# TidBITS News vs Unread

The clearest difference is rating: Unread at 4.6 against TidBITS News's 3.8. Unread also leads on update cadence (every 8 days vs every 4 months) and ratings volume (442 vs 6). TidBITS News's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4). On price, 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. TidBITS News asks for nothing beyond the download.

Unread holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Unread has 442 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 64% of TidBITS News's written reviews are positive against 72% of Unread's.

TidBITS News ships an update every 4 months, Unread every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on September 18, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | TidBITS News | Unread |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.8 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tidbits-news/id348629441/reviews) | **[4.6 (442 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/unread-an-rss-reader/id1363637349/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 6 | **442** |
| Positive reviews | 64.3% of reviews | **72.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 2 MB | 39 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **18.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Matt Neuburg](https://appshunter.io/developer/346204863) | [Golden Hill Software](https://appshunter.io/developer/404445480) |

## What reviewers say

### TidBITS News

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tidbits-news/id348629441)

Access the latest news and product updates for Mac and iOS devices from a long-standing internet publication. Read full articles with graphics and embedded videos, and follow links to external resources. Content is downloaded for offline reading.

**Highlights:** Headline and summary display, Pull-to-refresh functionality, Full article reading with graphics and video, Adjustable font sizes, In-app web browsing, Offline content access

**In-app purchases:** none


### 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


## Frequently asked questions

### Is TidBITS News free?

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

### Is Unread free?

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

### Which has better reviews, TidBITS News or Unread?

Unread is rated higher. TidBITS News averages 3.8 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while Unread averages 4.6 from 442 ratings.

### Do TidBITS News or Unread have ads?

Neither TidBITS News nor Unread shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, TidBITS News or Unread?

TidBITS News ships an update every 4 months, and Unread every 8 days. Most recently, TidBITS News was updated on September 18, 2026 and Unread on September 21, 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.*