Stop using Feedly: I found 2 better RSS reader apps on Android

Virtually each morning performs out the identical in my dwelling. Eggs for breakfast, after which a pour-over espresso that goes straight into the insulated Fellow Carter mug so I can stretch the flavors out for eternity. And whereas doing that, I learn.

It was once all over. I referred to as it multi-pronged analysis. Information web sites, Threads, YouTube, Mastodon, Google News—you identify it. However I quickly obtained uninterested in all of the noise. The incessant scrolling, leaping by way of sources, avoiding pop-up advertisements. The espresso was carried out, however I used to be none the wiser. So but once more, I went again to RSS, simply as I’ve carried out for over a decade now.

Each morning, I choose up my light-weight and trusty Pixel 9a for the job (it doesn’t have my SIM in it, so no disturbances). In my seek for the proper RSS setup, I seemed means past the Play Retailer and located two minimal RSS readers that do the job — and neither of them is known as Feedly.

I’ve been utilizing RSS for nearly half of my existence on this planet. I survived the tip of Google Reader and moved by way of many companies with my trusty OPML file in tow (the file that shops all my RSS subscription hyperlinks, within the folder construction that I like). I’ve tried so many companies and apps that my OPML file is extra essential than any RSS sync service.

I preserve coming again to it due to the sheer management I’ve over my feed. I learn impartial blogs, massive publications, and devoted tech websites like Android Authority every day. I punch within the sources, and that’s all I see.

And if you realize the place to look, you’ll discover RSS sources in all places. I observe individuals’s Bluesky and Mastodon accounts through RSS, preserve tabs on YouTube pages, and for some time I even tried utilizing subreddits through RSS (although it obtained so chaotic I needed to let it go). The purpose is, you can also make RSS your individual. You need to use a sync service if you would like, or, like me, preserve updating and transferring the one true OPML file.

After the premature demise of Google Reader, Feedly emerged as a non secular successor. I’ve used it many instances over the previous decade, and even now my Feedly sources are updated. When you’ve got by no means used an RSS service earlier than, Feedly is an efficient place to start out.

However lately, Feedly is extra of a content material platform than an RSS reader. The app begins me off with a curated checklist of the day’s high tales, slightly than my precise chronological feed (which is hidden within the sidebar). There are prompts to get you to improve and, in fact, combine AI. In my testing, Feedly’s free plan doesn’t robotically present a full-text view for truncated feeds both. The app itself, whereas fantastic to make use of, seems dated and isn’t as customizable as I’d like.

So, what’s the choice? Most days, I’m going with Read You. It is a free, open-source RSS reader with a minimal design based mostly on the Materials You design language. It seems modern, with good icons and an ethereal interface with large headings. Plus, it helps Android’s dynamic colours, so after I change the wallpaper (which is usually), Learn You’s accent colour adapts robotically, a pleasant little contact.

I preserve coming again for the studying expertise. It’s the closest factor I can get to a paperback e-book with out switching to an e-ink show. The toolbar and the buttons haven’t any chrome round them, and so they disappear the second I scroll. It’s simply the textual content and some photos.

The studying interface is customizable as effectively (I default to unread articles on launch). If you happen to’re coming from the iPhone world, you possibly can change to the Reeder theme (although I, personally, suppose the Materials You theme has an edge). You may change to a special font or load up your individual font file. If you’d like, you possibly can customise the font dimension, the textual content spacing, and even the padding. For early-morning studying, the OLED black theme goes a great distance (pairs effectively with Pixel’s expanded dark theme). For feeds that present truncated articles, there’s an choice to robotically parse full web site textual content (hidden behind a long-press gesture on the positioning identify).

Most significantly, after I use Learn You, I really feel at dwelling. All of the RSS options work as you’d anticipate. I can get notifications about new articles, flip off badges fully, set up feeds into folders, and take heed to articles if I need.

Whereas I exploit Learn You on daily basis with none points, it’s nonetheless pre-1.0, and the roadmap exhibits why. Learn You is lacking a widget I might desperately like, and because it stands, Feedly sync continues to be sooner or later. You may sync through Fever, the Google Reader API, or FreshRSS. Or, like me, simply import your OPML file.

Of the 2 apps, FeedFlow is the one I exploit much less, but it surely’s the one I’d suggest to most Android customers. It’s out there on the Play Store (along with F-Droid), and in contrast to Learn You, it’s a mature, steady RSS reader out there throughout Android, iOS, Linux, Home windows, and Mac. You may import your individual OPML file or hook up with companies like FreshRSS, Miniflux, Feedbin, and BazQux. It’s also possible to deal with the cross-device sync your self utilizing iCloud (Apple units solely), Dropbox, or Google Drive.

Whereas Learn You leans in direction of a lightweight and breezy look, FeedFlow has a utilitarian aesthetic. The text-only structure choices, paired with the superb OLED black theme, go a great distance in making early-morning studying periods simpler on my eyes. By default, FeedFlow opens all articles in a cached reader view, pulling the complete web site’s content material. If you happen to disable this characteristic from Settings > Studying Conduct, it would simply open the article within the browser. Because of this with none adjustments, you’re getting one of the best studying expertise.

Together with the Black theme, it’s the widget that I exploit most frequently. A complete web page on my Pixel Launcher home screen is devoted to this widget, which helps scrolling. Each half-hour, the widget refreshes with the newest articles (so long as background sync is enabled within the settings). It is a characteristic I sorely miss in Learn You.

FeedFlow has a hidden characteristic that tells you the developer is a prolific RSS reader himself. Utilizing the Blocked Phrases characteristic, you possibly can robotically disguise articles that comprise phrases you don’t need to see. Just like the mute characteristic on social media platforms, however for web sites. Mighty helpful should you don’t need one more Elon Musk replace at 7:30 within the morning.

I lean in direction of Learn You, however I nonetheless use each

I exploit each RSS readers all through the day, however my most well-liked choice stays Learn You. There’s one thing in regards to the studying expertise that simply calls to me. After I need to shortly verify the information, I want FeedFlow’s widget and the marginally quicker, text-only interface I’ve arrange within the app. Maybe a well-themed Materials You widget from Learn You’ll tip the scales sooner or later, however for now, I’m pleased with my personalized, minimal news-reading expertise that’s utterly below my management.