The Old Reader
The Old Reader is a freemium RSS feed-reader service founded in 2012 that lets individual consumers subscribe to websites and blogs for chronological, ad- and algorithm-free content delivery across web, mobile, and desktop via a GoogleReader-compatible API ecosystem.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersMoscow, Russia
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What The Old Reader does
The Old Reader is a consumer RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feed-reader service founded in 2012 and operated by The Old Reader, Inc., a corporation incorporated in Wisconsin, USA with day-to-day operations run out of Moscow, Russia. The platform enables individual users to subscribe to websites, blogs, podcasts, and other feeds and receive chronologically ordered updates without algorithmic filtering. The company emerged in the wake of Google's July 2013 shutdown of Google Reader and has explicitly positioned itself as an ad-free, privacy-conscious, algorithm-free alternative to social-media-driven content consumption.
The core product is a web application supplemented by a documented GoogleReader-compatible mobile API on GitHub that powers a broad ecosystem of third-party clients (Reeder, Feeddler, News+, gReader, Vienna, Liferea) across iOS, Android, macOS, Linux, Windows Phone, and major browsers. Notable product capabilities include subscription and folder organization, social features (share, follow, like, comment), a full-article reading view, dark mode, and OPML import/export for feed migration. A small team of 1-10 people operates the service, which claims 500,000+ daily users.
The business model is a freemium subscription: free access to core reading and social functionality, with a paid Premium tier at $3/month for enhanced performance and an ad-free experience, billed via Stripe. Secondary revenue comes from banner advertising and sponsored posts on the free tier. Distribution is organic through the company's content blog, Twitter, and Facebook, with no evidence of paid acquisition, enterprise sales motion, or recurring funding events beyond an undisclosed $2M round in August 2013. Customer segments are individual consumers — content enthusiasts, bloggers, and privacy-conscious readers — with no enterprise or SMB tier.
The Old Reader firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Old Reader
- Legal name
- The Old Reader, Inc.
- Website
- https://theoldreader.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Old Reader is a freemium RSS feed-reader service founded in 2012 that lets individual consumers subscribe to websites and blogs for chronological, ad- and algorithm-free content delivery across web, mobile, and desktop via a GoogleReader-compatible API ecosystem.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where The Old Reader is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Moscow
- HQ country
- Russia
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Old Reader business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Premium Subscriptions: Monthly subscription service offering premium features including better performance and zero ads. Auto-renews at the end of each billing period unless cancelled. No refunds for billing periods already charged.
- Sponsored Content: Banner advertisements and sponsored posts from third-party sponsors. Marketed as having minimal negative impact on users while providing effective advertising options for sponsors.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Others | Free tier with basic RSS reading features |
| Subscription | Monthly | Premium subscription at $3/month |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels8 records
Marketing channels6 records
The Old Reader product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Old Reader is an RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feed reader that lets users subscribe to websites, blogs, and other online content sources, aggregating fresh posts in chronological order without algorithmic filtering. The service operates on a freemium model with a free tier for core reading features and a $3/month Premium Subscription that removes ads and improves performance. It also publishes a GoogleReader-like mobile API used by third-party RSS clients on iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, and Linux.
Product overview
The Old Reader is a single unified RSS feed reader product that provides ad-free, algorithm-free content aggregation. The core platform enables users to subscribe to websites and receive fresh content directly via RSS feeds. The product includes a complementary API that allows third-party RSS reader applications to connect to the service, expanding accessibility across mobile and desktop platforms. Premium subscriptions offer enhanced performance without ads. The ecosystem also includes browser extensions, bookmarklets, and OPML import/export capabilities for feed migration and management.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- The Old Reader (Core Platform) An RSS feed reader that allows individual users to subscribe to websites, blogs, and content feeds, aggregating updates in chronological order without algorithmic filtering. Provides social features such as sharing, liking, following other users, importing subscriptions, and OPML export.
- The Old Reader Mobile API
- Premium Subscription Paid monthly subscription providing premium features for individual users, including better performance and zero ads, processed through Stripe.
Quantifiable outcome
- 500,000 people get their news from The Old Reader every day
Companies that use The Old Reader
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Old Reader technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature6 records
The Old Reader partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- StripecoreStripe is used as the payment processor for premium subscriptions. Credit card information is sent directly to Stripe's servers and is never transferred to The Old Reader's servers. This partnership enables secure payment processing for the subscription revenue model.
