Alternatives to CommaFeed

Google Reader-inspired self-hosted RSS reader. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.

Replacements

Listings that take over the same core job as CommaFeed.

  • FreshRSS

    A self-hosted feed reader that is light enough to run on a cheap shared host and still handles hundreds of feeds.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinuxWebSelf-hosted

    FreshRSS is PHP-based under AGPL-3.0, handles hundreds of feeds on shared hosting, adds XPath scraping and WebSub push, and works with existing mobile readers through its API.

  • Tiny Tiny RSS

    Long-running self-hosted news aggregator with plugins and filters.

    FreeOpen sourceWebSelf-hosted

    Tiny Tiny RSS brings the filtering and scoring rules CommaFeed lacks plus plugins, but requires PHP with PostgreSQL or MySQL and is distributed Docker-first.

  • Miniflux

    A deliberately minimal feed reader: one Go binary, a PostgreSQL database, and no options you do not need.

    FreemiumOpen sourcemacOSLinuxSelf-hostedWeb

    Miniflux is a single Go binary that needs PostgreSQL instead of SQLite, strips trackers from articles, and adds full-text search and a clean API.

  • Nextcloud News

    RSS reader that runs inside a Nextcloud instance.

    FreeOpen sourceWebSelf-hosted

    Nextcloud News runs inside an existing Nextcloud install, reusing its users and backups, with an API supported by several good mobile clients.

  • selfoss

    Web-based aggregator that mashes up RSS and other sources.

    FreeOpen sourceWebSelf-hosted

    selfoss is a small PHP and SQLite install that runs on shared hosting and pulls in non-RSS sources through spout plugins, though development is slow.

  • yarr

    Read web feeds through a compact self-hostable application.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinux

    yarr is a single MIT-licensed executable with a browser interface for Windows, macOS and Linux, dropping the Java runtime CommaFeed needs.

  • Stringer

    Deliberately anti-social self-hosted RSS reader.

    FreeOpen sourceWebSelf-hosted

    Stringer is a simple self-hosted Rails application with no social features, but it has no filtering, tagging or mobile apps and development is largely dormant.

  • FeedHQ

    Minimal hosted feed reader with an open-source server.

    FreemiumOpen sourceWebSelf-hosted

    FeedHQ offers an open-source BSD server plus a paid hosted option, with a Google Reader-compatible API so existing clients work, and a very small feature set.

Also worth comparing

These listings name CommaFeed as their own alternative, so the relationship runs both ways.

  • BazQux Reader

    Fast Google Reader-style hosted feed reader that shows comments.

    PaidProprietaryWeb

    CommaFeed is a free Apache-licensed self-hosted reader with a Google Reader interface and shortcuts, so you run the Java application yourself instead of paying a subscription.

  • Bubo Reader

    A minimalist static feed reader that builds your RSS, Atom and JSON feeds into one web page.

    FreeOpen sourceWebSelf-hosted

    CommaFeed is a self-hosted Apache-2.0 Java app with SQLite and a Google Reader interface, adding read tracking and keyboard shortcuts that the static Bubo page lacks.

  • The Old Reader

    Hosted feed reader modelled on the original Google Reader.

    FreemiumProprietaryWeb

    CommaFeed recreates the Google Reader interface and shortcuts as free Apache-2.0 software, but you self-host it instead of using an account.

Similar software

Related functionality, not a direct replacement.