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SimpleReader

Privacy-focused, local-first RSS reader for Chrome. No account required.

Add to Chrome View on GitHub

Features

All major feed formats

Reads RSS 2.0, Atom, and RSS 1.0 (RDF) feeds — the full range of formats in use today.

Stays in your browser

All articles and subscriptions are stored locally in Chrome. Nothing is sent to any external server.

Cross-device sync

Subscriptions and settings sync across your devices via Chrome Sync — no separate account needed.

OPML import & export

Bring your existing subscriptions in via OPML, or export any time. No lock-in.

Dark mode & font size

Toggle dark mode and choose from three font sizes. Reads comfortably in any light.

Full-text search

Search across all loaded articles instantly — no index, no delay.

Keyboard navigation

Use j/k or arrow keys to move between articles, Enter to expand.

Efficient fetching

Conditional HTTP requests with ETag and Last-Modified headers avoid re-downloading unchanged feeds.

Screenshot

SimpleReader dashboard showing feed list and articles

Privacy First

SimpleReader collects zero data. There are no analytics, no tracking pixels, no accounts, and no external servers. Your subscriptions and articles never leave your browser.

RSS feeds are fetched directly from the source domains — the same request your browser would make if you visited the site directly.

Read the full Privacy Policy →

Starter Feeds

Not sure where to begin? HN Popular Blogs 2025 is a curated OPML file of 95 tech blogs that appeared most on Hacker News — a solid starting point for any RSS reader.

Download OPML →    View the full list

Import it via Settings → Import OPML in SimpleReader.

Installation

Install SimpleReader from the Chrome Web Store, or load it directly from source.

  1. Open the Chrome Web Store listing and click "Add to Chrome"
  2. Or build from source: clone the repo, run cd simplereader/extension && npm install && npm run build
  3. For source installs: open chrome://extensions, enable Developer Mode, and click "Load unpacked" selecting the extension/dist/ folder