Reeder: The RSS App of My Dreams
Screenshot of the new Reeder on my Mac
A little while ago, I shared my initial thoughts on the new RSS app, Reeder by Silvio Rizzi. It brings a fresh approach to online media consumption, aiming to be a one-stop inbox for all your different content sources. The app supports podcasts with a built-in audio player, YouTube subscriptions with an integrated video player, regular RSS feeds, and even social media timelines from platforms like Reddit and Mastodon.
I’ve been using it full-time for a while now, and I absolutely love it. Though I briefly switched to a dedicated podcast app (which I wrote about recently), I’ve returned to Reeder because of the sheer convenience of having everything in one place. That’s just how my brain works, and it’s been a small dream of mine since discovering RSS as a technology.
My thoughts on the app haven’t changed much. There are still a few key features missing that I’d like to see, but I know they’re in development. Once they’re added, I’ll love the app even more.
One Problem Though
Despite all the positives, I do have one issue: the iCloud syncing speed. It’s noticeably slow, especially compared to services like Feedbin, which I used to sync my feeds when I was on Reeder Classic. It’s not a dealbreaker, but it’s definitely something I hope gets improved. I know others have experienced similar syncing delays as well.
Things I Still Love
With the negatives out of the way, here are the features that keep me hooked on Reeder:
Design and UX Silvio has done an incredible job with the app’s design. It’s clean, modern, and feels just right. The user experience is top-notch—animations are smooth, navigation is fast, and the gestures feel intuitive. It’s remarkable that an app this polished is developed by a solo developer.
One day, I hope to create something this amazing myself, solving a future problem with the same level of thoughtfulness and attention to detail.
One Place for Everything I can’t stress this enough: having everything I’m interested in all in one app is fantastic. It makes it so much easier to stay up-to-date and engaged across multiple topics without feeling overwhelmed. Reeder has become the place I turn to 98% of the time when I want to dive into some good content.
The Shared JSON Feed I don’t think I’ve mentioned this before, but Reeder now includes the ability to share a collection of links through an auto-generated JSON feed. Others can subscribe to this feed, which is a fantastic feature.
I use it to share my favorite links, and I’ve added the feed to my About page on my blog. It’s a great way to share content I find valuable with others. If you’re interested, check it out, and consider subscribing if it aligns with your interests!
The Removal of Unread Counts This one’s a bit controversial, but I love it. Not seeing unread counts and instead relying on synced scroll positions feels refreshing. I mostly stick to the Home section, where everything shows up except for a few feeds I’ve filtered out due to their high frequency. I keep those in a “Frequent” folder that I check occasionally. This setup keeps my Home feed much more manageable and enjoyable.
Conclusion
As you can tell, I love Reeder. It’s exactly what I need, and I’m excited about the upcoming features that are in the works. They’ll only enhance my experience further, and I honestly can’t imagine not using this app now that I’ve gotten so used to it.
If you’re into RSS or curious about trying it out, I highly recommend giving Reeder a shot. It makes managing your media simpler, more enjoyable, and more personalized—without the noise and algorithms of social media.