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ReviewsIs NewsBlur actually free?
How free78/100
Value5/10
How these scores work
Free Score (0–100) follows a fixed rubric: cards up front, auto-billing, hard time cutoffs, withheld core features, and paying with your data or attention all deduct points. 90–100 truly free · 70–89 free forever · 45–69 squeezed · 15–44 trial mechanics · under 15 fake or gone. Value (0–10) is editorial: real-world worth of the free offering measured against its paid equivalent. Full rubric on the methodology page.
Yes — 64 sites free, forever, from a one-developer operation that's been quietly reliable for over a decade. The cap is honest and the paid tier that lifts it costs less than most apps' monthly fee, per year.
What it’s worth
Premium is ~$36/year — the 'squeeze' here is about as gentle as paid software gets.
What you get free
- Read up to 64 sites with training and filtering
- The 'training' system that hides what you don't care about
- Web, iOS and Android apps — open source
In practice: an honest indie RSS reader — real free tier, cheap upgrade, no dark patterns.
Drawbacks
- 64-site cap
- Dated interface
- Small team means slower feature pace
Also paywalled
- More than 64 sites
- River-of-news reading and text-extraction views
- Search and saved-story archives
Free facts
| Verdict | Free Forever |
| Card required | No |
| Auto-bills | Only if you subscribe |
| Account | Required |
| Limits | Up to 64 sites free; the premium that lifts it is one of the cheapest in software |
| The real cost | Nothing for 64 sites. Premium is about $36/year. |
The catch
64 sites is a genuine ceiling for heavy readers, and the interface has an old-forum charm that isn't for everyone.
The smart play
- Train it early — the hide-this filtering is the actual killer feature
- If you pass 64 feeds, the annual fee is cheaper than the time you'll spend working around it
Common questions
Does NewsBlur require a credit card?
No — NewsBlur does not ask for a card to use the free version. Auto-billing: Only if you subscribe.
What are the limits of NewsBlur's free plan?
Up to 64 sites free; the premium that lifts it is one of the cheapest in software. 64 sites is a genuine ceiling for heavy readers, and the interface has an old-forum charm that isn't for everyone.
How do I use NewsBlur without paying?
Train it early — the hide-this filtering is the actual killer feature If you pass 64 feeds, the annual fee is cheaper than the time you'll spend working around it
What does NewsBlur really cost?
Nothing for 64 sites. Premium is about $36/year.
Why is NewsBlur free?
Nothing for 64 sites. Premium is about $36/year. Premium is ~$36/year — the 'squeeze' here is about as gentle as paid software gets.
Is NewsBlur still free?
As of our last check, yes. Yes — 64 sites free, forever, from a one-developer operation that's been quietly reliable for over a decade. The cap is honest and the paid tier that lifts it costs less than most apps' monthly fee, per year. Free tiers change without notice, which is why every page here carries the date it was checked.
More info — tap to expand
Who runs NewsBlur?
Essentially one developer, openly, since 2009 — the code is open source. That's the opposite failure profile of VC-funded readers that pivot or fold.
Last checked: August 2026site-wide date · Verdict: Free Forever — a real permanent free plan. signup and fair limits — but no clock and no card.
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