The Bristol Cable vs PageFeed
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
The Bristol Cable
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The Bristol Cable app brings award-winning investigative journalism and community connection right to your pocket. As Bristol's independent, member-owned news co-op, we're building something different—a space where quality local journalism meets genuine community conversation, free from big tech algorithms and corporate interests. Become a member of The Bristol Cable—starting at just £1/month. Download the app today. WHAT YOU GET : Full mobile access to The Bristol Cable's in-depth investigations and analysis Seamless browsing of articles, podcasts, and multimedia content Customisable notifications—you have complete control over what you receive Dedicated local community spaces for Bristol conversations Connection to the Open Social Web and global communities Integration with Mastodon, Bluesky, Threads, and Fediverse networks Member-exclusive community features and discussions Information about Cable events, workshops, and meetups Direct messaging with other members and local organisations Privacy-first design—no algorithm manipulation or data exploitation Support truly independent, accountable journalism OPEN ACCESS JOURNALISM, MEMBER-EXCLUSIVE APP The Bristol Cable has always believed journalism should be free for everyone to read—we don't do paywalls. All our stories remain freely accessible online because information is a public good, not a commodity. But this app is something more. It's a complete community platform that combines our journalism with social connection, local networking, and access to the Open Social Web. That's why app access is for Cable members only, starting from just £1 per month. When you become a member, you're not paying for news—you're joining a movement and gaining a powerful tool for community engagement. DEEP-DIVE IMPACT JOURNALISM Access The Bristol Cable's acclaimed investigative reporting wherever you are. Our journalist-led team produces in-depth journalism that enhances understanding of local issues—political, policy, cultural, and beyond. We don't chase breaking news. Instead, we dig deep into the stories that matter to Bristol, holding power to account and uncovering truths others won't touch. BEYOND THE ALGORITHM The app connects you to the Open Social Web—including Mastodon, Bluesky, Threads, and the wider Fediverse. Discover and follow interest-led communities, engage with people across the world, and join conversations that aren't controlled by profit-driven algorithms. This is social networking that respects your privacy, your time, and your intelligence. No data harvesting. No manipulation. No corporate surveillance. Just genuine connection and meaningful conversation. A SPACE FOR YOUR COMMUNITY The app creates dedicated local spaces where Bristol's communities can come together. Discuss the issues that matter to you. Share perspectives. Organise action. Connect with Bristol-based organisations and events. This is more than a news app—it's a digital town square built on values of openness, democracy, and collective ownership. WHO WE ARE The Bristol Cable is an independent investigative local news co-operative, owned by over 2,600 members who believe Bristol deserves better journalism. Since 2014, we've been investigating stories others ignore, amplifying voices often unheard, and building new models for democratic media. Our work has sparked national conversations, changed local policy, and held powerful institutions to account. And we've never put our journalism behind a paywall. A PIONEERING COLLABORATION This app represents a groundbreaking partnership between The Bristol Cable and the Newsmast Foundation. Together, we're demonstrating how community-centred journalism and open social networks can work hand-in-hand, creating a model that other independent media organisations can follow. This is what the future of democratic, community-owned media looks like.
PageFeed
This news reader presents content in a book-like, page-turning format, eliminating scrolling. Organize your favorite sources, read offline, and enjoy a distraction-free experience with customizable text and themes.
- Page-based reading, no scrolling
- Organized by source, not algorithm
- Distraction-free reading experience
- On-device article summaries
- Customizable tagging and filtering
- Offline reading capability
- Adjustable text and high-contrast theme
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PageFeed is a different kind of news reader, built for reading, not scrolling. Featured by Six Colors, iPhoneBlog.de and iphone-ticker.de: the news reader you page through like a book. The sites, blogs, and writers you follow, laid out in clean, full pages. You tap forward and back, like turning pages in a book. Nothing scrolls. Every page is set to fit, so you always know exactly where you are. WHY PAGEFEED • Read in pages, never scroll. A calm, book-like way through every story, and on iPad, a two-page spread like an open book. • Your sources in order, not by algorithm. Newest or oldest first, your choice. Nothing is promoted, hidden, or reordered for you. • Group your sources. Organize the sites you follow into your own categories and read one topic at a time. • Private sync, your way. Sync through your own iCloud account to keep your iPhone and iPad in step, or through your own Google Drive to sync cross-platform, including the web. Either way, we never see your reading. Prefer simple? A free PageFeed sync account also works everywhere. • Summaries on device. On an iPhone or iPad with Apple Intelligence, get the gist of any article in a few private, on-device bullet points. • Tags, on your terms. Every story is tagged, so you can follow a topic or mute one and never see it in your feed again. • Save anything. Share a web page to PageFeed to keep it, and star the stories you want to come back to. • Works offline. Once loaded, your reading is there on the subway, on a plane, anywhere. It catches up when you're back online. • Find your sources. Browse hundreds of publications by topic in Discover, and follow the ones you like. • Adjustable type and a high-contrast theme. Set the text size and switch to an easy-on-the-eyes look. PageFeed is deliberately minimal: no noise, no infinite scroll, no clutter. Just the news you choose, in order, one page at a time.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: The Bristol Cable at none against PageFeed's 1. The Bristol Cable also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 26.0). PageFeed's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, ads and device support 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
Both are free to download. PageFeed sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. The Bristol Cable asks for nothing beyond the download.
The Bristol Cable ships an update every 3 weeks, PageFeed every 5 days. Both last shipped on October 28, 2026.
| Parameter | The Bristol Cable | PageFeed |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | 5.0 (3 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | — | 3 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 5 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 — better | 26.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 43 MB | 10 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Newsmast Foundation | Brad Moss |
In-app purchases
The Bristol Cable
No in-app purchases
PageFeed
- PageFeed Unlock$9.99









