Feedbin 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 | Feedbin | Stringer |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 86 · Excellent | 86 · Excellent |
| Category | RSS & News Readers | RSS & News Readers |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language | Ruby | Ruby |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,778 | ★ 4,133 |
| First released | 2013 | 2013 |
| Replaces | Feedly, Google Reader | Feedly, Google Reader |
What are Feedbin and Stringer?
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
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
Feedbin vs Stringer: key differences
Both projects are written in Ruby. Stringer is the lighter option, starting around 512 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Feedbin.
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 Stringer if…
- Private and minimal
- Easy reading flow
- No external services
Watch out for
- Slow development
- Basic feature set
Frequently asked questions
Is Feedbin or Stringer better?
Stringer 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 Stringer free and open-source?
Yes. Feedbin is licensed under MIT and Stringer under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Feedbin and Stringer with Docker?
Feedbin: yes. Stringer: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Feedbin or Stringer?
Stringer 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.