Inoreader vs Google News: let an algorithm pick your news, or choose the sources yourself
Google News is a free app that decides which stories you see. Inoreader is a reader where you choose every source, and it can follow a Google News search as a feed. Here is how they differ and how to start.
Create a free accountLast updated October 16, 2026
What each one is
Google News is a free news app for the web, iOS and Android. An algorithm decides which stories you see. You can follow topics and sources to steer it, but you cannot add an RSS feed of your own.
Inoreader is an RSS reader. You choose every source yourself, and Inoreader shows you the new articles from those sources and nothing else. It can also follow a Google News search as a feed, so you keep Google's news coverage for the topics you care about.
At a glance
| Inoreader | Google News | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free plan with 150 feeds and no ads, Pro $9.99 a month or $89.99 a year | Free |
| Who picks the articles | You, by choosing the sources | An algorithm, steered by the topics and sources you follow |
| Your own RSS feeds | Any RSS feed | Not possible |
| Google News content | Any Google News search as a feed, free | Built in |
| Apps | Web, iPhone and iPad, Android, extensions for Chrome, Firefox and Edge | Web, iOS and Android |
Where Google News is the better choice
If you want a quick look at the day's top stories without setting anything up, Google News does that well. It is free, it works on the web and on your phone, and it pulls together coverage from a very large number of news sites. You do not have to know which outlets to follow, because the app makes that choice for you.
If you rarely read the same sources twice and you are happy to let an algorithm decide, Google News is the simpler option. Choose Inoreader when you want to decide where your news comes from, keep up with sources that a news app does not carry, or make sure you never miss an article from a particular site.
Where Inoreader does more
Your sources, all of them
You can follow any site that has a feed, as well as YouTube channels, Reddit and podcasts, on the free plan. With Pro, you can also receive newsletters as feeds and turn web pages without RSS into web feeds.
Google News inside your reader
You do not have to give up Google News to switch. A Google News feed follows a search for a company, a person or a topic in the language and region you choose, and its results arrive next to everything else you read.
Filters and rules
With Pro, filters remove the articles you do not want, such as a topic you are tired of or an author you skip. Rules can tag matching articles, save them or send you a push notification when an important story appears.
An archive you can search
Inoreader keeps the articles of the feeds you follow, so you can search them later and save the ones you want to read later. What you saved stays with you even if you unfollow the feed.
How to move from Google News to Inoreader
- Write down the publications and topics you follow in Google News.
- Create a free Inoreader account, open Add feed and type the name of each publication. Inoreader finds the site's feed and shows you a preview before you follow it.
- For each topic, follow a Google News search as a feed in the language and region you read. Keep to the searches you actually read, rather than many variations of the same term.
- Put your feeds in folders by subject. With Pro, add filters to remove the stories you do not want.
- Install the Inoreader app on your phone, so your news is with you during the day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add RSS feeds to Google News?
No. In Google News you can follow topics and sources, but you cannot add an RSS feed of your own. In Inoreader, you can follow any site that has a feed, along with YouTube channels, Reddit and podcasts.
Can I follow Google News as an RSS feed?
Yes. In Inoreader, open Add feed, type a keyword or a name and choose the Google News option. You pick the language and the region, and every new result arrives as an article in your reader. Google News feeds are free on every plan.
Is Inoreader free like Google News?
Inoreader has a free plan with up to 150 feeds and no ads. Pro costs $9.99 a month or $89.99 a year and adds filters, rules, newsletters and more. See the pricing page for details.
Why choose your own sources instead of an algorithm?
When you choose the sources, you see every new article from them, and nothing from outlets you did not pick. You can also follow sources that a news app does not cover, such as niche blogs, company newsrooms, YouTube channels and newsletters.
Does Inoreader work on my phone?
Yes. Inoreader has apps for iPhone, iPad and Android, a web app and browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox and Edge.
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