CommaFeed vs Feeder
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted rss & news readers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
CommaFeed
Google Reader-inspired self-hosted RSS reader
VS
Feeder
Lightweight offline RSS reader for Android
| Feature | CommaFeed | Feeder |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 88 · Excellent | 87 · Excellent |
| Category | RSS & News Readers | RSS & News Readers |
| License | Apache-2.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Java | Kotlin |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | docker | binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,626 | ★ 3,045 |
| First released | 2013 | 2015 |
| Replaces | Feedly, Google Reader | Feedly |
What are CommaFeed and Feeder?
CommaFeed
CommaFeed is a self-hosted RSS reader inspired by the look and feel of the discontinued Google Reader. It targets users who miss the classic Google Reader experience. It is deployed via Docker.
- Google Reader-style interface
- Keyboard shortcuts
- Multi-user support
- REST API
Feeder
Feeder is an open-source, lightweight RSS and Atom feed reader for Android that works fully offline. It can also synchronize with self-hosted backends and import OPML feed lists.
- Fully offline Android reader
- OPML import and export
- Optional backend sync
CommaFeed vs Feeder: key differences
CommaFeed is written in Java, while Feeder is built with Kotlin. Licensing differs — Apache-2.0 for CommaFeed versus GPL-3.0 for Feeder. Feeder is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 512 MB for CommaFeed. CommaFeed is the more established project (first released 2013), while Feeder arrived in 2015. CommaFeed lists first-class Docker deployment; Feeder does not.
Why pick each one
Choose CommaFeed if…
- Familiar classic layout
- Easy to deploy
- Lightweight
Watch out for
- Java runtime overhead
- Fewer advanced features
Choose Feeder if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Active community (3k GitHub stars)
- Written in Kotlin
Frequently asked questions
Is CommaFeed or Feeder better?
Neither is universally better. CommaFeed has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are CommaFeed and Feeder free and open-source?
Yes. CommaFeed is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Feeder under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run CommaFeed and Feeder with Docker?
CommaFeed: yes. Feeder: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, CommaFeed or Feeder?
Feeder has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for CommaFeed. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.