# NetNewsWire vs Principal AI

The clearest difference is ratings volume: NetNewsWire at 890 against Principal AI's 3. NetNewsWire also leads on chart position (#183 vs unranked). Principal AI's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Principal AI holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NetNewsWire has 890 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two.

NetNewsWire ships an update monthly, Principal AI every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NetNewsWire | Principal AI |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (890 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/netnewswire-rss-reader/id1480640210/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/principal-ai/id6761268899/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **890** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 83.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 4 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | **#183** | — |
| Size | 27 MB | 44 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Brent Simmons](https://appshunter.io/developer/1480640209) | [Fernando Ramirez](https://appshunter.io/developer/1846460167) |

## What reviewers say

### NetNewsWire

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

**Currently charting:** #183 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


### Principal AI

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/principal-ai/id6761268899)

Visualize GitHub activity with a unique 2D representation of your repository's structure. Track commits, view file changes, and explore project history in an engaging, visual format. Designed for developers who appreciate code as an art form.

**Highlights:** Live Activity Feed, File City visualization, Commit details, Commit timeline, Pull-to-refresh, Swipe navigation

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NetNewsWire free?

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

### Is Principal AI free?

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

### Which has better reviews, NetNewsWire or Principal AI?

Principal AI is rated higher. NetNewsWire averages 4.7 out of 5 from 890 ratings, while Principal AI averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do NetNewsWire or Principal AI have ads?

Neither NetNewsWire nor Principal AI shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, NetNewsWire or Principal AI?

NetNewsWire ships an update monthly, and Principal AI every 4 weeks. Most recently, NetNewsWire was updated on November 3, 2026 and Principal AI on October 31, 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.*