The Old Reader Alternative: SereneReader Compared
The Old Reader keeps Google Reader's social side, with friends, likes and comments. SereneReader offers native Apple apps, free-plan search, and a Team plan.
What each one is for
The Old Reader was built to bring back the social side of Google Reader. You can follow friends, like and comment on posts, and share folders. It runs in the browser.
SereneReader is built around your own subscriptions. You can send someone a public link to an article, and the Team plan lets a small group share feeds, but there are no followers, likes or comments. Focus mode (press f) hides the sidebar and article list, leaving the article with a slim toolbar and a thin progress bar.
At a glance
| SereneReader | The Old Reader | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | 150 feeds, Article search, no ads | Reportedly 100 feeds, no search, with ads |
| Paid plan | Pro: $5/mo (web) or $6.99/mo (App Store), 250 feeds | Premium: reportedly $3/mo or $30/yr, 500 feeds |
| Team plan | $25/mo, up to 5 people, shared feeds and folders | No |
| Article history | 90 days; saved articles 90 days (Free), 180 (Pro), no limit (Team) | Premium reportedly keeps posts for a year |
| Social features | Public share links for single articles | Follow friends, likes, comments, shared folders |
| Apps | Official apps for iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch; web | Web; third-party apps through its API |
| API | Read-only REST API (Pro, Team) | Google Reader-style API, all accounts |
| OPML | Import and export | Import and export |
Where The Old Reader is stronger
- Reading with friends. Following people, liking and commenting on posts, and sharing folders are central to The Old Reader. SereneReader's sharing stops at a public link to one article.
- More feeds for less. Premium reportedly costs $3 a month or $30 a year and allows 500 feeds. SereneReader Pro is $5 a month on the web for 250.
- A year of storage. Premium reportedly keeps posts for a year. SereneReader keeps 90 days of articles, and saved ones for longer on Pro and Team.
- Third-party apps. Because its API follows Google Reader's, many RSS apps can sync with The Old Reader. SereneReader doesn't support third-party clients.
Where SereneReader is stronger
- Search and more room on the free plan. SereneReader Free holds 150 feeds, includes Article search (titles, summaries and authors), and has no ads. The Old Reader's free plan reportedly allows 100 feeds, has no search, and shows ads.
- Official apps. The Old Reader has no official mobile app. SereneReader ships its own iPhone, iPad and Mac apps, which stay in sync with the web, and an Apple Watch app for skimming unread headlines and the start of an article. See the apps.
- A plan for small groups. On Team ($25 a month), up to five people read from one shared set of feeds and folders. The Old Reader has no team plan; its sharing happens between followers.
Importing from The Old Reader
Download your subscriptions as an OPML file from The Old Reader's settings. Sign up for SereneReader's free plan, which doesn't need a credit card, and import the file. Nested folders flatten to one level (each feed lands in its innermost folder), and free accounts can import up to 150 feeds. Followers, likes, comments and shared folders stay with The Old Reader, since OPML only carries subscriptions.
Pricing and features as of October 2026. The Old Reader doesn't publish its prices publicly, so its figures here come from third-party sources. Check each product's website for current details.