# Simple News Reader vs NetNewsWire

The clearest difference is rating: NetNewsWire at 4.7 against Simple News Reader's 3.3. NetNewsWire also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 9 months) and ratings volume (890 vs 3). Simple News Reader's advantage is iOS requirement (11.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

NetNewsWire holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NetNewsWire has 890 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Simple News Reader ships an update every 9 months, NetNewsWire monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Simple News Reader | NetNewsWire |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.3 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-news-reader/id952367972/reviews) | **[4.7 (890 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/netnewswire-rss-reader/id1480640210/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 3 | **890** |
| Positive reviews | — | 83.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | — | **#103** |
| Size | 1 MB | 27 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Ferdinand Hof](https://appshunter.io/developer/592572981) | [Brent Simmons](https://appshunter.io/developer/1480640209) |

## 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


### NetNewsWire

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/netnewswire-rss-reader/id1480640210)

**Currently charting:** #103 Top Free · News (US App Store)

This app aggregates articles from your favorite blogs and news sites, offering a faster and more organized way to consume content. It provides control over your news feed, eliminating the need to visit multiple websites or rely on social media algorithms. Enjoy a streamlined reading experience with customizable features and syncing capabilities.

**Highlights:** Direct feed downloading, iCloud and third-party syncing, Customizable article themes, Reader view, Starred articles, Smart feeds, Home screen widgets

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Simple News Reader free?

Simple News Reader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is NetNewsWire free?

NetNewsWire is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Simple News Reader or NetNewsWire?

NetNewsWire is rated higher. Simple News Reader averages 3.3 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while NetNewsWire averages 4.7 from 890 ratings.

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

Neither Simple News Reader nor NetNewsWire shows ads.

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

Simple News Reader ships an update every 9 months, and NetNewsWire monthly. Most recently, Simple News Reader was updated on November 6, 2026 and NetNewsWire on November 7, 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.*