# Simple RSS Reader vs Amethyst

The clearest difference is monetization model: Amethyst at free against Simple RSS Reader's free with in-app purchases. Amethyst also leads on device support (5 vs 3). Simple RSS Reader's advantage is iOS requirement (9.0 vs 17.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Simple RSS Reader sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $4.99 per year and Amethyst sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Simple RSS Reader ships an update every 2 weeks, Amethyst monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 12, 2026 and September 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Simple RSS Reader | Amethyst |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[2.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-rss-reader/id1520277192/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1** | — |
| Positive reviews | — | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 164 MB | 52 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Vision Pro** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [sachin kanadia](https://appshunter.io/developer/1123668063) | [MBRKHRDT LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1492913322) |

## What reviewers say

### Simple RSS Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-rss-reader/id1520277192)

Manage your news feeds with an intuitive interface. Organize articles into categories, customize your views, and access over 100 suggested feeds. Enjoy a clean reading experience with an optional ad-free subscription.

**Highlights:** Create, edit, and delete RSS categories, Add, edit, and delete RSS feeds, Intuitive user interface, Refreshable RSS categories, Card and tile view options, Over 100 suggested RSS feeds

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Go Ad Free! | $4.99 | per year |


### Amethyst

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/amethyst-rss-and-news-reader/id6758023629)

A streamlined RSS reader designed for Apple devices, offering customizable feed organization, real-time notifications, and article bookmarking. It supports RSS, Atom, and JSON feeds, syncing seamlessly across your Apple ecosystem.

**Highlights:** RSS, Atom, JSON feed support, Feed grouping and sorting, Real-time push notifications, Article bookmarking, iCloud sync across Apple devices, OPML import/export

**Features:** Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Amethyst Plus - Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| Amethyst Plus - Annual | $19.99 | per year |
| Amethyst Plus - Lifetime | $49.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Simple RSS Reader free?

Simple RSS Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Amethyst free?

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

### Do Simple RSS Reader or Amethyst have ads?

Neither Simple RSS Reader nor Amethyst shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Simple RSS Reader or Amethyst?

Simple RSS Reader ships an update every 2 weeks, and Amethyst monthly. Most recently, Simple RSS Reader was updated on September 12, 2026 and Amethyst on September 14, 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.*