The Best Cappuccino Alternatives for Your RSS Needs
Cappuccino, a beloved Google Reader client for Mac, offered a seamless way to stay updated on your favorite subscriptions. It synced read feeds with your online Google Reader account, provided occasional data refreshes, and notified you of updates via Growl. While Cappuccino was a solid choice for Mac users running OS X 10.6.8 Snow Leopard and newer, the discontinuation of Google Reader and the desire for cross-platform compatibility have driven many to seek out robust Cappuccino alternative solutions. This article explores the top options available today.
Top Cappuccino Alternatives
Whether you're looking for web-based convenience, mobile access, open-source flexibility, or a rich feature set, there's a perfect Cappuccino alternative waiting for you. Here are some of the best choices that pick up where Cappuccino left off, and often, go beyond.
Feedly
Feedly is a widely popular RSS feed reader that served as a primary successor to Google Reader, making it an excellent Cappuccino alternative. It provides a fun and organized way to consume content from your favorite sites. Available across a wide range of platforms including Web, Android, iPhone, Chrome OS, Android Tablet, iPad, Chrome, Safari, Kindle Fire, and Firefox, Feedly offers features like Google Reader import, custom feeds, OPML export, web-based access, article saving, and various browser extensions. Its extensive integrations, including with Facebook, Twitter, and IFTTT, make it a powerful hub for your news consumption.
Inoreader
Inoreader is a robust feed reader and news aggregator, offering a comprehensive Cappuccino alternative for discovering, sharing, and reading web content. It delivers content the minute it's available and supports RSS feeds, blogs, podcasts, and Twitter. Inoreader is Freemium and accessible on Web, Android, iPhone, Chrome OS, Android Tablet, Windows Phone, iPad, Chrome, Safari, Kindle Fire, Opera, and Firefox. Key features include content filtering, data analytics, Google Reader import, IFTTT integration, multiple languages, RSS to Email, and seamless sync across devices, along with integrations like Instapaper and Pocket.
QuiteRSS
QuiteRSS is a free and open-source Cappuccino alternative for users seeking a desktop-focused solution. It's cross-platform, running on Mac, Windows, Linux, and BSD, and even offers a PortableApps.com version. QuiteRSS features robust feed and news filters, user-defined filters, proxy configuration, and notifications. Its integrated web browser, colored tags, and support for multiple languages make it a versatile choice for offline reading and managing your feeds.
Tiny Tiny RSS
Tiny Tiny RSS is an open-source, web-based news feed aggregator designed for self-hosting, making it an excellent Cappuccino alternative for those who prefer to control their data. It allows you to read news from any location, mimicking a desktop application experience. Available for Linux, Self-Hosted environments, and as Software as a Service (SaaS), Tiny Tiny RSS offers integrated search, ad-free reading, and the ability to import feeds from OPML, providing a highly customizable and private news consumption experience.
NewsBlur
NewsBlur is an open-source, personal news reader that emphasizes community and interaction, serving as a dynamic Cappuccino alternative. It presents stories directly from the original site and fosters discussion among users. Available as Freemium software on Web, Android, iPhone, iPad, Kindle Fire, and as SaaS, NewsBlur is web-based, features a robust feed reader, and offers IFTTT integration for enhanced automation of your news consumption.
Reeder
Reeder is a commercial news reader primarily for Mac and iOS devices (iPhone, iPad), making it a premium Cappuccino alternative for Apple enthusiasts. Reeder 4 introduces features like the Bionic Reading mode and an in-app Read Later service. It supports various sync services, including Feedly, and offers offline reading capabilities and multiple account support, providing a polished and feature-rich experience for managing your RSS feeds.
Liferea
Liferea is a free and open-source web feed reader and news aggregator for Linux and BSD, offering a straightforward Cappuccino alternative for command-line and desktop Linux users. It consolidates content from your favorite subscriptions into a simple, easy-to-use interface. Key features include local storage, offline reading, and basic RSS feed management, making it a reliable choice for users who prefer a lightweight and efficient news reader.
Netvibes
Netvibes is a free personal, web-based multi-lingual personalized start page and news aggregator, functioning as a comprehensive Cappuccino alternative beyond just RSS. Similar to other customizable dashboards, it allows users to organize their web experience with category filters, news feeds, and a page builder. While offering RSS feed reading, Netvibes provides a broader platform for managing various aspects of your online information, making it suitable for those who desire more than just a news reader.
The Old Reader
The Old Reader is a web-based RSS reader that aims to replicate the simplicity and community features of Google Reader, making it a strong Cappuccino alternative. Available as Freemium software on Web and Chrome, and as SaaS, it allows users to import existing subscriptions and connect with Facebook friends. Its web-based nature and focus on a classic reading experience appeal to those nostalgic for the Google Reader interface.
CommaFeed
CommaFeed is a free and open-source, Google Reader-inspired self-hosted RSS reader, providing an excellent Cappuccino alternative for users who prefer to host their own services. Built with JAX-RS, Wicket, and AngularJS, it can be deployed on your own server. CommaFeed offers features like bug reporting, a built-in firewall, content filtering, Google Drive integration, and the ability to import from Google Reader, ensuring a private and controlled news consumption environment.
With a diverse range of options available, from feature-rich web aggregators to lightweight desktop clients and self-hosted solutions, finding the ideal Cappuccino alternative is easier than ever. Consider your primary platform, budget, desired features, and whether you prefer open-source flexibility or premium support to choose the best fit for your news-reading needs.