- ReedercoreReeder for iOS and macOS are recommended third-party apps that work with The Old Reader via the GoogleReader-like API, allowing users to access their feeds through dedicated native applications.
- GitHub CommunitycoreThe Old Reader API is documented in a GitHub repository and third-party developers have created open-source tools including theoldreader-cli, Python API wrappers, Chrome extensions, and Safari extensions.
- GooglecoreGoogle OAuth is used for user authentication, and users can import subscriptions from Google Reader. Google contacts integration helps users find friends on the platform.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
The Old Reader competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Selfoss: Selfoss is an open-source, self-hosted RSS/feed aggregator. It overlaps with The Old Reader for privacy-conscious, technically inclined users who prefer running their own stack over a hosted service.
- CommaFeed: CommaFeed is an open-source, self-hostable RSS reader built as a Google Reader clone. It serves the same anti-algorithmic, privacy-conscious niche as The Old Reader but is positioned as a free alternative for technical users.
Direct peers
- Feedly: Feedly is the leading consumer and team-oriented RSS aggregator, offering web, mobile, and AI-powered news aggregation. It is the most direct substitute for The Old Reader, targeting the same individual content-consumer segment with a freemium model.
- Inoreader: Inoreader is a full-featured RSS reader with web, mobile, and desktop clients and a comparable freemium/premium pricing model. It competes head-to-head with The Old Reader for power users who want advanced rules, folders, and feed management.
- NewsBlur: NewsBlur is an RSS reader offering web and mobile access with social discovery and intelligence/ML-trained filtering. It targets the same individual reader and blogger persona and is a direct competitor in the premium RSS segment.
- Feedbin: Feedbin is a paid, privacy-focused RSS reader with a public API that powers third-party apps. Its API-driven ecosystem and reader-comparable target customer base make it one of the closest direct competitors to The Old Reader.
- NetNewsWire: NetNewsWire is a free, open-source RSS reader for macOS and iOS that supports Feedbin and other compatible services. While now open source, it competes for the same Apple-ecosystem power-user base as The Old Reader's Reeder/Feeddler integrations.
- Reeder: Reeder is a leading native RSS client for iOS and macOS. It integrates with The Old Reader's API but also competes for the same power-user audience by offering its own service compatibility, making it both partner and competitor.
Broad incumbents
- Flipboard: Flipboard is a large-scale content aggregation platform that curates articles from publishers and blogs into a magazine-style experience. It addresses the same content-discovery need as The Old Reader but with a much broader, algorithm-driven consumer proposition.
- Feedly (Pro/Enterprise): Feedly's Pro and Enterprise tiers add AI summarization, team workspaces, and integrations — capabilities that lift the category ceiling and may pull premium subscribers away from The Old Reader's thin $3/month offering.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Old Reader social profiles
Digital presenceThe Old Reader financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Old Reader leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
The Old Reader funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Old Reader M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Old Reader
What does The Old Reader do?
The Old Reader is an RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feed reader that lets users subscribe to websites, blogs, and other online content sources, aggregating fresh posts in chronological order without algorithmic filtering. The service operates on a freemium model with a free tier for core reading features and a $3/month Premium Subscription that removes ads and improves performance. It also publishes a GoogleReader-like mobile API used by third-party RSS clients on iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, and Linux.
Is The Old Reader a public or private company?
The Old Reader is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was The Old Reader founded?
The Old Reader was founded in 2012. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The Old Reader based?
The Old Reader is headquartered in Moscow, Russia, in the Europe region.
How does The Old Reader make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Premium Subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are sponsored Content.
Who are The Old Reader's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Selfoss and CommaFeed. Direct peers are Feedly, Inoreader, NewsBlur, Feedbin, NetNewsWire and Reeder. Broad incumbents are Flipboard and Feedly (Pro/Enterprise).
Does The Old Reader have an API?
Yes. The Old Reader implements a GoogleReader-like mobile API that allows anyone to create a mobile app that works with The Old Reader. The API is documented in a separate GitHub repository. Developer documentation is at github.com/theoldreader/api.