Substack is the latest company trying to resurrect Google Reader – at least in the spirit.
Nearly a decade after Google’s popular RSS feed aggregator was discontinued, Substack has launched a desktop RSS client alternative: Substack Reader for the Web.
Now users can organize all their Substack subscriptions in one web page that they can view from their laptop or PC. The app also integrates with third-party RSS feeds, allowing users to view posts from other publications as well.
The new desktop client keeps old Google Reader users in mind with, for example, familiar keyboard shortcuts, but also offers new settings such as dark mode.
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Substack prioritizes messages that generate the most subscriptions in a single inbox that users can click to open and read in a new window, for example. Readers can also “like” or save messages from the feed itself.
All content is synced to Substack’s iOS mobile app, released earlier this year, allowing users to view the same web reader feeds from their smartphones. Substack is also (still) working on a similar mobile app for Android. But given how clearly the new web app is designed for mobile (and how similar it is to the iOS app), Android users could use this as a replacement in the meantime — which may have been intentional.
Admittedly, the new RSS feed isn’t all that different from others that popped up after Google Reader shut down, nor is it as feature-rich as competitors like Feedly, which offer benefits like Evernote integration. Still, it offers features that heavy Substack consumers might find valuable.
For example, Substack’s web app allows users to explore other newsletters based on their interests. Readers also receive recommendations from writers to whom they are subscribed.
But while Substack clearly uses the feed to promote its own content, it avoids more distracting ads like pop-ups.
“We’ve invested in building distraction-free places where you can connect with the writers, readers, podcasters, and creators you love,” Substack wrote in a blog post. “In the new Reader, there are no pop-ups, auto-playing videos, or buzzing gadgets. You’re in control.”
