# NewsBlur — user reviews > 191 indexed App Store user reviews of NewsBlur by NewsBlur, Inc., rated 4.70/5 from 499 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/newsblur/id463981119/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/newsblur/id463981119.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 423 · 4★ 41 · 3★ 15 · 2★ 8 · 1★ 12 ## What do users think of NewsBlur? Overall sentiment: mixed **Pros** - 🚀 Fast and reliable - 👍 Excellent news reader - 🔒 Great privacy policy - 💡 Useful training and filtering features - 👍 Seamless sync across devices **Cons** - 🐛 Crashes and bugs, especially on iPad - 👎 Paywall for basic features - 👎 Outdated and cluttered UI - 👎 Difficult to manage feeds and folders **Commonly reported bugs** - Crashes on launch for some users - Incorrect feed display and article loading issues - Syncing problems between web and mobile apps **Most requested features** - Customizable font sizes - Offline reading mode - Improved sharing options - Ability to delete feeds and folders ## Newest reviews (14 of 191) ### 3/5 — Frustrating unresponsiveness to window sizes *2026-08-16* Window rendering is all over the place, with too many view settings that don’t react appropriately to variable window sizing in Windowed or Stage Manager modes. Ended up wrestling in a tug-of-war with the app — unable to find a decent viewing configuration — and not enjoying the experience at all. ### 4/5 — Buggy *2026-06-19, version 14.7.0* Something is breaking a feed when going into landscape and back. ### 2/5 — Ruined a great app *2026-05-22* I had been using this app about a year, and Newsblur had become my goto news app. It was snappy, didn’t force AI slop on me, and did what I needed and nothing more. March of 2026 they redid all the gestures in a weird way and I found myself using it less. Now I open it and can’t even scroll the feed (it hangs for a few seconds so often I can’t get to the second page of stories). I used to try to convince friends and family this app was worth the subscription. Now I’m just impossibly frustrated and resent the makers. Won’t be renewing my subscription. ### 3/5 — New swipe changes on iOS are a regression *2026-03-24* I am disappointed in the new swipe changes in the iOS version of the app. They can be adjusted, but not back to the original swipe behavior. This is a significant part of my reader workflow. I still enjoy using the web app and I think the subscription price is still a great value, but the gestures are an incredibly annoying pain point. ### 2/5 — Used to be good *2026-03-14, version 14.1* UI update changed all of the gestures from things I used to things I don’t use with no option to go back. Also the iPad interface now feels weird and awkward. Like the developers done really use an iPad. I’ll be looking around for a new reader. Maybe I’ll just vibe code one. ### 4/5 — Good first version *2026-03-08, version 13.1.11* Where is version 14? ### 4/5 — Highly recommend! *2026-02-21* I’ve used News Blur for 6+ years (when algorithmic feeds became unavoidable on Twitter) and love it for news. I like the granularity and control. I highly recommend it, regardless of these two developer notes: 1) the only nagging issue is vertically stretched images from some feeds. 2) my only ask would be the ability to pinch to zoom on images more easily (simply by doing so, or using a single click to expand and enable zoom instead of having to long press and then click the sub-menu?). ### 4/5 — Reliable *2025-11-09* I’ve been with NewsBlur for a few years. Periodically I’ll try Inoreader, but I stay with NewsBlur. Great value and Clay and team are very responsive. ### 2/5 — Needs work, feels abandoned *2024-11-07* This app needs work. It feels like the devs may have abandoned it. Very buggy. Reading through stories is such a hassle ### 4/5 — Functionality is kind of nuts? *2024-10-31* WHY do I have to tap twice on add feed, once to collapse the keyboard and once for it to actually search? HOW can I make it give me more than five suggestions? UI is either not enough space in the list so it feels like nine stories are really one… or ACRES of space in the card layout, scrolling past a mile of empty space to see like 6 stories. I paid for this thing and I really want to like it; it’s my fourth feed trial this week and it does some things really well, but… some frustrations. Anyway, thanks for not collecting identifier data and