Evaluating RSS Readers

I'm getting really tired of Google Reader, primarily due to its slowness and the way that it reacts to my keystrokes. The v key in Firefox-based browsers opens the item in a new tab. If I fill my browser (usually Flock — which I'll likely replace) with tabs, Google Reader will occasionally refuse to continue opening tabs and give me the whole blocked popup guff. When this happens, even when I stop close all the tabs, it continues to refuse until I quit and restart the browser.

Since I use multiple old RSS readers as well as Sage, NetNewsWire, Flock's built-in news reader. I thought I'd update my software, try a few new things out, and look around for Mac OS X RSS Readers.

The Candidates

NetNewsWire 3.0

NetNewsWire has updated from the Lite version I'd used before. There are multiple options for posting to del.icio.us, posting to a blog, handling podcasts, and reading feeds. It's pretty easy to add feeds and categories. I like how fast it is and the interface is clean, if basic. It costs $29.95.

endo

endo has a unique interface that, quite frankly, befuddles me. It doesn't look anything like any RSS feed reader I've ever seen. There doesn't seem to be a way to save bookmarks to social bookmarking sites. It's $17.95.

NewsFire

NewsFire is pretty, reminiscent of other useful little Mac OS X applications, like Unison or ColorSchemer. Key commands make it easy to bookmark things on social bookmarking sites. This one is $25.00.

Shrook

Shrook has a slightly unusual interface as well, but since it has no social bookmarking functionality, which I use heavily, it's a no go. Its strange iTunes-esque interface is not something I could see myself useing very long.

Conclusions

I think NetNewsWire 3.0 has the broadest feature set, but NewsFire is a close second. Google Reader's only advantages are its accessibility from a mobile browser and its GMail interface. All of the Mac RSS readers outperform the browser plugin and web-based solutions, both in speed and flexibility.