You know how sometimes a favorite tool just disappears, and you’re left scrambling for a replacement? Yeah, that’s pretty much what happened when Google Reader shut down. Back in 2012, rumors of its demise had people in the RSS community panicking. Enter Ivo Djokov and Yordan Yordanov—two guys who thought, “Hey, maybe we can fill that void.” And so, they launched Innologica and started working on what would become Inoreader. By 2013, the project was up and running with three versions: Basic, Plus, and Professional. It even supported both RSS and Atom, which, if you’re into your news feeds, is like choosing between chocolate and vanilla ice cream.
Now, let’s talk about the tool itself. Inoreader isn’t just some basic feed reader. Oh no, it’s packed with all sorts of nifty features that make it a power user’s dream. You’ve got automation, so you can set up rules like, “If an article mentions ‘new coffee brewing methods,’ save it for later.” You can also save entire web pages for offline reading, search across everything (not just your subscriptions!), and set up searches that update whenever new articles match your keywords. And, if you’re feeling super organized, you can tag and folder-ize your feeds until everything is neatly in place.
And they didn’t stop with just the web version. In July 2013, they launched an Android app, and the following year they rolled out an iOS version too. These apps sync up beautifully with the web platform, meaning you can start reading something on your desktop and finish it up on your phone during your commute. Pretty handy, right? As of 2016, these apps had great ratings too—4.3 stars on Google Play and a perfect 5 on iTunes. Talk about a crowd-pleaser.
But Inoreader didn’t stay static. The interface has evolved quite a bit since its early days, adapting to different devices and user needs. By late 2013, they revamped the user experience, making it smoother and more intuitive. Users can tweak a bunch of settings to make the reader fit just the way they like it, from choosing how their feeds are displayed to organizing subscriptions into folders and tags. Basically, if you like to be in control of every little detail, Inoreader’s got you covered.
Of course, no tech journey is complete without a few browser extensions, right? By April 2013, Inoreader had extensions for all the major browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Opera. These let users subscribe to feeds or save pages directly from their browser, making it even easier to keep up with their reading. The Chrome extension, in particular, has been a hit, boasting a rating of 4.79 out of 5. Not bad for a little add-on.
The reception? Generally positive. When Google Reader went the way of the dodo, a lot of people turned to Inoreader as a solid alternative. Sure, it might look a bit like Google Reader (and that’s part of the appeal), but it offers way more under the hood. Even the free Basic plan is packed with features, though there are limits unless you upgrade. But hey, you get what you pay for, right?
Now, here’s where things got a bit dicey: in 2015, Innologica decided it was time to monetize their platform, which meant introducing ads. As you can imagine, users weren’t thrilled. But Innologica quickly followed up with a solution: you could eliminate those pesky ads if you upgraded to a paid plan. Problem solved (well, for those willing to spend a little cash).
Today, Inoreader continues to be a go-to for people who love their RSS feeds, providing a robust and customizable experience that makes it easy to stay on top of all your favorite sites. It’s a little bit like a Swiss Army knife for news junkies—compact, reliable, and always ready to help you cut through the noise. And for those of us who just can’t get enough of the latest updates, it’s nice to know that Inoreader’s got our backs.
There you have it—a more relaxed and friendly spin on the history and features of Inoreader!