RSS readers have been around since the early 2000s. The format never died — it just moved to the background. If you want to follow websites without social media algorithms or email newsletters, RSS remains the best tool.
For people who want headlines without managing a full RSS reader, there is a lighter option.
Full RSS readers (Feedly, Inoreader, NewsBlur)
What they do:
- Full article management with read/unread tracking
- Folder organization across dozens or hundreds of feeds
- Article search
- Cross-device sync
- Save for later
Who they are for:
- Power users following 20+ sources
- Journalists or researchers who need to track everything
- Anyone who needs to process high volumes of content
Cost: Feedly free tier (3 feeds, 100 articles); paid from $6/month. Inoreader free tier (150 feeds); paid from $5/month.
Browser-based RSS (Firefox extensions)
For users following 5-10 sources who want headlines available during the day without managing a separate app, an in-browser option is simpler.
News Widget Dashboard for Firefox shows a live RSS feed on your new tab. Add the feeds you want. Every time you open a new tab, you see the latest headlines.
No account. No cross-device sync. Headlines visible in the browser without opening a separate application.
News Widget Dashboard — Firefox Add-ons
When to use each
Use a full RSS reader (Feedly/Inoreader) when:
- Following more than 10 sources
- Need read/unread tracking across devices
- Doing research that requires search and history
- Need article archiving or saving
Use a browser extension like News Widget when:
- Following 3-8 sources
- Just want headlines visible during the day
- Do not need sync or history
- Want the simplest possible setup
Why RSS instead of social media
Twitter/X and LinkedIn curate your feed algorithmically. The order and selection of content depends on engagement signals, not publication date. RSS shows everything from subscribed sources in reverse chronological order.
For following specific sources reliably (a blog, a news outlet, a newsletter), RSS is more predictable than social media. What was published appears in your feed.
News Widget Dashboard is one of 11 Firefox extensions I built — see the full series.
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