Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

FreshRSS VS Newsboat

Compare FreshRSS VS Newsboat and see what are their differences

FreshRSS logo FreshRSS

FreshRSS is a free, self-hosted RSS aggregator.

Newsboat logo Newsboat

Newsboat is a fork of Newsbeuter, an RSS/Atom feed reader for the text console. The only difference is that Newsboat is actively maintained while Newsbeuter isn't.
  • FreshRSS Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-10-30
  • Newsboat Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-10-18

FreshRSS features and specs

  • Open Source
    FreshRSS is open source, which means it is free to use, modify, and distribute. This also allows for community contributions and transparency in code and security.
  • Self-Hosted
    It is a self-hosted RSS aggregator, giving users complete control over their data and the ability to customize the service to their liking.
  • Lightweight
    The application is lightweight and optimized for performance, capable of running on low-resource environments.
  • Multi-User
    Supports multiple users, making it an ideal solution for families, teams, or organizations who want to share the same server.
  • Mobile-Friendly
    The interface is responsive and mobile-friendly, allowing users to read their feeds on the go.
  • API Support
    FreshRSS has API support, which enables integration with various RSS clients and other applications.
  • Customizable
    Offers a range of customization options including themes and extensions to tailor the user experience to individual preferences.

Possible disadvantages of FreshRSS

  • Technical Setup
    Requires users to have some technical knowledge for installation and maintenance, which might not be suitable for non-technical users.
  • Hosting Costs
    Since it is self-hosted, users need to provide their server, which can incur additional costs.
  • Updates Responsibility
    Users are responsible for applying updates and patches to keep the software secure and functioning properly.
  • Limited Enterprise Features
    May lack some features required by large organizations for enterprise use, such as advanced analytics and professional support.
  • Learning Curve
    There can be a learning curve associated with understanding and using all the features and customization options effectively.

Newsboat features and specs

  • Open Source
    Newsboat is an open-source project, which means users can view, modify, and contribute to its source code. This transparency often leads to a higher level of trust and community-driven improvements.
  • Terminal-based
    It's a terminal-based RSS/Atom feed reader, making it lightweight and ideal for users who prefer using the command line, especially on low-resource systems.
  • Highly Customizable
    Newsboat allows you to customize keybindings, styles, and configurations, providing a personalized user experience tailored to individual preferences.
  • Offline Reading
    Newsboat allows for offline reading, enabling users to download articles for later consumption without an active internet connection.
  • Scriptable
    Users can extend its functionality with custom scripts, allowing for automation and integration with other tools and workflows.

Possible disadvantages of Newsboat

  • Steep Learning Curve
    For users not familiar with command-line applications, Newsboat can be daunting to learn and navigate compared to graphical interfaces.
  • Limited Multimedia Support
    Being a terminal-based application, Newsboat may not handle multimedia content, such as images and videos, as effectively as GUI-based RSS readers.
  • Manual Setup Required
    Users must manually configure their feeds and settings, which can be time-consuming compared to feed readers that automatically suggest popular feeds.
  • No Native Syncing
    Newsboat lacks built-in syncing capabilities across multiple devices, requiring third-party solutions or manual syncing methods.

Analysis of FreshRSS

Overall verdict

  • FreshRSS is a solid choice for anyone looking to self-host their RSS feeds. It offers a good balance between features and simplicity, with the added benefit of privacy and control over your data. Its active development and open-source nature also contribute to its appeal.

Why this product is good

  • FreshRSS is a self-hosted RSS feed aggregator that offers a lightweight and customizable user experience. It is known for its ease of installation, active community support, and ability to handle a large number of feeds efficiently. FreshRSS provides a minimalist interface that is fast and responsive, even on mobile devices. Additionally, it supports multiple users, which makes it suitable for small teams or individuals looking for personalized feed management.

Recommended for

  • Individuals who prefer to self-host their applications and value data privacy.
  • Users with technical skills interested in customizing their RSS experience.
  • Small teams needing a shared RSS feed solution.
  • Those looking for a lightweight and fast RSS aggregator with good mobile support.

