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ReviewsIs The Old Reader actually free?
How free80/100
Value4/10
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 — it exists specifically to be what Google Reader was: simple, fast, 100 feeds free. Premium is a modest ~$3/month for search and a higher cap.
What it’s worth
It replaces a product people still mourn, for $0.
What you get free
- Follow up to 100 feeds in a clean, Google-Reader-style UI
- Sharing and comments with friends who also use it
- Import your subscriptions from any reader (OPML)
In practice: the Google Reader experience, alive and free at 100 feeds.
Drawbacks
- Web-first, thin mobile story
- No power features by design
- 100-feed cap
Also paywalled
- More than 100 feeds
- Full-text search
- Faster feed refresh and no ads
Free facts
| Verdict | Free Forever |
| Card required | No |
| Auto-bills | Only if you subscribe |
| Account | Required (or sign in with Google/Facebook) |
| Limits | Up to 100 feeds; search and no-ads need the ~$3/month premium |
| The real cost | Nothing for 100 feeds and the classic reading experience. |
The catch
Deliberately basic — no AI, no automation, minimal apps (it's web-first). If you want power features, this isn't where they live.
The smart play
- Export/import via OPML — your subscriptions are portable between every reader on this list
Common questions
Does The Old Reader require a credit card?
No — The Old Reader does not ask for a card to use the free version. Auto-billing: Only if you subscribe.
What are the limits of The Old Reader's free plan?
Up to 100 feeds; search and no-ads need the ~$3/month premium. Deliberately basic — no AI, no automation, minimal apps (it's web-first). If you want power features, this isn't where they live.
How do I use The Old Reader without paying?
Export/import via OPML — your subscriptions are portable between every reader on this list
What does The Old Reader really cost?
Nothing for 100 feeds and the classic reading experience.
Why is The Old Reader free?
Nothing for 100 feeds and the classic reading experience. It replaces a product people still mourn, for $0.
Is The Old Reader still free?
As of our last check, yes. Yes — it exists specifically to be what Google Reader was: simple, fast, 100 feeds free. Premium is a modest ~$3/month for search and a higher cap. Free tiers change without notice, which is why every page here carries the date it was checked.
More info — tap to expand
Why do people still want Google Reader?
Because a chronological list of exactly what you chose to follow — no ranking, no engagement bait — turned out to be the healthiest way to read the web. RSS never died; the readers just got quieter.
Last checked: August 2026site-wide date · Verdict: Free Forever — a real permanent free plan. signup and fair limits — but no clock and no card.
Visit The Old Reader →