# Unread vs RSS

The clearest difference is price: Unread at Free against RSS's $4.99. Unread also leads on ratings volume (442 vs 2). RSS's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 72%) and chart position (#155 vs unranked). On rating, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Unread is free to download; RSS costs $4.99 up front. Unread sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and RSS sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Unread against 4.5 for RSS. 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 are what separate them: 72% of Unread's written reviews are positive against 100% of RSS's.

Unread ships an update every 8 days, RSS weekly. Both last shipped on October 18, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Unread | RSS |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $4.99 |
| Rating | **[4.6 (442 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/unread-an-rss-reader/id1363637349/reviews)** | [4.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rss-filter-news-feed-reader/id6738026699/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 | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#155** |
| Size | 40 MB | 28 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **17.6** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Golden Hill Software](https://appshunter.io/developer/404445480) | [Volker Koch](https://appshunter.io/developer/907882770) |

## 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


### RSS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rss-filter-news-feed-reader/id6738026699)

**Currently charting:** #155 Top Paid · News (US App Store)

This news reader allows you to control your content with advanced filtering options. Blacklist, whitelist, or graylist terms to ensure you see what matters without wasting time. Enjoy a clutter-free experience with no ads or data sharing.

**Highlights:** Advanced filtering (blacklist, whitelist, graylist), Content control, Clutter-free reading, No ads, account, or data sharing, iCloud syncing, One-time in-app purchase for unlimited filters

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| One-Time Unlock | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Unread free?

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

### Is RSS free?

RSS costs $4.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Unread or RSS?

Unread is rated higher. Unread averages 4.6 out of 5 from 442 ratings, while RSS averages 4.5 from 2 ratings.

### Do Unread or RSS have ads?

Neither Unread nor RSS shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Unread or RSS?

Unread ships an update every 8 days, and RSS weekly. Most recently, Unread was updated on October 18, 2026 and RSS on October 18, 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.*