CommaFeed vs Miniflux
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
Miniflux
Minimalist and opinionated RSS feed reader
| Feature | CommaFeed | Miniflux |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | ≈5-minute setup |
| Health score | 88 · Excellent | 93 · Excellent |
| Category | RSS & News Readers | RSS & News Readers |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | Java | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,626 | ★ 9,729 |
| First released | 2013 | 2014 |
| Replaces | Feedly, Google Reader | Feedly, Inoreader |
What are CommaFeed and Miniflux?
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
Miniflux
Miniflux is a minimalist and opinionated feed reader focused on speed, simplicity, and a distraction-free reading experience. It targets users who want a no-nonsense RSS reader. It is deployed via Docker or a binary.
- Minimal distraction-free reading
- Single-binary deployment
- Compatible APIs for mobile apps
- Keyboard-driven interface
CommaFeed vs Miniflux: key differences
CommaFeed is written in Java, while Miniflux is built with Go. Miniflux is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 512 MB for CommaFeed. Miniflux has the considerably larger community, at 9,729 GitHub stars versus 3,626.
Why pick each one
Choose CommaFeed if…
- Familiar classic layout
- Easy to deploy
- Lightweight
Watch out for
- Java runtime overhead
- Fewer advanced features
Choose Miniflux if…
- Very fast and lightweight
- Easy to deploy
- Clean reading experience
Watch out for
- Requires PostgreSQL
- Intentionally minimal features
Frequently asked questions
Is CommaFeed or Miniflux better?
Neither is universally better. Miniflux has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are CommaFeed and Miniflux free and open-source?
Yes. CommaFeed is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Miniflux under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run CommaFeed and Miniflux with Docker?
CommaFeed: yes. Miniflux: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, CommaFeed or Miniflux?
Miniflux has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for CommaFeed. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.