# Unread vs OrbisX

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: OrbisX at none against Unread's 4. On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Unread sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. OrbisX asks for nothing beyond the download.

Unread ships an update every 8 days, OrbisX every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Unread | OrbisX |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (442 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/unread-an-rss-reader/id1363637349/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **442** | — |
| Positive reviews | 72.4% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 8 days | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 39 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Golden Hill Software](https://appshunter.io/developer/404445480) | [Dan Kristoffer Holmstad](https://appshunter.io/developer/1894215395) |

## 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


### OrbisX

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/orbisx/id6773611107)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Unread free?

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

### Is OrbisX free?

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

### Do Unread or OrbisX have ads?

Neither Unread nor OrbisX shows ads.

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

Unread ships an update every 8 days, and OrbisX every 5 days. Most recently, Unread was updated on September 26, 2026 and OrbisX on September 20, 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.*