CloudNews vs Surfboard
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
CloudNews
This app synchronizes with a personal server's news app to provide a seamless feed reading experience across devices. Customize your reading view with adjustable font sizes and spacing, and access full web articles easily. A home screen widget offers quick access to new content.
- Syncs with Nextcloud News app
- Cross-device synchronization
- Customizable reading view (font, spacing, margins)
- Direct access to web articles
- Article sharing
- Home screen widget
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Note: Access to a Nextcloud server with the News app is required to use this app. CloudNews is a feed reader that syncs with the News app on your personal server. Once you have logged in to your server, all feeds with be kept in sync between devices and also the web interface. Optionally supports sync on startup and in the background. Read feeds conveniently by adjusting font size, line spacing, and margins. You can also go directly to the full web version of an article. Easily view the web version of articles and share articles with several services. Quickly see new articles on a home screen widget.
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.
- 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
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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.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: CloudNews at 57% against Surfboard's 0%. CloudNews also leads on price ($1.99 vs $4.99) and ratings volume (12 vs 2). Surfboard's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 3.8) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 5 weeks). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model and chart position 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
CloudNews costs $1.99 and Surfboard $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Surfboard holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: CloudNews has 12 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 57% of CloudNews's written reviews are positive against 0% of Surfboard's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
CloudNews ships an update every 5 weeks, Surfboard fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | CloudNews | Surfboard |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1.99 — better | $4.99 |
| Rating | 3.8 (12 ratings) | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 56.9% of reviews — better | 0.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 12 — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | #46 — better | #117 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro — better |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | 18.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 19 MB | 4 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Peter Hedlund | Ian Leon |
Customer experience
CloudNews
Surfboard
In-app purchases
CloudNews
No in-app purchases
Surfboard
No in-app purchases
