Comparison

Feeddler RSS News Reader vs Heartfeed RSS Reader

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Feeddler RSS News Reader

A fast and customizable RSS reader that syncs with popular services and offers offline reading. It presents news in an easy-to-read interface with extensive customization options for a personalized reading experience.

Highlights
  • Syncs with multiple RSS services
  • Offline reading of cached articles
  • Feed and folder management
  • Customizable UI with night mode
  • Article marking and sorting options
  • Swipe gestures for navigation
  • Save and share articles
Features
Read full description

Feeddler was first released in 2010, a few days before the first-generation iPad release. Feeddler has been one of the most popular RSS readers for iPhone and iPad and has been picked as a top news app by numerous media over the years. * "New and Noteworthy" and "What's Hot" - featured by Apple * "Cleanest and most user-friendly interface" - iPhone Life Magazine * "Essential iPad Apps" - Gizmodo * "10 Must Have iPad Apps" - Cool Tricks N Tips * ... and many more Feeddler is a fast and highly customizable RSS Reader client that stays perfect sync with RSS services and presents RSS stories in an easy-to-read interface. Feeddler is a universal app that supports iPhones, iPod touches, and iPads. Features: * Syncs with Bazqux Reader (optional account, 30-day free trial). * Syncs with FeedHQ (optional account, , 30-day free trial). * Syncs with Feedly (optional account, free). * Syncs with InoReader (optional account, free). * Syncs with The Old Reader (optional account, free). * Supports multiple accounts. * Supports feed management - add/delete/rename/sort subscriptions and folders. * Caches RSS articles and images for offline reading * Able to set up each subscription to open articles directly in RSS, full text mode, or web (online only). * Able to mark all items as read for any RSS subscription or mark only loaded items as read. * Able to mark items as read based on date or automatically mark items as read while user scrolling headlines. * Able to show only feeds/folders with unread items. * Swipe RSS articles for navigation, and pinch articles to change font size. * Save/Share articles by tapping-and-holding any articles shown on the preview list. * E-mail sharing with optional default recipients. * Copy-and-paste titles, links, or full articles. * Lots of UI customization options including summary preview and the comfortable night mode. More features in the Pro version: + Supports landscape mode on iPhone. + Supports keyword search to find and add feeds. + Sync all subscriptions, or sync subscriptions in a folder for offline reading. + Sync options: sync all feeds or unread items only, sync from last sync, days or weeks. For faster syncing, use "Unread only" + "FromLastSync." + No ads If you like Feeddler, please consider writing positive reviews on the App Store. We keep adding features, fixing bugs, and improving app performance. Please send us feedback at feeddler@gmail.com. Thanks for your support.

About

Heartfeed RSS Reader

This app offers an efficient, no-nonsense way to read news from RSS, Atom, and JSON feeds without requiring account setup or server reliance. It features a compact grid view, background feed refreshing, and seamless syncing across iOS devices via iCloud.

Highlights
  • Compact grid view for feeds
  • Internal browser with content blocker support
  • Automatic iCloud sync for feeds and read status
  • Quick pick list for selecting news items
  • Background feed refresh and caching
  • Bookmark management with iCloud sync
  • Night mode theme
Features
Read full description

Do you want to read your news using RSS/Atom/JSON feeds in the most efficient, no-nonsense way, and with no requirement to setup an app-specific user account or relying on a server? If you do, Heartfeed might be the app for you. Features: - A compact grid view for your feeds, making it easy to check all of them at once - When reading news in the internal browser, full support of your configured content blockers, saved passwords, etc. - Automatic synching of subscribed feeds and read status between iOS devices (requires an iCloud account) - Quick pick list: Easily select which news items from different feeds you want to read - Background refresh of feeds: Some feeds refresh often and you then risk missing news in case the app is not used frequently. Background refresh, together with caching of the last 50 news items in each feed, prevents this from happening - Bookmarks, including reading them from either inside Heartfeed or from any iOS or macOS browser (requires an iCloud account) - Night mode theme - Subscribing to feeds from the current Heartfeed top list, from files, or directly from the web - Full support for split views and multi-tasking on iPads - No tracking of usage or personal data; optionally, you can anonymously share which feeds you subscribe to for improving the builtin top list of recommended feeds The app is 100% free and without ads. If you want to tip me somethings as thanks for the app, you can do so within the settings. I hope you'll enjoy using Heartfeed!

