1. Reeder 5
Having always been at the forefront of RSS reader apps for macOS, Reeder 5 is a standout option for RSS reading on the Mac. Designed with a minimal interface in mind, Reeder incorporates a wide variety of services such as Feedbin, Feedly, Feed Wrangler and The Old Reader. Reeder also integrates with Instapaper and Pocket for offline reading. One welcome addition over previous versions of Reeder is the option to mark as read as you scroll. Ultimately, what makes Reeder 5 stand out so well is its polished interface that stays out of your way, allowing you to focus solely on what you want to read. Reeder 5 is available in the Mac App Store for $9.99 as a one-time purchase.
2. NetNewsWire
Immediately appealing due to its open source nature, NetNewsWire is both fast and free. Syncing is handled through either Feedbin or Feedly. The feature-light app doesn’t weigh you down with options, in-app purchases or anything that can get in the way. You can navigate everything via your mouse or keyboard, thanks to a bevy of single-key keyboard shortcuts. Want a light or dark mode? That’s here too. The option of hiding read articles or starring articles to come back to later is also available. Background refresh ensures that you don’t have to do anything to get NetNewsWire to pull in new articles for you. A built-in Reader view strips out all of the unnecessary web page fluff and helps you focus solely on the articles you want to read. If you ever want to add new news sources on your own, a Safari extension ensures you can do exactly that with just a few clicks.
3. ReadKit
ReadKit has been around for a long time. ReadKit is similar to its competitors in that it helps you focus solely on what you want to read. Instapaper and Pocket are also accessible so you can add plenty of offline reads for another time. When it comes to reading directly through the app, Smart Folders will help keep you organized. Want dedicated folders for iOS, Mac, Apple TV and Apple Watch? You can set that up with just a few clicks. Adding to your feeds can be done through a variety of RSS services including Feedly, NewsBlur, Feed Wrangler, Fever and more. If you want to block out the world and focus just on ReadKit, enable “Focus mode,” hide all of your folder columns and go full screen. One of the best aspects of ReadKit is its ability to be customized, as you can tweak font style, height, alignment, line spacing, page width and more. You may never want to touch anything, but knowing you have the option makes ReadKit all the more attractive an option for Mac owners. The app is available for $9.99 in the Mac App Store.
4. Feedly
Feedly initially started as a web app but now comes with a desktop app for macOS. For RSS beginners, Feedly may be the best option, as it helps you immediately organize subjects including Business, Health, Technology, Sports and more. Start by picking a category that interests you, news or blogs within that category that you’d like to read, and Feedly does the rest. Beyond its web features, the macOS app adds a few new options including logging in with a Google or Twitter account. Adding new feeds is also much easier on the Mac app. Additionally, Feedly includes its own built-in browser so you don’t have to jump into Safari, Chrome, Edge, Brave, etc. to read. Feedly is 100 percent free for most users. If you want to add more sources or share via social networks, you can join Feedly Pro for $6 per month.
5. News Explorer
When you want your RSS reader to go beyond RSS, News Explorer can come to the rescue. The clean interface enables the option to add RSS, JSON, Atom and Twitter subscriptions all to one main feed. You can also add in Podcast RSS feeds. Beyond its sources, article lists can include thumbnails that can be adjusted for visibility and alignment so you can customize the app to your liking. Reader view allows you to read just the full text of articles without any ads or extras. Navigating right to your content feed can be done with a single click. If you want to reply to tweets in the app, you can reply and retweet without leaving the app or opening the browser. Like its other RSS counterparts, Pocket and Instapaper are available for offline reading, or you can share articles via Messages, Facebook or other sharing services. News Explorer is available for macOS users for $9.99 as a one-time purchase.
Final Thoughts
RSS has long solidified its place as the go-to for news reading. While Feedly is the backbone to just about every RSS Mac app on this list, that doesn’t make it a must-use, as apps like Reeder and ReadKit offer plenty of features on their own. If you don’t want to fork over any cash or prefer open-source options, NetNewsWire is the best option for you. For Linux users, you can check out Tickr. Image credit: Businessman working on computer by DepositPhotos
