CommaFeed vs Tiny Tiny RSS
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
Tiny Tiny RSS
Web-based news feed reader and aggregator
| Feature | CommaFeed | Tiny Tiny RSS |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Category | RSS & News Readers | RSS & News Readers |
| License | Apache-2.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Java | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,626 | ★ 3,000 |
| First released | 2013 | 2005 |
| Replaces | Feedly, Google Reader | Feedly, Google Reader |
What are CommaFeed and Tiny Tiny RSS?
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
Tiny Tiny RSS
Tiny Tiny RSS is a free and open-source web-based news feed reader and aggregator with powerful filtering and plugins. It targets power users who want a highly configurable RSS reader. It is deployed via Docker.
- Powerful filtering rules
- Plugin ecosystem
- Multi-user support
- Mobile app available
CommaFeed vs Tiny Tiny RSS: key differences
CommaFeed is written in Java, while Tiny Tiny RSS is built with PHP. Licensing differs — Apache-2.0 for CommaFeed versus GPL-3.0 for Tiny Tiny RSS. Tiny Tiny RSS is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 512 MB for CommaFeed. Tiny Tiny RSS is the more established project (first released 2005), while CommaFeed arrived in 2013.
Why pick each one
Choose CommaFeed if…
- Familiar classic layout
- Easy to deploy
- Lightweight
Watch out for
- Java runtime overhead
- Fewer advanced features
Choose Tiny Tiny RSS if…
- Highly configurable
- Mature and stable
- Strong filtering
Watch out for
- Dated interface
- Setup is opinionated
Frequently asked questions
Is CommaFeed or Tiny Tiny RSS better?
CommaFeed is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Tiny Tiny RSS if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are CommaFeed and Tiny Tiny RSS free and open-source?
Yes. CommaFeed is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Tiny Tiny RSS under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run CommaFeed and Tiny Tiny RSS with Docker?
CommaFeed: yes. Tiny Tiny RSS: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, CommaFeed or Tiny Tiny RSS?
Tiny Tiny RSS has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for CommaFeed. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.