Screenshots

Feeddler RSS News Reader4 screens
Heartfeed RSS Reader4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Heartfeed RSS Reader at 4.8 against Feeddler RSS News Reader's 3.8. Heartfeed RSS Reader also leads on review sentiment (89% vs 80%). Feeddler RSS News Reader's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 5) and update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, ratings volume, ads and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Heartfeed RSS Reader sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Feeddler RSS News Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Heartfeed RSS Reader holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 48 and 90 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 80% of Feeddler RSS News Reader's written reviews are positive against 89% of Heartfeed RSS Reader's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Feeddler RSS News Reader ships an update every 4 weeks, Heartfeed RSS Reader every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Feeddler RSS News Reader versus Heartfeed RSS Reader: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFeeddler RSS News ReaderHeartfeed RSS Reader
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.8 (48 ratings)4.8 (90 ratings) — better
Positive reviews80.0% of reviews89.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings4890 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS11.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size10 MB14 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperC.B. LiuOzymandias

Customer experience

Feeddler RSS News Reader

All ratings48 ratings
Positive70.8%
Neutral4.2%
Negative25.0%
Written reviews923 reviews
Positive80.0%
Neutral7.0%
Negative13.0%

Heartfeed RSS Reader

All ratings90 ratings
Positive93.3%
Neutral2.2%
Negative4.4%
Written reviews91 reviews
Positive89.0%
Neutral5.5%
Negative5.5%

User reviews

Feeddler RSS News Reader

From 48 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 📱 Clean and simple interface
  • 🔄 Reliable sync with Google Reader
  • ⏱️ Fast and responsive
  • 📚 Excellent for reading RSS feeds
  • 🔖 Good organization and sorting options

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
  • 🔑 Requires login to third-party service
  • 💰 Paid version required for some features
  • 📢 Intrusive ads in free version
  • 🔍 Limited feed discovery options

Heartfeed RSS Reader

From 90 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🎯 Perfect Pulse replacement with grid/tile layout
  • 👍 Simple, intuitive, and streamlined interface
  • ⚡ Fast and efficient news consumption
  • 🔄 Reliable syncing across devices
  • 📱 Clean, uncluttered design without bloat

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes on opening and usage
  • 💰 Paywall for unlimited feeds ($2.99)
  • 🔍 No search functionality across feeds
  • 📸 Limited thumbnail/image display options
  • 🌍 No multi-language or RTL script support

Bugs and requests

Feeddler RSS News Reader

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Login issues after OS updates
  • Freezing and slow performance on older devices
  • Inconsistent sync between devices and Google Reader

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to mark individual articles as read
  • Option to automatically mark articles as read when scrolled past
  • Integration with more sharing/bookmarking services
  • Landscape mode support for article view
  • Customizable font and theme options

Heartfeed RSS Reader

Reported bugs

6 issues
  • App crashes on launch
  • Crashes after adding feeds
  • Multiple crashes during normal usage
  • App fails to start after recent updates
  • iCloud syncing issues (requires troubleshooting)
Show 1 more
  • Bright reader screen conflicts with dark mode setting

Requested features

13 requests
  • Search functionality with highlighting across feeds
  • Individual mark-as-read buttons per feed
  • Thumbnail images in grid view
  • Apple Watch app support
  • Offline reading capability
Show 8 more
  • Multi-language support including RTL scripts
  • Integration with Feedly and other accounts
  • Preserve feed groups on OPML import
  • Dark mode for reader screen
  • Feed discovery page with popular feeds index
  • Ability to save/bookmark articles
  • Variable font sizes in grid view
  • Apple News+ integration

In-app purchases

None

Feeddler RSS News Reader

No in-app purchases

5 purchases

Heartfeed RSS Reader

One-time5
  • Tipping the developer$0.99
  • Unlimited feeds$2.99
  • Tipping the developer$2.99
Show 2 more
  • Even more tip to the developer$9.99
  • Maximum tip to the developer$24.99

Questions

Is Feeddler RSS News Reader free?
Feeddler RSS News Reader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Heartfeed RSS Reader free?
Heartfeed RSS Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Feeddler RSS News Reader or Heartfeed RSS Reader?
Heartfeed RSS Reader is rated higher. Feeddler RSS News Reader averages 3.8 out of 5 from 48 ratings, while Heartfeed RSS Reader averages 4.8 from 90 ratings.
Do Feeddler RSS News Reader or Heartfeed RSS Reader have ads?
Neither Feeddler RSS News Reader nor Heartfeed RSS Reader shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Feeddler RSS News Reader or Heartfeed RSS Reader?
Feeddler RSS News Reader ships an update every 4 weeks, and Heartfeed RSS Reader every 2 months. Most recently, Feeddler RSS News Reader was updated on September 21, 2026 and Heartfeed RSS Reader on September 26, 2026.

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