# Simple News Reader vs Unread

The clearest difference is rating: Unread at 4.6 against Simple News Reader's 3.3. Unread also leads on update cadence (every 8 days vs every 9 months) and ratings volume (443 vs 3). Simple News Reader's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 18.0). 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. Simple News Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.

Unread holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Unread has 443 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Simple News Reader ships an update every 9 months, Unread every 8 days. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Simple News Reader | Unread |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.3 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-news-reader/id952367972/reviews) | **[4.6 (443 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/unread-an-rss-reader/id1363637349/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 3 | **443** |
| Positive reviews | — | 72.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 1 MB | 40 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Ferdinand Hof](https://appshunter.io/developer/592572981) | [Golden Hill Software](https://appshunter.io/developer/404445480) |

## What reviewers say

### Simple News Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-news-reader/id952367972)

This app offers a clean and intuitive interface for managing RSS feeds. Easily add, refresh, and browse articles, with options to save for later and a convenient night mode.

**Highlights:** Clean and intuitive interface, Easy feed management, Save articles for later, Night mode, Search functionality, Share articles

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Unread

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/unread-an-rss-reader/id1363637349)

This app offers a beautiful and intuitive way to read your favorite news and blogs. It features customizable themes, automatic full-text article retrieval, and seamless syncing across devices. Enjoy offline access and integration with various read-later services.

**Highlights:** Beautiful typography and color themes, Gesture-based navigation, Automatic full-text article retrieval, Cross-device syncing with Unread Cloud, Offline access to cached content, Integration with read-later services, Share sheet extensions for subscribing and saving

**Features:** Family Sharing, iPhone Duo support

**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 Simple News Reader free?

Simple News Reader 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, Simple News Reader or Unread?

Unread is rated higher. Simple News Reader averages 3.3 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Unread averages 4.6 from 443 ratings.

### Do Simple News Reader or Unread have ads?

Neither Simple News Reader nor Unread shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Simple News Reader or Unread?

Simple News Reader ships an update every 9 months, and Unread every 8 days. Most recently, Simple News Reader was updated on November 6, 2026 and Unread on November 6, 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.*