# Heartfeed RSS Reader — user reviews > 90 indexed App Store user reviews of Heartfeed RSS Reader by Ozymandias, rated 4.80/5 from 90 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/heartfeed-rss-reader/id1078754321/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/heartfeed-rss-reader/id1078754321.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 80 · 4★ 4 · 3★ 2 · 2★ 3 · 1★ 1 ## What do users think of Heartfeed RSS Reader? Overall sentiment: positive **Pros** - 🎯 Perfect Pulse replacement with grid/tile layout - 👍 Simple, intuitive, and streamlined interface - ⚡ Fast and efficient news consumption - 🔄 Reliable syncing across devices - 📱 Clean, uncluttered design without bloat - 🎨 Excellent visual presentation with thumbnails - 👨‍💻 Responsive and attentive developer - 🆓 No ads in the application - 📰 Multiple feeds visible at once for quick overview - 🔧 Easy feed management and organization - 🌙 Dark mode support - 📥 OPML import functionality **Cons** - 🐛 Frequent crashes on opening and usage - 💰 Paywall for unlimited feeds ($2.99) - 🔍 No search functionality across feeds - 📸 Limited thumbnail/image display options - 🌍 No multi-language or RTL script support - 🔗 No integration with other accounts (Feedly, etc.) - 📂 OPML import loses feed grouping - 📖 No offline reading capability - ⌚ No Apple Watch support - 🎨 Reader mode has bright screen in dark mode - ✏️ Limited feed management options **Commonly reported bugs** - App crashes on launch - Crashes after adding feeds - Multiple crashes during normal usage - App fails to start after recent updates - iCloud syncing issues (requires troubleshooting) - Bright reader screen conflicts with dark mode setting **Most requested features** - Search functionality with highlighting across feeds - Individual mark-as-read buttons per feed - Thumbnail images in grid view - Apple Watch app support - Offline reading capability - Multi-language support including RTL scripts - Integration with Feedly and other accounts - Preserve feed groups on OPML import - Dark mode for reader screen - Feed discovery page with popular feeds index - Ability to save/bookmark articles - Variable font sizes in grid view - Apple News+ integration ## Newest reviews (16 of 90) ### 4/5 — Best RSS reader - could you please add Search? *2024-06-05* Excellent RSS feed reader. Small font allows to have an overview of the news at a glance Unless I missed it, there is now way to search across all those feeds. Would it be possible to add a text search feature? E.g. if you search "Japan" then that word gets highlighted in yellow in all visible feeds? That would unlock so much value and save scrolling time. Thank you! **Developer response:** I’ve been thinking about adding search functionality, but I need to come up with a good user interface for it (and then add the necessary code of course 🙂). No promises, but it is already on my list for things to think about. Thanks for the review, and glad you enjoy the app! ### 5/5 — Great app *2020-11-17* Needs search capability, with option of limiting scope to title and/or body. (This would be a suitable feature for subscription!) ### 5/5 — By far, the best feed reader! *2020-07-24* I really like this app and is a must have for me. I find that the display in small thumbnails for several feeds allows me to see at a glance the news of my favorite feeds. The developer is also listening to our feeds and he has already fixed a bug and implemented a feature request I asked him to do. I recommend this application! ### 5/5 — Close to perfect *2020-03-26, version 4.2.1* I was looking for something that could import OPML, that didn't have a subscription (no problem with subscriptions, I just don't read enough RSS feeds to justify one), that wasn't orphaned, and that worked really well. This is that app. ### 5/5 — Used daily *2020-01-26* Absolutely useful and great app. I use it daily to keep abreast of an increasing amount of content sources. Thanks for keep evolving it. ### 5/5 — Best RSS, needs one improvement. *2019-10-10, version 4.0* By far the best RSS reader on the marker. Note for developer: When in dark mode and you click “Read on the web” it goes to a bright reader screen (not safari), then you can choose to view it in safari with iOS 13 dark mode on. My issue is the bright screen between that button and getting into safari, it’s blinding at night. I wouldn’t even go to safari if that reader was dark mode by default when your app setting is dark mode. Thanks, I love this app so much and even happy to pay for it if I need to. ### 5/5 — Awesome *2019-09-20, version 