What you get
Everything you need. Nothing you don't.
Basic Reader strips RSS reading down to what matters: fast, clean access to the content you follow — without any of the bloat, dark patterns, or monthly bills that have crept into the category.
Included in every download
Folders & Organization
Group feeds into collapsible folders with drag-and-drop reordering. Unread counts show at a glance on every feed and folder.
OPML Import & Export
Bring your existing subscriptions in from any reader. Take them out just as easily. Your data is never held hostage.
Background Auto-Refresh
Your feeds update automatically on a configurable schedule, subject to iOS limitations. No manual refreshing required.
iPhone, iPad & Mac
One purchase, three platforms. A full three-column layout on iPad and Mac; a clean adaptive UI on iPhone.
Starred Articles
Star any article to save it for later. Starred articles sync across all your devices via iCloud.
Feels Native on Mac
Full keyboard shortcuts (J/K, M, S, O, Cmd+R, Cmd+N), right-click context menus, and a native menu bar — not an iOS app stretched to fit.
Built-in Browser
Read articles without leaving the app. Choose to open links in the built-in browser or hand off to Safari — per article, your call.
Accessibility First
Full VoiceOver support, Dynamic Type scaling, and Reduce Motion respect — built in from the start, not bolted on after.
Unlocked with one purchase
A single one-time purchase — never a subscription — unlocks everything below.
Semantic Search
Search across all your articles instantly. Results are re-ranked using an on-device AI model for semantic relevance — so you find what you mean, not just what you typed. Nothing leaves your device.
Article View Styles
Browse your feeds as a list, compact thumbnails, or full image cards — switch anytime from Settings.
Powerful Filter Rules
Hide the noise with wildcard or regex filters, applied globally, per folder, or per feed — against titles, summaries, or both. A filtered indicator shows when rules are active.
Timeline
See every unread article across all your feeds in one place — sorted, filtered, and searchable just like any other view.
iCloud Sync
Feeds, folders, filter rules, read status, and preferences sync automatically across all your devices via iCloud — no account required beyond your Apple ID.
Included vs. the competition
Subscription elsewhere. Included here.
Popular RSS apps routinely charge $8–10/month for features that should come standard. Here's how Basic Reader compares — everything below comes from a single one-time purchase, never a subscription.
Content Filter Rules
Wildcard and regex filters that hide articles by title or summary, scoped to any feed or folder. Inoreader's free tier has no rules or filters at all — Pro is required ($7.50/month, billed annually). Basic Reader: included in the one-time purchase.
Automatic Background Refresh
Feeds refresh automatically on a configurable schedule, based on iOS limitations, while the app is in the background. Inoreader's free tier has no guaranteed refresh rate; guaranteed hourly refresh is Pro-only ($7.50/month, billed annually).
OPML Import & Export
Full portability, in and out. Import your current feed list from any other reader; export at any time. Inoreader restricts automatic OPML backups to Pro subscribers. Basic Reader exports freely, always.
iCloud Sync
Feeds, folders, filter rules, read status, and starred articles sync across all your devices via iCloud. Inoreader's own FAQ states an active subscription is required to use their iOS and Android apps. Basic Reader uses your existing Apple ID — no new account, no subscription, just the one-time purchase.
Semantic Search
Search finds what you mean, not just what you typed — powered by an on-device AI model. Readwise Reader bundles semantic search into its $9.99/month (billed annually) plan. Basic Reader runs it entirely on your device, included in the one-time purchase — never a recurring bill.
Platform support
At home on every Apple screen.
Basic Reader is built natively in SwiftUI and runs on iOS, iPadOS, and macOS — with a UI that's designed for each form factor, not just stretched to fit.
Privacy
Your reading habits are nobody's business.
Basic Reader has no account system, no analytics SDK, and no backend of its own. Your data lives on your device and, if you choose, in your own iCloud account — never on ours.
No Analytics
Zero tracking SDKs. We have no idea what you read, and we intend to keep it that way.
No Account Required
Download and go. No email address, no sign-up, no password to forget.
Your Data, Your Cloud
Your feeds and articles live on your device and sync via your own iCloud account — not ours. We have no servers and no access to your data.
Image Loading Control
Disable automatic image loading to block tracking pixels and cut data usage.