Maybe we should’ve known that the inevitable consequence of losing Google Reader would be paying for something else — Or, at least, the option of paying for something else. The day has arrived. After years of serving up its services entirely for free, Feedlywill now offer a “Pro” version — including many features you’ve come to expect for free.
In the long run, Feedly Pro will cost $US5 per month, but the developers are offering a deal to early adopters: 5000 people will be able to pay for a lifetime subscription of $US100. That’s the equivalent of 20 months of paying for the service, which might be a bit of gamble, since who knows how long Feedly will be the best reader out there. (And it is the best, in this writer’s humble opinion, but there are certainly plenty of alternatives.)
What do you get for that money? Maybe the most useful of the features is article search, which will allow you to sift through your feeds easier. Google Reader had a basic search tool, and it also currently exists in (paid) Feedly competitors like Reeder. And it’s a very useful features. Other perks to a pro membership include Evernote support, and an Https security layer for safer browsing. Oh and premium support — for all those time you’ve ever felt like calling the help line. Honestly, we’ve never needed support with RSS, but OK!
But…$US5 per month? For an RSS reader? Before you know it, we’ll be paying for a subscription for everything. Does it seem worth it to you?