Google Reader alternatives I use

April 4, 2013 Chad Fullerton 2 Comments

Originally posted on ChadFullerton.com

Google Reader Shut Down Google announced that they are shutting down Google Reader on July 1st, 2013. That gives a short time window to switch out of Google Reader. For those who don’t know what Google Reader is, it has become the defacto standard for anyone wanting to read RSS feeds from a variety of news sources/blogs one one screen. Think of it like a morning newspaper to read many blogs at once.

However, there are some newer alternatives that have come on the scene in the past year that I have been using instead and, in some cases, are better than Google Reader because they add social aspects to consuming and sharing news and links.

1. Feedly – This has become my go-to RSS news and blog reader. A fantastic app that turns your fav news sources into a ‘newspaper’ format with large graphics and headlines. Very impressive and easy-to-use interface that lets you click and read stories quickly without opening any new windows or leaving the site. You can also very quickly share items to social media accounts. Plus, there is a Google Chrome plugin as well as an app for tablets and smartphones. Being a web app it’s available anywhere on the go as well.

As a developer, you may also be interested to note that Feedly is working on a project called Normandy which is a feedly clone of the Google Reader API. Developers will soon be able to tap into that API to build web apps on top of their RSS system.

2. TheOldReader – I just started recently using this service and I love it. It’s clean and simple like Google Reader used to be, but they are adding some neat modern features as well.

3. Reeder App – This is an application for iOS/Mac devices. A very slick and clean interface that looks more like an e-mail inbox. Great if you have an iMac or Macbook and want some native software to browse through news feeds. It isn’t free though, will cost you around $5 to buy from the App Store.

4. If you’re looking for something that isn’t magazine-layout style, and is more like the old Google Reader (simple, list-based style) check out NewsBlur.