorites, filters, notes and tags sync through iCloud across Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Apple TV, with no other service to sign up for.
- Many feed types
- Reads RSS, Atom, RDF and JSON feeds along with Mastodon, Bluesky, Reddit, YouTube channel and podcast feeds, and a built-in search finds new feeds by keyword.
- Automatic Reader view
- For supported sources the app downloads the full original article and shows it in a clean format. Several Reader view engines are available and can be chosen per feed.
- Smart filters and prefilters
- Sidebar filters match on title, content, author, tags or dates, and prefilters stop unwanted articles from being downloaded at all. Both sync between devices through iCloud.
- Article comments
- Comments can be read inside the app for feeds that publish a comment feed per article, and for YouTube, Reddit and Hacker News feeds.
- Notes, tags and sharing
- Rich-text notes and custom tags can be attached to articles, and built-in sharing sends items to Instapaper, Raindrop.io and Readwise.
Where it runs
- macOS
- iOS
What it works with
- iCloud
- Instapaper
- Raindrop.io
- Readwise
News Explorer is made by Betamagic.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
16/36
Other read-later and bookmark apps it is graded above
News Explorer's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 16 of the 36 other read-later and bookmark apps we grade, and level with 5.
It stands best on value for money (A, above 23 of 36) and worst on platforms and integrations (C, above 0).
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 37 read-later and bookmark apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. News Explorer’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 23 of 36
- CFree plan and trialAbove 2 of 36
- BFeaturesAbove 10 of 36
- BEase of useAbove 15 of 36
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 36
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
The plain part of News Explorer you could make: rSS reader. What surrounds it you could not. The 3 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
It costs $4.99, paid once.
What you could make
- RSS reader: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- Apps for macOS and iOS that stay in step with each other.
- Hooks into the device itself: an Apple Watch app.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. News Explorer’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Reeder, NetNewsWire, Unread, Fiery Feeds and Newsify
The 5 tools News Explorer is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.4GPA
Reeder
Free plan · from $14.99/yr
Feed reader for Apple devices with a synced timeline.
- Reeder has a free plan. News Explorer does not, though it has a free trial.
- News Explorer can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Reeder also covers read later and bookmarks.
- 3.0GPA
NetNewsWire
Free
Free, open-source RSS reader for Mac, iPhone and iPad.
- NetNewsWire has a free plan. News Explorer does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only NetNewsWire lists a browser extension.
- News Explorer can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 2.6GPA
Unread
Free plan · from $29.99/yr
RSS reader for Mac, iPhone and iPad with full-text retrieval.
- Unread has a free plan. News Explorer does not, though it has a free trial.
- News Explorer can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 2.2GPA
Fiery Feeds
Free plan · from $1.99
Customizable feed reader and read-later client for Apple devices.
- Fiery Feeds has a free plan. News Explorer does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Fiery Feeds lists a browser extension.
- News Explorer can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 2.8GPA
Newsify
Free plan · from $2.99/mo
RSS reader with a newspaper-style layout for Apple devices and web.
- Newsify has a free plan. News Explorer does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Newsify lists a web app.
- News Explorer can be bought with a one-time purchase.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
11
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is News Explorer free?
No, News Explorer is a paid product, but you can try it first. 14-day free trial of the Mac edition, downloaded from the Betamagic website.
How much does News Explorer cost?
News Explorer lists 2 plans. Mobile edition: $4.99 one-time purchase (US App Store).
What platforms does News Explorer work on?
News Explorer is available on macOS and iOS.
Does News Explorer have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. News Explorer is listed for macOS and iOS.
Does News Explorer have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. News Explorer is listed for macOS and iOS.
Is News Explorer open source?
News Explorer is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 6, 2026.
What does News Explorer integrate with?
News Explorer's listing names iCloud, Instapaper, Raindrop.io and Readwise.
Who makes News Explorer?
News Explorer is made by Betamagic.
What are the alternatives to News Explorer?
The closest alternatives to News Explorer in our directory are Reeder, NetNewsWire, Unread, Fiery Feeds and Newsify.
How does News Explorer compare with other read-later and bookmark apps?
News Explorer's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 16 of the 36 other read-later and bookmark apps we grade, and level with 5.
Could I make my own version of News Explorer?
The plain part of News Explorer you could make: rSS reader. What surrounds it you could not.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from News Explorer’s own pages on Oct 6, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from News Explorer's own pages on 6 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-08-28.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Betamagic. Prices change, so check betamagic.nl before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- News Explorer, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/news-explorer
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "News Explorer: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 6, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/news-explorer
Know someone choosing between read-later and bookmark apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/news-explorer/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded read-later and bookmark apps after News Explorer, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Read Later & Bookmarks Insider's GuideEvery one of the 37 read-later and bookmark apps we grade, compared
- FeedFlow Insider's GuideFree, open-source RSS reader for mobile and desktop3.2 GPA
- Flipboard Insider's GuideFree news aggregator built around topics and shared Magazines3.2 GPA
- Miniflux Insider's GuideMinimalist open-source feed reader, self-hosted or hosted3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what News Explorer’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. News Explorer is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Betamagic. Prices and plans change: check betamagic.nl before you buy.