Alternatives to Google Reader
I’ve been a huge fan of Google Reader for years. I usually start every morning with my coffee and Google Reader…
Note: i am still not decided between Tiny RSS and Newsblur, both are running on my server…
The bad news
We launched Google Reader in 2005 in an effort to make it easy for people to discover and keep tabs on their favorite websites. While the product has a loyal following, over the years usage has declined. So, on July 1, 2013, we will retire Google Reader. Users and developers interested in RSS alternatives can export their data, including their subscriptions, with Google Takeout over the course of the next four months. see http://googleblog.blogspot.nl/2013/03/a-second-spring-of-cleaning.html
Get your data
As usual Google do a great job, and let you download your data very easily with Google Takeout. You can get there a copy of ALL of your Reader data:
- List of people that you follow / follow you
- Items you have starred / liked /shared
- Notes and comments
Follow this link to download only your Reader data from Takeout. Your subscriptions are then available in a xml file that can be imported in most RSS aggregators. (see below)
The hidden plan
Both Google+ and Facebook are pushing now to be your one and only news aggregating site. You can still sign the online petition at https://www.change.org/petitions/google-keep-google-reader-running (for what it is worth)
My Alternatives to Google Reader
Feedly
- Synchronizes itself with Google Reader until July,
- Same keyboard shortcuts,
- Import from Google Reader using Google’s OAuth,
- Mobile app,
- Firefox and chrome plugin,
- Tips for Google Reader users migrating to feedly
Newsblur
- Commercial and free plan for up to
6412 RSS channels, - Import from Google Reader using Google’s OAuth,
- iOS apps, Android Mobile app
- Open Source (MIT),
- Self hosting thanks to https://github.com/samuelclay/NewsBlur
Tiny RSS
- Free software, licensed under GNU GPL
- Paid mobile app,
- Chrome plugins
- Commercial plan
- Self hosting thanks to Github (I did install my own copy at http://rss.waltercedric.com)
