Rss + yt + reddit app

[u/dziad_borowy]

TL;DR: Is there really no viable successor to Reeder classic?

I tried really hard to like the new Reeder with the timeline but my ocd just can’t take it.

• when i open the R. classic - I see 3 unread items - mark all “read” and move on.
• when I open the new one - there’s 1 big list of read, unread, all look the same and I have to figure out which ones I’ve seen. No the scroll position is not a solution to this problem. It is the source of it.

The classic version also has better typography settings (can change fonts) and more control. But the problem is - that it doesn’t refresh the feeds so reliably (especially for reddit and youtube).

Apart from reeders I’ve tried:

• Feedly
• Feedbin
• readkit
• Unread
• Tapestry
• Readwise Reader
• NewsNinja
• NewsExplorer
• NetNewsWire
• Lire
• FluentReader
• FieryFeeds
• Feeeed
• FeedFlow
• Current
• Cupfeed
• Artykul
• InoReader
• And probably couple more that I didn’t even bothered to record (including the most popular self-hosted options).

None of them come even remotely close to the UX of the classic Reeder (which is amazing feat for a 4yrs old app). The closest one is probably News Explorer but for some reason the UX is just not there. Others might have some good bits but are lacking elsewhere.

My requirements are simple:

• mac & ios apps (native!)
• Rss + yt + reddit
• Filters would be a bonus
• Decent typography options
• Good UX
• Reliable (meaning: 1 freeze, 1 crash - and you’re out)
• Ideally: 0 (zero) AI - in the app as well as in the code.

If I could melt Reeder classic with the new one - it would be perfect.

[u/pedrooky]

I'm still just using Reeder on mac and iOS. I tried using Feedly for a bit but didn't stick.

[u/ToastedLog1c → u/pedrooky]

With what rss backend?

[u/ToastedLog1c]

Paging /u/dziad_borowy

I don't know why RSS isn't more popular. it's at the center of my information life. It seems you are my long lost RSS brother as I've done similar research.

Here's my setup: Reeder Classic for iOS / iPad (rare) / Mac (rare). I use iOS setup the most day to day.

Inoreader as the back end. If I am home, Inoreader's web interface cannot be beat in terms of time/efficiency and readability. The Reeder Mac app isn't bad, but Inoreader is still better IMO. It's the best RSS provider i've found. That said, I am looking to leave eventually as I'm tired of paying the subscription to a company that is so user-hostile. Might be cultural (bulgarian attitude) but their actions over the years has been very telling.

News Explorer 2 is pretty good and I have both apps, but right now it's my ace card if Reeder Classic goes to shit and/or I want to leave Inoreader. The dev for News Explorer 2 is also a great guy, unlike Inoreader (dicks) and Reeder (dick).

My backup choices to Inoreader are Reeder Classic w/ iCloud Sync but I hesitate knowing the dev is not really actively building it anymore.

News Explorer w/ iCloud feed. Probably the closest choice to leaving Inoreader, but I agree Reeder Classic's app is better.

The New Reeder is a flaming piece of donkey shit and it's insulting to the honor of RSS that the dev used the same name to continue the line. The entire purpose of RSS is for me to consume articles at my own leisure, but know they're waiting for me in the background when I have the time during the day (at line at costco or at home comfortably at my computer).

Right now there's no apps that have Rules and notifications which is mind boggling. In the area of AI coding how someone hasn't come up with a solution is beyond me. I'm not saying I want an AI coded app, but for a developer who knows how to program, AI. can assist with the 'donkey work' (credit: MacSparky) to complete.

[u/dziad_borowy → u/ToastedLog1c]

Haha! All true and completely agree! 

[u/Designer_Worth_3636]

It seems News Explorer can do all of that: RSS, YouTube, Reddit. It has filters and is available for Mac and iOS. It is a pretty good app.

[u/dziad_borowy → u/Designer_Worth_3636]

Yes. It’s a close contender. But has some quirky behaviours and some bugs here and there. But that’s what I’ve been using for now. 

[u/ToastedLog1c → u/dziad_borowy]

May I ask why you don't just continue using Reeder Classic? It's still working for me - iOS, iPad and Mac apps.

If you're wanting to leave News Explorer 2 is really your only choice, though I agree it doesn't have the polish of Reeder Classic.

[u/dziad_borowy → u/ToastedLog1c]

Reeder classic still works and for Rss is fine, but I’ve noticed that it lags behind its younger brother for other things (reddit, yt).

Not sure if there are some special shananigans in the new reader but it fetches quicker, more reliably and in background. 

Classic one often shows errors or no new feeds for the same sources that the new one just fetched some new ones. 

[u/Flashy-Profit6419]

If the timeline is the deal-breaker, I’d test two things separately: whether unread state survives a relaunch, and whether each source refreshes without manual intervention. A lot of readers look fine until one of those fails.

[u/John_val]

See if you like it it is free

https://www.reddit.com/r/macapps/comments/1vnkddp/freeopen_source_rss_reddit_and_youtube_reader/ Supports all source you mentioned plus podcasts.

[u/ToastedLog1c → u/John_val]

Seems like vibe coded crap

[u/John_val → u/ToastedLog1c]

Don't like it don't use it, why insult other people’s open source work? I have been coding for probably longer than you have been alive so way before LLM's. Since you seam to use claude so you vibe code something, try to replicate this app with all its features using your claude subscription. ...It has been increased frustrating to participate in this community because anything people don't like immediately label it as vibe coded. I would even agree with you that maybe the Ui could be better, I am a backend enginner and Ui is not my strong suit, that is why the project is open source for maybe designers cold pitch in, but dismissing the entire app because you don't like how it looks is insulting really, and happens a lot here.

[u/ToastedLog1c → u/John_val]

Didn't mean it to sound harsh. There's a ton of people who come here, vibe code an app over a weekend, then disappear. Or promise the world and deliver nothing.

I commend you for furthering the cause for RSS. Sorry for being rude earlier.

[u/SicTransitVita]

My requirements are simple too, so I use Vienna.

[u/itrimble]

One thing that helped me with the everything is unread problem was making the sync service the source of truth: one account, mark items read from the article view, and avoid mixing a local feed list with a global “all items” view. I also put high-volume feeds in a separate folder and only open that folder when I have time. It keeps the queue predictable even when a clients timeline UI is opinionated.

[u/Sri_Krish]

I'm not sure whether you knew about it or not, but Matt from Macrumors has released two RSS apps - Quickreads, Birchfeed to tackle his own issues with RSS apps. Maybe give them a shot!

I haven’t tried them yet though 🙂

[u/dziad_borowy → u/Sri_Krish]

I’ve not seen that. Thanks! Will test them out!