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Feedly vs FreshRSS

A side-by-side look at Feedly (the paid SaaS) and FreshRSS (the open source alternative). Use this page to decide if the switch fits your team and workflow.

Feedly FreshRSS
Tagline Modern RSS reader with AI filtering. Lightweight self-hosted RSS feed aggregator.
License Proprietary SaaS AGPL-3.0
Pricing Free tier; Pro from $8/month. Free to self-host
Self-host option No Yes — difficulty 1/5
Hosted cloud available Yes (only option) No
Desktop apps Varies by product Web only
Mobile apps Official apps typically available iOS, Android
Ad slot — between tables

Best for

PHP-friendly hosts who want themes and extensions.

FreshRSS strengths

  • Easy PHP install or docker.
  • Multiple themes and extensions.
  • API for mobile apps (Nextcloud News, Reeder via plugin).

FreshRSS weaknesses

  • No first-party mobile apps — uses Fever or Google Reader API.
  • Feed discovery weaker than Feedly.
  • Requires PHP web server.

What's the catch with Feedly?

  • Pricing has climbed steeply for Pro features.
  • Cloud-only — your feed list and saved items live in their silo.
  • Recently leaned heavily into AI filtering for higher tiers.

Still unsure?

Check the full list of alternatives to Feedly: see Feedly alternatives, or learn more about FreshRSS on its project page.