Google Reader Alternatives (Hosted, Self-Hosted, Desktop & Browser Extensions)
Many web users are fans of feeds (RSS, Atom, etc.) as there is no other better way of following multiple sources of web content.
Google has announced that they are closing Google Reader by 1st of July 2013 and, if you are a user of it, you’ll be hunting for an alternative before that date.
It is great that Google Reader has an export feature for getting the subscription list. In short:
- Click “Settings” icon in Google Reader and then the “Reader Settings”.
- Choose “Import/Export” and click “Download your data through Takeout” and Google Takeout will guide you with the rest.
You may choose to keep following feeds with a web-based (hosted or self-hosted), desktop or a browser-integrated solution and here are all the good ones.
P.S. If your favorite is missing, please share them too.
Hosted
Netvibes
Netvibes is a service that is around for a very long time. It was famous with its iGoogle-like dashboard (that is actually created before iGoogle).
The service has both free + pro plans and the free plan is enough to get a Google Reader-like experience by importing unlimited feeds and switching to the list view.
NewsBlur
Newsblur is a very nice feed reader application which has the ability to load the real web-page besides displaying the feed-view.
Its free plan is limited to 64 feed addresses which may be enough for many. Also, the application is open sourced (check the self-hosted ones below).
The Old Reader
The application has a very simplistic interface, allows categorizing the feeds and browse them easily.
Good Noows
Good Noows has a very clean interface, can present the feeds as a text grid or as boxes.
It is free and unlimited feeds can be added.
Self-Hosted
Tiny Tiny RSS
It has a Google Reader-like, Ajaxed interface.
There is support for keyboard shortcuts, content filtering and multi-user usage.
rssLounge
A PHP-MySQL powered application that can categorize feeds and present them in an Ajaxed interface.
It also works on mobile.
selfoss
selfoss requires PHP-MySQL to run and can aggregate data from multiple sources.
It can be extended with plugins and works on mobile.
Managing News
This is an extraordinary application for fetching feeds, visualizing them on a map and analyze trends.
It is built on top of Drupal and requires PHP-MySQL to tun.
NewsBlur
Above, the hosted version of NewsBlur was mentioned.
The application is actually open source, built with Python and has lots of features.
Fever (paid)
Fever is a pretty cool RSS reader (PHP-MySQL).
It is capable of analyzing the most-talked-about links and marks them as hot to make sure they are visible.
The interface works on all major devices.
FeedHQ
The application is built with Python.
It allows creating categories, items under categories and viewing the as a list. There is also a hosted version.
Desktop
RSSOwl (Windows, Mac, Linux)
That’s a full-featured RSS reader.
It has the ability to monitor keywords, open feed items in an embedded browser and has a powerful search.
Vienna (Mac)
Vienna is an open source RSS reader app that can extended with scripts and plugins.
Also, it is themable.
Liferea (Linux)
The application can sync with Tiny Tiny RSS and has a powerful search feature.
FeedDemon (Windows)
FeedDemon is well-known with its Google Reader sync but, as Google Reader shouts down, that will no longer be possible.
However, the application is also a standalone RSS reader with search, tagging and filtering.
NetNewsWire (Mac)
An ad-supported app (has a pro version too) with multiple views and sorting options.
It is also scriptable with AppleScript.
Browser Extensions
Feedly (Chrome)
The application comes as a Google Chrome extension and mobile apps.
It has support for multiple views and can sync directly with Google Reader.
Feeder (Chrome)
That’s an awesome extension that displays the number of unread items inside each feed and, when clicked, show the items.
It can import OPML files. One missing thing is the ability to show the feed content (redirects to the content).
Brief (Firefox)
Brief is a complete RSS reader with support for bookmarking, searching and keyboard shortcuts.
- Tags:
Google Reader RSS
- Filed under: Goodies, Other License, Rss & Feeds
- 8 Comments
8 Responses for "Google Reader Alternatives (Hosted, Self-Hosted, Desktop & Browser Extensions)"
Feedly is not just a Chrome browser extension. There are extensions for Firefox, apps for iOS and Android, and Feedly is developing it’s own Google Reader-like backend to take over the feed process once Google Reader is retired. I prefer it over Reader.
There´s an error… it doesn´t appear http://www.feedly.com/
How could you forget Reeder, probably the best and most popular reader app, available on Mac, iPad and iPhone?
Leed is also an excellent self hosted and free solution at htp://projet.idleman.fr/leed
as a Feedly user almost since his creation, I really like it and I feel every new step forward with the often updates.
Hope the new stand alone app arrive soon and do the right job.
@Jason,
I didn’t forget Reeder but as far as I know, it requires Google Reader to work.
@Nerisson,
Looks so nice. will be adding it to the list. Thanks much.
Weird that SAGE (fireFox) isnt mentioned this is the best RSS tool that ever happened to me
Whats next in line for closure. Is it feedburner? Google stopped ads for feed and feedburner does not make any money neither it is core product.