FreshRSS videos

Review of FreshRSS Docker App In The Browser

More videos:

  • Review - FreshRSS Webbasierter RSS Reader
  • Tutorial - How to Install FreshRSS on OpenMediaVault 5

Newsboat videos

Newsboat RSS Reader - Not Just For News Feeds

More videos:

  • Review - Newsboat Is The Best RSS Feed Reader I've Ever Used
  • Review - newsboat - much more than a simple RSS reader [FreeBSD and Linux]

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to FreshRSS and Newsboat)
RSS
74 74%
26% 26
RSS Reader
69 69%
31% 31
Insight Management
80 80%
20% 20
Bookmark Manager
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

Share your experience with using FreshRSS and Newsboat. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Social recommendations and mentions

Newsboat might be a bit more popular than FreshRSS. We know about 26 links to it since March 2021 and only 23 links to FreshRSS. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

FreshRSS mentions (23)

  • Building Bauble
    I still write my img tags like it's 1999, so I'll leave it to the frontend wizards to explain what the problem here is. Re my choice of reader, I host FreshRSS[0] on a home server, using the official Docker image.[1] It comes with pretty good in-built webpage change tracking too, for those things that refuse to offer RSS. I don't feel confident enough to expose it to the Internet, though I imagine you could use... - Source: Hacker News / 5 months ago
  • Ask HN: What's your favorite RSS feed reader?
    I run an instance of FreshRSS [0] and access it from a browser, but I also use NetNewsWire [1] as a client on platforms that support it. [0] https://freshrss.org/. - Source: Hacker News / 9 months ago
  • SQLite: 35% Faster Than the Filesystem
    Last I checked, FreshRSS[1] can use a SQLite database. [1] https://freshrss.org. - Source: Hacker News / 10 months ago
  • Help me find RSS Client
    I second using FreshRSS. It meets most of your demands, plus the server and clients are all FOSS. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • YouTube viewers outraged after site ‘tests’ banning ad blockers - Dexerto
    Solution = use tool to find out YouTube channel IDs and copy/past them into your RSS feed. Source: about 2 years ago
View more

Newsboat mentions (26)

  • Escape the walled garden and algorithm black boxes with RSS feeds
    Relevant: https://newsboat.org/ If you like your email in mutt, then you'll probably like your feeds in newsboat. - Source: Hacker News / 4 months ago
  • RSS is still pretty great
    If you're using https://newsboat.org, you can add a filter (killfile) to remedy this:
      ignore-article "*" "title =~ \"#shorts\"".
    - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Style Your RSS Feed
    > Have you used any modern RSS reader recently like inoreader, they load the content of the page without visiting the publishing website. I'm happy with newsboat[1]; but I'm not surprised that people have integrated scraping into RSS readers. Fundamentally, that's not a problem with RSS, that's a war between scrapers and content providers. If the email newsletter model persists long enough, I'd expect that people... - Source: Hacker News / almost 2 years ago
  • Following cricket scores from the terminal using Cricinfo’s RSS feeds
    So, I installed a terminal RSS reader called Newsboat and added the feed to it. I have it always running in a terminal, and the scores refresh every minute. I can open the Cricinfo link in a browser by selecting a match and typing o. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Ad Blocking
    Here's part of my newsboat config (works great for subscriptions):. Source: about 2 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing FreshRSS and Newsboat, you can also consider the following products

Feedly - The content you need to accelerate your research, marketing, and sales.

Miniflux - Miniflux is a minimalist web-based RSS reader. It's very easy to use.

Inoreader - Dive into your favorite content. The content reader for power users who want to save time.

Tiny Tiny RSS - Web-based news feed aggregator, designed to allow you to read news from any location, while feeling...

The Old Reader - Read all your favorite online content in one place. Import your subscriptions in one click, find your friends, and start sharing.

Reeder - Reeder is an RSS reader and client for multiple services.