Reader vs NewsBlur
Search and agents on the first paid plan
NewsBlur is an open-source reader with training and a permanent archive. Reader puts search of everything you kept and an MCP endpoint on its first paid plan.
Side by side
Reader and NewsBlur, row by row
Read from each product's own pages on 31 October 2026. Rows we could not confirm are left out.
| Compared | Reader | NewsBlur |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | 20 feeds, no ads | 64 sites |
| Full article in the reader | On Paid and Premium | On Premium |
| Search | Last 7 days on Free; everything kept on Paid | On Premium |
| Agents and API | MCP endpoint on Paid, with read or write tokens | Official MCP server on Archive or Pro |
| Apps | Web app, installable, with push notifications | iOS, Android and macOS, open source |
| AI features | None | On Archive |
| Hosting | Hosted by us | Hosted, or self-hosted for free |
Why switch
What you gain leaving NewsBlur
More feeds for free
Follow up to 20 feeds without paying, newest first.
Agents without the archive tier
Reader's MCP endpoint comes with its first paid plan.
A quieter screen
One list, no training to set up, filters you write as sentences.
Honestly
When NewsBlur might be better
Training
NewsBlur learns from authors, tags and titles you like or dislike. Reader only does what your filters say.
Self-hosting
NewsBlur's server and apps are open source and run on your own machine.
Native apps
NewsBlur has iOS, Android and macOS apps. Reader is a web app.
Switching
Move from NewsBlur in one file
Export from NewsBlur
Download your subscriptions as an OPML file.Import it in Reader
Settings reads the file, follows every feed and reports what it could not reach.Read
Your folders arrive with your feeds, and older posts come in behind them.
FAQ
Questions about leaving NewsBlur
Will my NewsBlur folders come across?
Yes, if the export lists feeds under folders; Reader imports OPML outlines as folders.
Does Reader learn what I like?
No. The queue is in the order posts were written; filters are the only thing that changes it, and you write them.
Bring your NewsBlur feeds
Sign in, import your list or follow a feed, and read newest first.