look forward to updates. ### 4/5 — Good first version *2024-10-27, version 13.1.2* With my favorite app, Reeder, going off in another direction and putting the RSS features into a Classic version, I am a little concerned about how to go forward. Then I see this. It’s pretty close to Reeder, but seems to lack some of the “fit and finish”. I have faith that it will get better. Newsblur is a GREAT way to RSS read. ### 3/5 — As bad as the iOS App *2024-10-25* I LOVE Newsblur (been paying for it for like 10 years), but both the iOS and the MacOS app are worse than reading it in Firefox. I lack the patience to reconfigure everything to make the interface usable. The fact that I cannot just backup my preferences from my Newsblur account (the same way I can save my OPML file) and load them in one of the native apps, to get the same visual experience, is unacceptable. ### 4/5 — Great with a few bugs… *2024-10-09* Not sure if it’s just me, but frequently when I’m clicking into a feed, another feed will load in the requested one’s place. Also, when scrolling through feed items, clicking or swiping one will frequently mess with an incorrect one and occasionally will align halfway down the screen. ### 2/5 — Broken iPad App *2024-06-22* The iPad app has annoying bugs such as broken UI elements and displaying the incorrect story list after marking a folder as read. It’s been broken for a while, so I’m not sure why the developer hasn’t fixed it. I’m considering canceling my subscription due to the brokenness. I love the service otherwise, but the app is nearly intolerable at this point. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — パスワードに長さ制限がある？ *2026-05-24* ユーザー登録時な長さ制限を掛けている事を明示せず、制限を超えて入力しても受け入れる。 ログイン時にパスワードの長さが３０文字を超えてるって出る。 何、これ？ ### 1/5 — Not ready for prime time *2026-04-12* I really wanted to like this app because I’m tired of the idiosyncrasies in the more common options. But it just doesn’t work. Tapping an article to open it fails frequently. The read/unread status of articles is a mystery. I never know what I’m going to see when I filter for unread only. I’ve even tried using the website on my phone instead of the app and it’s impossible. Nothing is size-responsive or scrollable horizontally so 80% of any page is inaccessible. Here’s hoping the developers decide to take their software more seriously. **Developer response:** Are you sure you’re using NewsBlur? This is mature software used by thousands every day. None of this tracks. I’d love to fix anything that’s wrong but I suspect this review is not made in good faith. ### 1/5 — Charging for basics *2025-03-12, version 13.1.8* Charging to see all your RSS feeds in one spot? Silly. ### 1/5 — Bugs in Verbindung mit Widget *2025-01-03* Die App stürzt immer wieder ab, wenn man news aus der Widget App öffnet. Das ist sehr ärgerlich, vorallem weil ich das Widget eigentlich sehr cool finde und es viele News anzeigt. Leider habe ich schon das Premiumabo für ein Jahr abgeschlossen… ### 1/5 — iPad app crashes upon launch *2024-12-05* iPad app instantly crashes upon launch. Our subscription fees literally paid the developer’s Harvard tuition, and now he can’t be bothered to maintain a functioning app. I guess use the browser version until the developer remembers we exist and slaps another temporary band-aid on the issue. What a waste of a good service. ### 1/5 — Huh? Brave has better news feed! *2024-11-03* I must be missing something. You must sign up BEFORE access to the platform. Once on "news page" most if not all are PAYSITES. There's little to nothing in any category. Most sites being mindless fluff. I had access to three articles. Yet their advertisement for subscription upgrade worked smoothly. None of the chosen categories showed up at all. No way to add links despite banner proclamation? You would think the SPONSORED SITES worked. A workaround of deceptive claim of not collecting "data". I do not believe the suspiciously positive ratings on these apps. Especially, those with unreasonable subscription fees. Easily recognized Dark Patterns throughout. An informed society, protects us all. Please consider BEFORE giving out your information. Or, wasting time and money. ### 1/5 — Design from 2009 *2024-05-27* It’s unusable) ### 1/5 — Update the App! *2023-10-01* If you are going to charge for premium subscriptions then you should be updating the app on a regular basis. It’s been 8 months. The article list