Feedly’s Technical Troubles Raise Questions
Feedly, the world’s largest stand-alone RSS reader, has been experiencing a weeklong slowdown that has left many users frustrated and questioning the company’s focus. The issues have affected both free and paying subscribers, with some reporting that the web app has become “unusably slow” and that their support requests have been ignored.
Feedly RSS issues have become a major topic of discussion among its user base, particularly as the company has been making a visible pivot toward artificial intelligence and cyber threat intelligence products. The timing of these technical problems has led some to wonder whether the company is still committed to its core RSS customers.
The Scope of the Problem
The most significant issue impacting users has been a dramatic slowdown on Feedly’s web application. According to discussions on Reddit, users have reported the app running “extremely” slow, making it difficult to browse feeds quickly and efficiently. This performance degradation has persisted for over a week, creating significant disruption for those who rely on the service for their daily news consumption.
Beyond the web app slowdown, users have also reported problems with the company’s iOS application, including issues with the iOS 27 beta version. Additionally, the classic version of Feedly’s mobile app, which a small subset of customers preferred, was shut down without warning weeks ago.
User Frustration Mounts
The combination of technical issues and perceived lack of communication has led to growing frustration among Feedly’s user base. Some paying subscribers have expressed disappointment that their support requests have gone unanswered, adding to the sense that the company may be neglecting its traditional RSS reader business.
With approximately 15 million users worldwide, Feedly has established itself as the dominant player in the RSS reader market since Google shut down Google Reader in 2013. This makes it larger than competitors like Inoreader, NetNewsWire, and Reeder combined.
The Company’s Response
Feedly CEO Edwin Khodabakchian addressed the concerns directly, reassuring users that despite the company’s pivot toward cyber threat intelligence, maintaining basic RSS functionality remains a priority.
“Despite the pivot to cyber threat intelligence, fixing the basic RSS functionality is still a priority because our CTI community uses the news-reading capability,” Khodabakchian told TechCrunch. “Our goal has been to maintain the Feedly News Reader as fast and streamlined as possible.”
Identifying the Bug
The company attributed the web app slowdown to a specific bug related to using the “Mark as Read” feature on accounts with many folders. Khodabakchian explained that the front-end team had been testing a fix, which was released on Friday. The company continues to monitor whether this has resolved the problem for all affected users.
The Classic App Shutdown
Regarding the Feedly Classic app shutdown, Khodabakchian confirmed that the app was retired two weeks ago because it no longer met some iOS and Android requirements. The app had been removed from the App Store long before that, and at the time of shutdown, it had only a few hundred active users. The company did not notify these existing users before the final shutdown, which may have contributed to the negative sentiment.
The CEO also acknowledged that he was not previously aware of the iOS app issues preventing the app from loading but promised Feedly would investigate and fix them quickly. He emphasized that the company still actively invests in its main iOS and Android applications.
The AI Pivot Context
Feedly has been shifting its focus toward AI-powered products, offering businesses ways to track emerging threats and keep up with tailored intelligence through its application. The company now prominently advertises these AI capabilities on its homepage, raising questions about whether its traditional RSS reader business remains a priority.
While Feedly’s pivot to AI represents a natural business evolution, the recent technical issues have highlighted the challenges of maintaining legacy products while pursuing new opportunities. For many users, the question remains whether Feedly can successfully balance its AI ambitions with its responsibility to its core RSS customer base.
What This Means for RSS Users
For the millions who still rely on RSS readers for their news consumption, the recent Feedly RSS issues serve as a reminder of the fragility of these services. The market for dedicated RSS readers has always been relatively small compared to mainstream news aggregation platforms like Apple News, Google News, and social media.
However, RSS readers like Feedly continue to serve a dedicated user base that values the control, customization, and efficiency they provide. These users typically represent some of the most engaged news consumers and are often willing to pay for premium features.
Feedly’s commitment to resolving these issues and maintaining its RSS reader functionality will be crucial for retaining user trust. The company has indicated that it remains committed to its news-reading capabilities, as its cyber threat intelligence community also relies on these features.
For paying subscribers who have experienced frustration during this period, the resolution of these technical issues and improved communication from the company will be important factors in their continued loyalty. The RSS reader market may be niche, but it remains an important tool for information professionals and dedicated news consumers.
The recent technical problems may serve as a catalyst for Feedly to better balance its AI aspirations with its existing user base. As the company continues to evolve, maintaining the reliability and performance of its core product will be essential to preserving the trust of its 15 million users.
