Reviews for NetNewsWire
Login to ReviewMichael White
May 10, 2026Promising but frustratingly unreliable
As a longtime RSS user, I really wanted to love NetNewsWire for its clean interface and open-source ethos. However, the sync between my Mac and iPhone is so inconsistent that I've missed articles and my feeds are often out of date. For a core feature that's heavily advertised, the unreliability makes it difficult to recommend, despite the app being free.
Taylor Hall
May 08, 2026A Refreshingly Simple and Reliable RSS Reader
As a longtime RSS user tired of bloated or defunct readers, NetNewsWire has been a breath of fresh air. It's fast, clean, and just works—syncing flawlessly between my Mac and iPhone so I can pick up reading anywhere. The fact that it’s free and open source feels almost too good to be true for software this polished and reliable.
Skyler Young
May 08, 2026Frustrating Sync Issues Ruin an Otherwise Decent App
I wanted to love NetNewsWire, especially as a free and open-source option, but the sync functionality is fundamentally broken for me. Articles I've read on my Mac consistently reappear as unread on my iPhone, and subscriptions sometimes vanish after syncing. While the core RSS reading is fine, the promise of seamless device synchronization just doesn't deliver, which is the main reason I chose it. It feels like a beta feature that makes the app unusable for my multi-device workflow.
David Walker
May 06, 2026Free but Frustrating
As a long-time RSS user, I wanted to love NetNewsWire for being free and open source, but its syncing between my Mac and iPhone is unreliable—articles I read on one device often stay unread on the other. The podcast manager feels like a bare-minimum add-on, and the interface, while simple, lacks the smart filtering and layout options I've come to expect from other readers. It gets the basics right, but the inconsistent performance makes it a chore to use daily.
Sage Wilson
May 05, 2026Frustrating Sync Issues Ruin an Otherwise Decent App
While NetNewsWire's interface is clean and the core RSS reading works well, I've had constant sync problems between my Mac and iPhone. Articles I've read on one device consistently reappear as unread on another, defeating the purpose of multi-device support. The fact that it's free can't compensate for such a fundamental flaw, and I've found no clear troubleshooting path for this issue.
Ava Anderson
May 03, 2026Promising Concept, Frustrating Execution
I really wanted to love NetNewsWire for its clean, free, and open-source ethos, but the sync feature has been a constant headache. Articles I've read on my Mac will still show as unread on my iPhone days later, and the podcast playback controls feel clunky compared to dedicated apps. For a tool built around staying current, the unreliable syncing defeats the entire purpose and has me looking elsewhere.
Casey Thomas
May 01, 2026My Go-To RSS Reader That Just Works
As someone who follows dozens of news and blog feeds, NetNewsWire has been a game-changer. Its clean, no-nonsense interface makes it incredibly easy to organize my subscriptions and catch up on reading, whether I'm at my Mac or on my iPhone. The free sync between devices is flawless, and I love that I can download articles to read offline during my commute.
Phoenix Harris
Apr 18, 2026A Solid, No-Frills RSS Reader with Some Sync Hiccups
NetNewsWire is my go-to for a clean, fast, and distraction-free reading experience on my Mac. The interface is wonderfully simple, and being free and open source is a huge plus. However, I’ve had some frustrating issues with sync between my Mac and iPhone occasionally dropping subscriptions or marking items as unread. It’s a fantastic free tool, but the sync reliability holds it back from being perfect.
Olivia Harris
Apr 16, 2026A Modern Classic That Just Works
NetNewsWire is the RSS reader I've been looking for. The interface is clean and intuitive, making it easy to organize my feeds and catch up on reading. I particularly love the seamless syncing between my Mac and iPhone, and knowing it's free and open source is the cherry on top. It's fast, reliable, and feels like a well-crafted, essential part of my daily workflow.
Quinn Johnson
Apr 11, 2026Frustratingly Basic and Prone to Sync Issues
For a free app, I expected more polish. The interface feels overly simplistic and lacks customization options that other RSS readers offer. The sync between my Mac and iPhone is unreliable, often leaving me with duplicate or missing articles, which defeats the core purpose. It gets the job done for basic reading, but it's too bare-bones and buggy to depend on for a streamlined news routine.
Review Summary
Based on 20 reviews
Rating Distribution
NetNewsWire
NetNewsWire is a free and open source RSS reader and podcast manager for Mac, iOS, and iPadOS devices. It allows …
Back to Product