Moving from FreshRSS
FreshRSS is a self-hosted reader and functionally it is plenty. The decision comes down to whether you still want to keep the server running.
| FreshRSS | freefeed | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free (plus hosting) | Free |
| Server maintenance | Required | None |
| Updates | Your job | None |
| Feed limit | Unlimited | 1,000 |
| Extensions | Yes | No |
| Data ownership | Entirely yours | Exportable at any time |
| Ads | None | Yes |
When this is a good fit
You have nothing against FreshRSS itself, but keeping a VPS patched and PHP current has become a chore. The feature set is broadly comparable and the server goes away.
It also fits if you read mostly on a phone and exposing a home server to the internet is more hassle than it is worth.
When it is not
If you want your data strictly under your own control, staying on FreshRSS is the right call. You can export from here at any time, but the storage is someone else’s.
If you depend on extensions, you cannot move — there is no extension mechanism here.
The same applies if seeing ads is not acceptable to you.
How to move
- In FreshRSS, use Settings → Import/export → Export OPML
- Inspect the exported OPML
- Create an account and import it from Settings → Feeds
- Run both for a while, then decommission the FreshRSS server if all is well
FAQ
- Can I move back to FreshRSS later?
- Yes. OPML plus a JSON export with read state, stars and tags is available at any time. Moving back is an expected outcome.
- Do FreshRSS extensions carry over?
- No. There is no extension mechanism here.