4.0* The app keeps getting better and better. Best RSS app out there!! ### 5/5 — Keeps getting better and better! *2019-09-18, version 4.0* I’ve been using this app for several years now and it keeps getting better! I was a huge fan of the old Pulse app and how it displayed feeds and was heartbroken when LinkedIn killed it. Heartfeed brings back that simple feed view and looks great! The added new quick feed option is a thing I never knew I wanted until now. Fantastic RSS app! **Developer response:** Thanks for the kind words! Also glad you enjoyed the quick pick feature, it was something I came up with when I realized I sometimes wanted to just pick a bunch of unrelated items from different feeds and read at once, rather than read, scan for next, read, scan for next,... ### 5/5 — Old Pulse is back *2019-08-22, version 3.18* Has everything I loved from pre-LinkedIn Pulse: grid view with thumbnails, night mode, nice looking reader mode. Finally! Update, years later: still love it, because developer keeps adding features. No paid subscription, would gladly pay for the app itself. ### 5/5 — Best App to stay informed *2019-06-19, version 3.18* Have been using it since it’s start 🛫 ### 5/5 — Great app *2019-05-25, version 3.18* App works great. It would be great to also have an offline option as I've recently canceled my data because they were overcharging me. It would be great to have this option. ### 5/5 — Exceptional *2019-03-26, version 3.18* Best rss news feed reader that exists. Anyway to tap into Apple News+ for sources? ### 5/5 — Worthy pulse news replacement! *2019-01-26* Finally! I've been looking for a tiled RSS app forever, I can't believe I missed this one. Thank you! Take my money!!! ### 5/5 — Perfekt und übersichtlich *2018-12-31* Es gab mal einen Reader P....., dies ist ein mehr als adäquater Ersatz. Schnell und gute optische Einstellmöglichkeiten. Dabei simpel zu bedienen. Das synchronisieren ist praktisch und zuverlässig. Vielen Dank, den Preis fand ich angemessen! ### 5/5 — Finally, a suitable replacement for Pulse *2018-12-05, version 3.14* I’ve lamented the loss of Pulse to LinkedIn for years. This is the first app I’ve seen that replaces it with a similar look and feel, and most importantly, works well. Already updated for Xs Max resolution. Highly recommended for all former pulse users. ### 5/5 — fantastischer RSS Reader! *2018-11-06* kein Schnickschnack, nur Text und Bild in verschiebbaren Bannern, auf iPhone wie iPad top! ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — App broken by last update *2022-06-09, version 5.0.1* The app crashes every time upon opening. I have reinstalled it and as soon as I have added a feed it started crashing again. ### 1/5 — So complicated to set up!! *2016-02-14, version 1.1* Can't find categories to choose from....getting just a beige screen with grey rectangles when I type in websites. Will keep trying since I really wish there was a replacement for pulse! Though wish I didn't pay yet....if you're asking for a fee for a news app, I expect to be paying for an awesome user experience....this is definitely not that as of right now. ### 2/5 — Crashes a LOT! *2022-01-25, version 4.2.6* I would like to like this app but it crashes every time I use it. I never get through my feeds without it crashing…usually several times. (I am running the latest OS.) ### 2/5 — Support other languages *2017-11-25, version 3.5.1* Hi, for the second time! Please support other languages especially right to left scripts! ### 2/5 — Good start but no updates? *2016-09-13, version 2.2* Great start to a replacement for Pulse. I realize it's probably just one person developing the app in his/her free time, but no updates since the app released....really? It's been 6 months and haven't received a single update, yet the app has numerous areas in need of improvement. Would be great to see some updates. The foundation for a great app is there but the devs seem to have thrown in the towel. ### 3/5 — Finally a Pulse/Pulse News/LinkedIn Pulse clone *2019-04-10, version 3.18* Heartfeed RSS Reader has the same concept (and GUI) like Pulse had years ago - it’s pretty cool! Unfortunately you can read only 3 feeds for free, you have to pay $2.99 to unlock unlimited feeds which makes me feel disappointed. I can understand the developers because there are no ads in the app and they want earn some bucks, but $2.99 is a bit high price for this feature. Please let me know if you will have a 33-100% discount, I will be happy to pay $0-1.99 to unlock unlimited feeds and give a better rating. Cheers ### 