Comparison

Surfboard vs Newsbin

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

Head to head
About

Surfboard

This app acts as a personalized news aggregator, allowing users to easily organize and curate content from various online sources into a single, streamlined feed. It offers a customizable reading experience with features like dark/light mode adaptation and respects system text size settings for accessibility.

Highlights
  • Effortless URL management
  • Customizable content curation by topics
  • Streamlined single feed
  • SwiftUI interface
  • SwiftData for reliable data handling
  • System setting adaptation (dark/light mode)
  • Accessibility-focused design
Currently charting
Read full description

Surfboard - RSS Reader is not just an app; it's your personalized news concierge. Designed for the savvy, on-the-go individual, Surfboard transforms how you interact with the online world of news, blogs, and stories. Effortless Organization: Easily add and manage URLs with our Feeds feature. No more jumping between sites - get all your favorite content in one streamlined feed. Customized Content Curation: Our Topics feature allows you to categorize your feeds, ensuring you only see what interests you. Tailor your news experience to your personal tastes and preferences. State-of-the-Art Technology: Enjoy a smooth, responsive interface crafted with SwiftUI. Experience quick, reliable data handling thanks to SwiftData - all leading to a more enjoyable reading experience. A Reading Experience Tailored to You: Surfboard automatically adapts to your preferred system settings. Whether you're a fan of dark mode or prefer light mode, the app adjusts to your choice, ensuring a comfortable reading environment. Accessibility-First Design: We recognize the importance of accessibility. That's why Surfboard respects your device's text size settings, making it easier for everyone, including users with visual impairments, to read and enjoy content. Why Choose Surfboard? In a world overloaded with information, Surfboard is your personal filter, bringing you directly to what matters most. It's not just about staying updated; it's about staying informed in the most convenient, personalized way possible. With Surfboard, you control the waves of information. Dive into a world where content meets convenience. Welcome to Surfboard - RSS Reader. Your news, refined and defined by you.

About

Newsbin

A fast, private RSS reader for all Apple devices. Organize your favorite blogs, news sites, and newsletters with a clean interface. Enjoy seamless syncing, widgets, and offline reading without ads or tracking.

Highlights
  • Fast and private RSS reader
  • Seamless iCloud sync across Apple devices
  • Home Screen and desktop widgets
  • System-wide Spotlight search
  • Smart organization with tags and blocklists
  • Customizable list, grid, and large-preview layouts
  • Offline reading
Features
Read full description

Your news. Your way. On every Apple device. Newsbin is a fast, private RSS reader built for people tired of AI-generated junk, paywalls, intrusive ads, and "subscribe to my newsletter!" pop-ups. Follow your favorite blogs, news sites, newsletters, and YouTube channels in a clean, modern interface that puts content first — no ads, no tracking, and no algorithm deciding what you see. Genuinely native on every Apple device — iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Vision Pro — Newsbin keeps your feeds organized, synced, and ready wherever you read. Home Screen and desktop widgets, system-wide Spotlight search, and seamless iCloud sync keep your news close at hand and instantly accessible across all your devices. Free to try. Pay once for life, or subscribe — your choice, and never any lock-in. HIGHLIGHTS Feels native everywhere — Built with Swift 6 and SwiftUI, Newsbin looks and performs beautifully across every Apple platform. Apple Watch & Vision Pro — A real, native reading experience on the devices most RSS apps ignore. Widgets and Spotlight search — Check headlines at a glance and find any article with system-wide search. Ultra-fast iCloud sync — Stay perfectly in sync across iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Vision Pro. Smart organization — Use tags, blocklists, and smart groups to curate exactly what you want to see. Custom views — Browse feeds in list, grid, or large-preview layouts. Unread indicators — Track what's new with simple dots and badges. Offline reading — Read saved articles anywhere, anytime. Thoughtful notifications — Get alerts only when new unread stories arrive. Automatic background refresh — Feeds stay current quietly in the background. Full-article reading — Enjoy complete, distraction-free stories without leaving the app. OPML import & export — Bring in your existing subscriptions in seconds, and take them with you anytime. No lock-in. Private by design — Feeds and reading habits are never tracked or shared. From casual readers to RSS power users, Newsbin is a clean, private, and lightning-fast way to stay informed — beautifully integrated across every Apple device. WHAT USERS ARE SAYING "If Apple Mail and Apple Notes had a baby, Newsbin would be it and I lo…ve it!" — A. S. "I really like the app UI. I have been an RSS reader since the times of Google Reader and have used so many apps for RSS reading. This one has really caught my eye." — Guillermo F, Tecnocracia (www.tecnocracia.com.co) PRICING Newsbin is free to try. Unlock everything with a one-time Lifetime purchase or an optional monthly subscription — whichever you prefer. Payment will be charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation of purchase. Subscriptions automatically renew unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. You can manage and cancel your subscriptions in your App Store account settings after purchase. Privacy Policy: https://xetabit.com/privacy/ Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Surfboard3 screens
Newsbin4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Newsbin at 75% against Surfboard's 0%. Newsbin also leads on price (Free vs $4.99) and update cadence (every 5 days vs fortnightly). Surfboard's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.0) and in-app purchases (none vs 2). On ads, device support and iOS requirement 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

Newsbin is free to download; Surfboard costs $4.99 up front. Newsbin sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Surfboard asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Surfboard holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 7 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 0% of Surfboard's written reviews are positive against 75% of Newsbin's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Surfboard ships an update fortnightly, Newsbin every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 3 level
Surfboard versus Newsbin: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSurfboardNewsbin
Price$4.99Free — better
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better4.0 (7 ratings)
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews75.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings27 — better
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaid — betterSubscription
Best chart rank#118 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision ProiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Vision Pro — better
Requires iOS18.018.0
Further details — not scored
Size4 MB150 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperIan LeonXetabit, LLC

Customer experience

Surfboard

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

Newsbin

All ratings7 ratings
Positive71.4%
Neutral14.3%
Negative14.3%
Written reviews8 reviews
Positive75.0%
Neutral12.5%
Negative12.5%

In-app purchases

None

Surfboard

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Newsbin

Subscriptions1
  • Subscribe Monthly7 Days trial$2.991 Month
One-time1
  • Lifetime$14.99

Questions

Is Surfboard free?
Surfboard costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Newsbin free?
Newsbin is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Surfboard or Newsbin?
Surfboard is rated higher. Surfboard averages 5.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Newsbin averages 4.0 from 7 ratings.
Do Surfboard or Newsbin have ads?
Neither Surfboard nor Newsbin shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Surfboard or Newsbin?
Surfboard ships an update fortnightly, and Newsbin every 5 days. Most recently, Surfboard was updated on October 10, 2026 and Newsbin on October 15, 2026.

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