# Unread vs Doomscroll News

The clearest difference is monetization model: Unread at free with in-app purchases against Doomscroll News's subscription. Unread also leads on ratings volume (442 vs 2) and device support (3 vs 1). Doomscroll News's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.6) and review sentiment (100% vs 72%). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Unread sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Doomscroll News sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $3.00 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Doomscroll News holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Unread has 442 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 72% of Unread's written reviews are positive against 100% of Doomscroll News's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Unread | Doomscroll News |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (442 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/unread-an-rss-reader/id1363637349/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/doomscroll-news/id6708239814/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **442** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 72.4% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 8 days | Every 8 days |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Size | 39 MB | 15 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **17.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Golden Hill Software](https://appshunter.io/developer/404445480) | [And a Dinosaur](https://appshunter.io/developer/475577301) |

## What reviewers say

### Unread

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/unread-an-rss-reader/id1363637349)

This app is a beautifully designed RSS reader that focuses on a clean reading experience with customizable typography and themes. It offers seamless syncing across devices and integrates with various read-later services, allowing for offline access to cached content.

**Highlights:** Gesture-based navigation, Customizable color themes, Cross-device syncing, Automatic webpage text display, Offline access with caching, Integration with read-later services, Widgets for unread counts

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unread Monthly Subscription | $4.99 | per month |
| Unread Annual Subscription | $29.99 | per year |
| Unread: Free first year | $29.99 | per year |
| Unread: Discounted first year | $29.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Elegant and intuitive UI
- 🚀 Fast and responsive
- 🔒 Secure login integration
- 📚 Excellent article formatting and readability
- 💡 Automated full-text article retrieval

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Subscription model seen as too expensive
- 🔀 Inconsistent experience between iOS and iPad versions
- 🔍 Difficult to discover certain features
- 🔠 Lack of customization options (e.g., font, theme)

**Reported bugs**

- Occasional article duplication
- Issues with 'Keep Unread' feature
- Text formatting problems in dark mode

**Requested features**

- Add support for more RSS providers (e.g., Miniflux, FreshRSS)
- Implement keyboard shortcuts and power-user features
- Improve information density on iPad layout
- Introduce a one-time purchase option


### Doomscroll News

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/doomscroll-news/id6708239814)

Stay informed with a curated selection of approximately 10 world news items daily. Designed for quick consumption, this app helps you get essential updates without the overwhelming 24-hour news cycle. Easily track your progress through the daily news list.

**Highlights:** Daily curated news selection, Limited news items per day, Focus on world news, Completionist indicator, Designed for quick use

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Yearly Subscription | $3.00 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Unread free?

Unread is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Doomscroll News free?

Doomscroll News is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Unread or Doomscroll News?

Doomscroll News is rated higher. Unread averages 4.6 out of 5 from 442 ratings, while Doomscroll News averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Unread or Doomscroll News have ads?

Neither Unread nor Doomscroll News shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Unread or Doomscroll News?

Unread ships an update every 8 days, and Doomscroll News every 8 days. Most recently, Unread was updated on September 26, 2026 and Doomscroll News on September 4, 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.*