# Heartfeed RSS Reader vs FlowReader

The clearest difference is rating: Heartfeed RSS Reader at 4.8 against FlowReader's 4.0. Heartfeed RSS Reader also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 57 months) and ratings volume (90 vs 4). FlowReader's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 5) and review sentiment (100% vs 89%). On price, ads, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Heartfeed RSS Reader sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. FlowReader asks for nothing beyond the download.

Heartfeed RSS Reader holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Heartfeed RSS Reader has 90 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 89% of Heartfeed RSS Reader's written reviews are positive against 100% of FlowReader's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Heartfeed RSS Reader ships an update every 2 months, FlowReader every 57 months. The most recent releases landed on September 12, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Heartfeed RSS Reader | FlowReader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (90 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/heartfeed-rss-reader/id1078754321/reviews)** | [4.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flowreader-rss-feed-reader/id1472631257/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **90** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 89.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 57 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 14 MB | 41 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ozymandias](https://appshunter.io/developer/286776954) | [Sultan Irkaliyev](https://appshunter.io/developer/1462834127) |

## What reviewers say

### Heartfeed RSS Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/heartfeed-rss-reader/id1078754321)

This app offers an efficient, no-nonsense way to read news from RSS, Atom, and JSON feeds without requiring account setup or server reliance. It features a compact grid view, background feed refreshing, and seamless syncing across iOS devices via iCloud.

**Highlights:** Compact grid view for feeds, Internal browser with content blocker support, Automatic iCloud sync for feeds and read status, Quick pick list for selecting news items, Background feed refresh and caching, Bookmark management with iCloud sync, Night mode theme

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Tipping the developer | $0.99 | one-time |
| Unlimited feeds | $2.99 | one-time |
| Tipping the developer | $2.99 | one-time |
| Even more tip to the developer | $9.99 | one-time |
| Maximum tip to the developer | $24.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎯 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

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 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

**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)

**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


### FlowReader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flowreader-rss-feed-reader/id1472631257)

Stay updated with your favorite news and blogs through a powerful RSS feed reader. Easily add unlimited feeds, save articles, and customize the app's appearance. Enjoy a convenient daily news experience with features like an in-app browser and reader mode.

**Highlights:** Add unlimited RSS feeds, Save articles to favorites, In-app browser, Safari reader mode support, Share links on social media, Local news storage, Customizable appearance

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Heartfeed RSS Reader free?

Heartfeed RSS Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is FlowReader free?

FlowReader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Heartfeed RSS Reader or FlowReader?

Heartfeed RSS Reader is rated higher. Heartfeed RSS Reader averages 4.8 out of 5 from 90 ratings, while FlowReader averages 4.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do Heartfeed RSS Reader or FlowReader have ads?

Neither Heartfeed RSS Reader nor FlowReader shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Heartfeed RSS Reader or FlowReader?

Heartfeed RSS Reader ships an update every 2 months, and FlowReader every 57 months. Most recently, Heartfeed RSS Reader was updated on September 12, 2026 and FlowReader on September 21, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*