Current is an RSS reader for iPhone, iPad, and Mac that provides a chronological, badge-free feed experience.
Product velocity
Maintenance
Daily rank 🇺🇸
#5
▼3News · paid
Sentiment
4.5
99 reviews
Nemesis
Feedly - Smarter News Reader
The App DNA
What makes this app unique?
The app removes the friction of unread counts to eliminate the anxiety of feeling behind on news.
For RSS power users and information consumers who prefer a calm, chronological reading experience.
Key features
Chronological display without unread counts to reduce obligation.
Configurable expiration settings for sources based on content type.
Integration with external services like Feedbin and Inoreader.
How much does it cost?
The app explicitly rejects subscription-based monetization, positioning the $9.99 price point as a value-add for users seeking long-term ownership.
Velocity
Maintenance developmentUX improvementsperformanceplatform expansionShow more...
Current - RSS Feed Reader has shifted to a maintenance cadence, with no new releases in the last 111 days. Prior to this period of inactivity, the developer maintained a high-frequency release schedule focused on feature expansion and performance optimizations. Development themes were heavily centered on UX improvements, sync reliability, and platform-specific enhancements for macOS and iPadOS. The project currently shows no signs of active development or ongoing feature updates.
Who built it?
User Sentiment
What do users think recently?
Fresh user feedback skews excited. Users appreciate the rss reader philosophy removes the anxiety of unread counts and helps users maintain a healthy relationship with news and the river-based interface provides a tranquil and visually pleasing way to consume content across different feed cadences, but report performance issues including ui freezes and slow loading times disrupt the reading flow for users with large feed counts.
How are ratings & reviews evolving?
What users say, by theme
- The RSS reader philosophy removes the anxiety of unread counts and helps users maintain a healthy relationship with news
- The river-based interface provides a tranquil and visually pleasing way to consume content across different feed cadences
- The developer is highly responsive to feedback and iterates quickly on user suggestions to improve the reading experience
- Performance issues including UI freezes and slow loading times disrupt the reading flow for users with large feed counts
54 of 54 recent reviews analyzed · high confidence · Excited overall
Read the full review analysisUnlock 2 more frustration themes and 3 user requests, each backed by review evidence.
Access the full report for freeCompetition
Competitive landscape for Current - RSS Feed Reader
How's the News market?
Current competes in the News category, maintaining a 4.52 rating across 99 total ratings. Its one-time purchase model differentiates it from subscription-based rivals in a market where high-volume aggregators dominate.
Read the market outlookThe rivals identified
By Feedly Inc.
Feedly maintains the largest market share in the RSS reader space with a massive, established user base and consistent feature updates.
- Integrates AI-powered Leo assistant to filter noise and prioritize high-value content for power users
- Offers robust cross-platform synchronization across web, mobile, and tablet devices for seamless reading
- Provides advanced team collaboration tools and shared boards that target professional and enterprise workflows
Unlock the head-to-head verdict: where this rival wins, and where it loses.
Access the full report for freeThe Analyst's Read
Key takeaways for Current - RSS Feed Reader
Where is it heading?
The RSS reader market is consolidating around tools that offer either deep AI-driven filtering or high-performance, distraction-free reading. Current's current maintenance-mode cadence risks losing its position to competitors that iterate on reader engine performance and knowledge management integration.
- The 111-day update gap suggests a maintenance-mode cadence, which leaves the app vulnerable to high-velocity rivals like Readwise Reader.
- Performance complaints regarding sync latency for large feed counts erode the calm user experience and drive negative sentiment.
The SWOT
- Intentional badge-free design reduces cognitive load
- One-time purchase model lowers long-term cost
- Integrated reader mode for truncated feeds
- Keyword muting to improve signal-to-noise ratio
Next best moves
Ship performance optimizations for large feed syncs because sync latency is the top performance complaint → improve retention
+ 1 more prioritized moveThe counter-intuitive read
The lack of unread counts is not just a design choice…
Read the full takeFeature gaps
AI-powered content prioritization (available in Feedly but absent here) +1
Since the last report: The app has entered a prolonged maintenance phase, with the update gap extending to 111 days and the competitive threat landscape expanding to include knowledge-management-focused rivals like Readwise Reader.
Bottom line
Current's calm design philosophy provides a distinct value proposition that retains core users, but the lack of recent updates and performance friction threatens its viability. Addressing sync and rendering stability is necessary to prevent churn to more active, feature-rich competitors.
Unlock 2 critical frictions, 2 market threats, 1 more prioritized move and the analyst’s take.
Access the full report for freeFAQ
Is Current good for users who follow hundreds of feeds?
How does Current compare to Feedly?
Does Current have a subscription fee?
What are some alternatives to Current?
Sources
- [1] App Store, source
Report last updated