with thumbnail generation works on half the feeds. This app and images don’t mix well. The thumbnails that are generated are to small to even see on the left or right. There needs to be an under title option. Also, there must be some sort of size limitation on images. On other rss readers all the article images come through but not on this app. This app needs work.. ### 1/5 — Update the App! *2023-08-01* If you are going to charge for premium subscriptions then you should be updating the app on a regular basis. It’s been 6 months. The article list with thumbnail generation works on half the feeds. This app and images don’t mix well. The thumbnails that are generated are to small to even see on the left or right. There needs to be an under title option. Also, there must be some sort of size limitation on images. On other rss readers all the article images come through but not on this app. This app needs work.. ### 1/5 — Visually awful! *2023-06-04* The article list with thumbnail generation works on half the feeds. This app and images don’t mix well. The thumbnails that are generated are to small to even see on the left or right. There needs to be an under title option. Also, there must be some sort of size limitation on images. On other rss readers all the article images come through but not on this app. This app needs work. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — In a word: *2026-06-25, version 14.7.0* Superb! ### 5/5 — Reliable *2026-03-10* I’ve been with NewsBlur for a few years. Periodically I’ll try Inoreader, but I stay with NewsBlur. Great value and Sam and team are very responsive. ### 5/5 — Solid app! *2025-07-28* I’ve used News Blur for 4+ years (when algorithmic feeds because unavoidable on Twitter) and love it for news. ### 5/5 — Great News Read *2024-11-28* Very flexible ### 5/5 — Fast, reliable *2024-11-19* Installs instantly, still maintained, and still independent. A solid choice. ### 5/5 — A most excellent news feed reader *2024-11-15* I used to use a famous news reader but it never really allowed me to control what I read and when. NewsBlur solved this and I can now subscribe to many feeds and skim them and read what is important to me without being overwhelmed. Everything is there for when I want it, and I am in control. Over the years it has been improved and I’m very happy to pay for this. If RSS feeds are important to you, give it a try. Years on and I’m still using it. Still a great way to view feeds at whatever level of interest you have. Full text or skim headlines. ### 5/5 — Now crashes on iPadOS 16.7.10 *2024-08-11, version 13.1* Apparently the most recent update now causes insta-crashes. Tried deleting and reinstalling to no effect. Paid user. ### 5/5 — 👍 👍 *2024-03-11* The amount of and quality of development going into this project is incredible! The iOS interface is a bit compact and cluttered for mobile usage right now but it's obvious this app will soon become a masterpiece. Useful options galore! Uninstalled for now, but "I'll be back" ... ### 5/5 — Desktop features in easy app package *2024-02-18* I’m actually impressed by this app. First, if you’re unfamiliar with NewsBlur, it can seem overwhelming. It definitely packs a LOT of features and customizations into your basic RSS reader. If you’re already familiar with the Desktop website interface of NewsBlur, you’ll find the app version almost completely mimics its designs, methods, features. The app preferences has a huge selection of customizing and settings, including choosing contents for offline use. Honestly I can’t find a desktop feature that isn’t included in the app. If you’re already a NewsBlur user you’ll feel right at home with this app. If you’re new to RSS, this might be more of a power user app and there are simpler alternatives but the built in community features can be a big draw if you like some of the social aspects of social media. Overall nicely done. Been with Newsblur a few months now and enjoying it. Thanks for this powerful companion app. ### 5/5 — The best one out there!! *2023-10-09* When Google discontinued its newsreader I downloaded a ton of others trying to find one with a similar interface. This one is almost exactly like the old Google app but with more functionality. I liked it so much I paid for the premium service level even though I don't really need it. --- *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 2026-08-30.*