Feedbin vs Newsboat
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted rss & news readers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Feedbin
Nice, simple, open-source RSS reader
VS
Newsboat
Terminal RSS and Atom feed reader for text consoles
| Feature | Feedbin | Newsboat |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 86 · Excellent | 86 · Excellent |
| Category | RSS & News Readers | RSS & News Readers |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language | Ruby | C++ |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 32 MB |
| Deployment | docker | binary, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,778 | ★ 3,913 |
| First released | 2013 | 2007 |
| Replaces | Feedly, Google Reader | Feedly |
What are Feedbin and Newsboat?
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
Newsboat
Newsboat is an RSS and Atom feed reader for the text console. It is highly configurable, supports podcasts via podboat, and can synchronize with services like Tiny Tiny RSS and Nextcloud News.
- Highly configurable TUI
- Podcast support via podboat
- Syncs with TT-RSS and others
Feedbin vs Newsboat: key differences
Feedbin is written in Ruby, while Newsboat is built with C++. Newsboat is the lighter option, starting around 32 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Feedbin. Newsboat is the more established project (first released 2007), while Feedbin arrived in 2013. Feedbin lists first-class Docker deployment; Newsboat does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Feedbin if…
- Released under the MIT license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (3.8k GitHub stars)
- Written in Ruby
Choose Newsboat if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Active community (3.9k GitHub stars)
- Written in C++
- Tiny footprint — runs in 32 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Feedbin or Newsboat better?
Newsboat is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider Feedbin if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Feedbin and Newsboat free and open-source?
Yes. Feedbin is licensed under MIT and Newsboat under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Feedbin and Newsboat with Docker?
Feedbin: yes. Newsboat: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Feedbin or Newsboat?
Newsboat has the smaller minimum footprint at 32 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Feedbin. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.