# NetNewsWire vs WatchFeed

The clearest difference is price: NetNewsWire at Free against WatchFeed's $0.99. NetNewsWire also leads on ratings volume (887 vs 5) and update cadence (monthly vs every 4 months). WatchFeed's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and chart position (#11 vs #115). On ads, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

NetNewsWire is free to download; WatchFeed costs $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

WatchFeed holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NetNewsWire has 887 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 84% of NetNewsWire's written reviews are positive against 67% of WatchFeed's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

NetNewsWire ships an update monthly, WatchFeed every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NetNewsWire | WatchFeed |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $0.99 |
| Rating | [4.7 (887 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/netnewswire-rss-reader/id1480640210/reviews) | **[5.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/watchfeed-rss-for-feedly/id1527233179/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **887** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | **83.9% of reviews** | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | #115 | **#11** |
| Size | 27 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Brent Simmons](https://appshunter.io/developer/1480640209) | [Nienhuis Development](https://appshunter.io/developer/1522036501) |

## What reviewers say

### NetNewsWire

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/netnewswire-rss-reader/id1480640210)

**Currently charting:** #115 Top Free · News (US App Store)

This app aggregates articles from your favorite blogs and news sites, offering a faster and more organized way to consume content. It provides control over your news feed, eliminating the need to visit multiple websites or rely on social media algorithms. Enjoy a streamlined reading experience with customizable features and syncing capabilities.

**Highlights:** Direct feed downloading, iCloud and third-party syncing, Customizable article themes, Reader view, Starred articles, Smart feeds, Home screen widgets

**In-app purchases:** none


### WatchFeed

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/watchfeed-rss-for-feedly/id1527233179)

**Currently charting:** #11 Top Paid · News (US App Store)

This app brings the Feedly RSS reader experience to your Apple Watch. Access your feeds, mark articles as read, and save them to boards directly from your wrist. It also offers customizable complications for quick access to top stories or unread counts.

**Highlights:** Feedly integration, Access All and Favourites feeds, Mark as Read functionality, Save to Board feature, Top Story complication, Unread Count complication

**Features:** Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NetNewsWire free?

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

### Is WatchFeed free?

WatchFeed costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, NetNewsWire or WatchFeed?

WatchFeed is rated higher. NetNewsWire averages 4.7 out of 5 from 887 ratings, while WatchFeed averages 5.0 from 5 ratings.

### Do NetNewsWire or WatchFeed have ads?

Neither NetNewsWire nor WatchFeed shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, NetNewsWire or WatchFeed?

NetNewsWire ships an update monthly, and WatchFeed every 4 months. Most recently, NetNewsWire was updated on October 21, 2026 and WatchFeed on October 14, 2026.

### Which is more popular, NetNewsWire or WatchFeed?

NetNewsWire currently peaks at #115 in the App Store charts, and WatchFeed at #11. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*