Feeder 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.
| Feature | Feeder | Feedbin |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 87 · Excellent | 86 · Excellent |
| Category | RSS & News Readers | RSS & News Readers |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | Kotlin | Ruby |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | binary | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,045 | ★ 3,778 |
| First released | 2015 | 2013 |
| Replaces | Feedly | Feedly, Google Reader |
What are Feeder and Feedbin?
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
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
Feeder vs Feedbin: key differences
Feeder is written in Kotlin, while Feedbin is built with Ruby. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Feeder versus MIT for Feedbin. Feeder is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Feedbin. Feedbin is the more established project (first released 2013), while Feeder arrived in 2015. Feedbin lists first-class Docker deployment; Feeder does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Feeder if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Active community (3k GitHub stars)
- Written in Kotlin
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 Feeder or Feedbin better?
Neither is universally better. Feedbin has the larger community, while Feeder is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Feeder and Feedbin free and open-source?
Yes. Feeder is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Feedbin under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Feeder and Feedbin with Docker?
Feeder: check the project docs for container support. Feedbin: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Feeder or Feedbin?
Feeder has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Feedbin. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.