Feeder vs Stringer
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 | Stringer |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | binary | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,045 | ★ 4,133 |
| First released | 2015 | 2013 |
| Replaces | Feedly | Feedly, Google Reader |
What are Feeder and Stringer?
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
Stringer
Stringer is a self-hosted, anti-social RSS reader with no external dependencies on third-party services. It targets users who want a private, no-frills feed reader. It is deployed via a Ruby stack or Docker.
- No third-party dependencies
- Keyboard shortcuts
- Simple unread-focused view
- Self-contained
Feeder vs Stringer: key differences
Feeder is written in Kotlin, while Stringer is built with Ruby. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Feeder versus MIT for Stringer. Feeder is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Stringer. Stringer is the more established project (first released 2013), while Feeder arrived in 2015. Stringer 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 Stringer if…
- Private and minimal
- Easy reading flow
- No external services
Watch out for
- Slow development
- Basic feature set
Frequently asked questions
Is Feeder or Stringer better?
Neither is universally better. Stringer 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 Stringer free and open-source?
Yes. Feeder is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Stringer under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Feeder and Stringer with Docker?
Feeder: check the project docs for container support. Stringer: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Feeder or Stringer?
Feeder has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Stringer. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.