CommaFeed vs Feedbin
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
Feedbin
Nice, simple, open-source RSS reader
| Feature | CommaFeed | Feedbin |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 88 · Excellent | 86 · Excellent |
| Category | RSS & News Readers | RSS & News Readers |
| License | Apache-2.0 | MIT |
| Language | Java | Ruby |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,626 | ★ 3,778 |
| First released | 2013 | 2013 |
| Replaces | Feedly, Google Reader | Feedly, Google Reader |
What are CommaFeed and Feedbin?
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
Feedbin
Feedbin is a web-based RSS reader that is also offered as a hosted service, with the full source available for self-hosting. It supports newsletters, podcasts, and a clean reading interface.
- Polished reading experience
- Newsletter and podcast support
- Full API for clients
CommaFeed vs Feedbin: key differences
CommaFeed is written in Java, while Feedbin is built with Ruby. Licensing differs — Apache-2.0 for CommaFeed versus MIT for Feedbin. CommaFeed is the lighter option, starting around 512 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Feedbin.
Why pick each one
Choose CommaFeed if…
- Familiar classic layout
- Easy to deploy
- Lightweight
Watch out for
- Java runtime overhead
- Fewer advanced features
Choose Feedbin if…
- Released under the MIT license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (3.8k GitHub stars)
- Written in Ruby
Frequently asked questions
Is CommaFeed or Feedbin better?
Neither is universally better. Feedbin has the larger community, while CommaFeed is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are CommaFeed and Feedbin free and open-source?
Yes. CommaFeed is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Feedbin under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run CommaFeed and Feedbin with Docker?
CommaFeed: yes. Feedbin: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, CommaFeed or Feedbin?
CommaFeed has the smaller minimum footprint at 512 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Feedbin. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.