3/5 — Needs individual mark read button *2018-06-08, version 3.10* Would love to see the ability to individually mark read each blog so you could manually go through the blogs or subscriptions. What’s the chance you’ll be able to go through all of your articles at once? ### 3/5 — Has potential but not up to scratch *2018-02-25, version 3.9.1* The display that this RSS reader provides is really useful. This is a a display I wish other apps would use. However the rest of the app itself is so limiting that it’s not a practical reader. It doesn’t integrate with other accounts (eg Feedly), although it does accept OPML files it only reads the feeds and not the groups so if you import, as I did, 300+ feeds they’d lost all grouping. This is a massive flaw. With work this could be a great reader, but it’s not there yet. ### 3/5 — Not worth the money *2016-04-30, version 2.2* I think this app has promise but there are a few others out there that are streets ahead. Waste of money for me. ### 3/5 — Thank God! *2016-02-12, version 1.1* I'm so glad to see a newsreader come out that can replace the now-destroyed Pulse app. The concept is here, it's a little rough around the edges but I'm sure in time I will rely on this app just as I did the one that LinkedIn destroyed. I'm not keen on the limitation of feeds requiring you to pay to unlock more than three; this app is beta quality at best and I'm not paying to test it. I will gladly pay for a full version of the app if/when it has the following: 1. A little more polished around the edges 2. Would be nice to have an image when available to be displayed as the background for each article in the grid preview. It's a little bland but off to a great start and has the potential to become the best. I'll be keeping my eye on it and will pounce on the purchase once it makes sense. Good job. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Great Reader! *2026-06-06, version 5.2.1* Heartfeed deserves much more attention, with such a straightforward UI and reliable performance. I’ve used it daily for oh-so-many years. A native Mac version would be fantastic. ### 5/5 — Best RSS reader *2026-02-06, version 5.2.1* Love this RSS reader. Simple and effective for getting all your news. One of my most used apps! ### 5/5 — Love it *2025-12-19, version 5.2.1* Been using this app for years. Works great and nothing else is quite like it! ### 5/5 — Incredible RSS app *2024-03-20, version 5.2* Been using this app for years and years and it’s absolutely perfect. Makes following a bunch of feeds super easy. In this growing age of apps accumulating more and more bloat this app is so refreshingly streamlined and gets the job done without any bloat or fluff. ### 5/5 — • iCllid synching! *2022-07-18, version 5.1* This RSS reader supports iCllid synching! Yes!!! If you’re having problems, make sure iCllid synching is turned on, and that your iCllid synching configuration is correct. If iCllid synching isn’t showing up or isn’t working for you, try restarting your device(s) and re-connecting before contacting the developer. ### 5/5 — Fastest way to know everything *2021-10-14, version 4.2.6* Side scroll is where it’s at. I know as soon as I open the app if there are new articles and only from the sites I chose. Love it so much! ### 5/5 — Solid News Reader *2021-07-22, version 4.2.6* For fans of the Old Pulse RSS reader that allows us to view several feeds at just a glance, this is the perfect replacement. App is clean, pretty and functional and is well maintained. It's absolutely worth it! ### 5/5 — Best RSS news reader out there *2021-04-22, version 4.2.5* This is and has been the best RSS reader out there. Completely intuitive interface with side scrolling for articles, and stackable feeds. Absolutely the most efficient way to consume news. I’ve been using Heartfeed since it was released, and it just gets better and better, and the developer still responds almost immediately to any question or suggestion. Just download it, you won’t regret it. ### 5/5 — Great app! *2021-02-10, version 4.2.4* Habe used this app ever since Pulse was ruined by LinkedIn. Thanks so much for keeping it updated. Highly recommend and thank the developer for the hard work! ### 5/5 — Great Developer! *2021-01-09, version 4.2.4* The developer was very responsive to the issues I noted in my first review. He was genuinely curious about understanding the problems and helped me troubleshoot and solve them. I love the app and it’s working the way it’s supposed to again. Good stuff! --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-19.*