I’ve used Feedly for a decade, but these 2 minimal Android apps finally replaced it
Two free RSS readers, zero algorithms, and one very slow cup of coffee.
For almost a decade, I've relied on Feedly as my primary RSS reader, but recently, I discovered two minimalist Android apps that have become my new favorites: Read You and FeedFlow. These lightweight alternatives have replaced Feedly in my daily routine.
Using RSS has been a central part of my morning routine for years. I prefer reading from independent blogs, large publications, and dedicated tech sites like Android Authority. I control my feed through my OPML file, which stores all my RSS subscription links. I appreciate the control and the ability to adapt my RSS experience to my needs.
Feedly emerged as a spiritual successor to the discontinued Google Reader. While I have used it for several years, it has become more of a content platform than a true RSS reader. The app now presents a curated list of top stories rather than a chronological feed, and it includes prompts to upgrade and integrate AI. The free plan lacks full-text views for truncated feeds, and the interface feels dated and less customizable than I'd like.
Read You, on the other hand, offers a sleek and minimal design based on Material You. It provides an airy interface with big headings and supports dynamic colors that adapt to my wallpaper. The reading experience is close to a paperback book, with a clean toolbar and buttons that disappear when scrolling. Read You is ad-free and open-source, available for download from GitHub or F-Droid.
Its reading interface is customizable, allowing me to adjust font size, text spacing, and padding. The OLED black theme enhances my early-morning reading sessions, and the option to automatically parse full website text for truncated articles is a significant advantage.
FeedFlow is another excellent RSS reader I regularly use. Available on the Play Store and F-Droid, it is a mature and stable app that works across Android, iOS, Linux, Windows, and Mac. It supports OPML file import and connections to various services like FreshRSS, Miniflux, Feedbin, and BazQux. FeedFlow's widget, which supports scrolling and refreshes every 30 minutes, is my most frequently used feature.
The app offers a text-only layout option, an excellent OLED black theme, and a widget that enhances early-morning reading sessions. By default, FeedFlow opens articles in a cached reader view, pulling the entire website's content. This provides the best reading experience without the need for additional changes.
Written by urgent.news from Android Authority's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
