FreshRSS 2.0 explained for readers choosing between Feedly and Inoreader

FreshRSS runs as a single container holding both the web server and application, with SQLite as the default database so no second service is required. This architecture keeps memory usage low enough for a small VPS, whereas Tiny Tiny RSS demands 640 MB across four separate containers. I find this distinction decisive when comparing self-hosted options against hosted services like Feedly or Inoreader. The core difference is ownership: you control the data, but you also own every update, backup, and failed feed fetch.

Technical reality of the self-hosted option

The Docker image uses Apache internally, and changes to .htaccess files apply only after restarting the container. You can switch to PostgreSQL or MySQL for larger installations, but new major versions of PostgreSQL refuse to start with data from previous versions, forcing you to pin the old version or run a manual dump and restore. This creates a recurring maintenance task that disappears entirely in hosted services. For mobile access, FreshRSS supports both Google Reader API and Fever API, though the documentation rates the former as "best" with full feature support while the latter has "limited features and less efficient" behavior. You must enable API access under Authentication and create a specific API password; skipping this step causes authentication failures on your phone even if web login works fine.

I hit a PHP parse error during installation where line 166 of lib_rss.php threw a syntax error, leaving a blank white page that showed only the number 1 in the source code. Reinstalling MariaDB did not fix it, which highlights that self-hosting requires debugging skills beyond basic configuration. Feed updates can also stall silently; one user reported 80 feeds checked in zero seconds with nothing actually updated, despite logs claiming success. These issues do not happen with Feedly’s free plan of 100 feeds or Inoreader’s 150 feeds, where the vendor handles the infrastructure. If you want offline access via a local network, FreshRSS delivers that without extra apps, but you accept the risk of midnight sync failures that halt the entire process.

When to skip the self-hosted route

Feedly offers a cleaner interface and strong mobile apps, but its search takes several seconds and misses results that are definitely there. Inoreader provides instant text search and accurate results, plus the ability to load full text from partial feeds with a single keypress. I would choose Inoreader over Feedly if reliable search and article rendering matter more than brand recognition. Inoreader’s free plan includes 150 feeds and Google News alerts, while Feedly caps you at 100 feeds and three folders. Both require paid plans for rules, filters, and monitoring feeds, with Inoreader charging €8.99 monthly versus Feedly’s $6.99 annual billing rate.

You should pick FreshRSS only if you have someone willing to maintain it and a genuine reason to prefer that control. Free software does not make deployment, storage, and recovery tasks disappear. A bad rule in Inoreader can hide useful evidence just as efficiently as it hides noise, so start with visible tagging before allowing aggressive filtering. FreshRSS lets you categorize blogs into different sections and read comics through a dedicated visual content section, which adds flexibility that hosted readers often lack. However, if you value time over technical tinkering, the practical cost of self-hosting exceeds the subscription fee of any hosted alternative. Does the privacy gain justify spending hours debugging cron jobs and database migrations?