Could FeedBurner be on its way out? While no-one knows for sure, Google’s announcements in the last year or so send a signal that something is changing.
With the FeedBurner API scheduled for shutdown this month and AdSense for Feeds on its way out by the end of the year, it’s definitely time to consider other RSS feed management options.
That’s not good news for the hundreds of thousands of bloggers and potentially millions of subscribers relying on this service.
13 Alternatives To FeedBurner
FeedBurner currently provides feed enhancement services (including analytics, podcast feed management, and more) as well as email subscription management.
It’s difficult to find a tool that replaces all the FeedBurner functions.
Here’s a list of the FeedBurner alternatives and the functionality they provide:
- Aweber – this email list management tool starts $19 per month for up to 500 subscribers and includes the option to create an email blog broadcast from your RSS feed at no extra charge.
- Feedblitz – Like FeedBurner, Feedblitz provides feed enhancement tools and if you just want to serve up feeds, it’s $1.49 a month. If you plan to email your feeds to subscribers, you will need to pay based on the number of subscribers, with a list of up to 500 costing $9.98
- FeedCat – provides feed enhancement services plus statistics for free, along with easy subscription and sharing options.
- Feedity – lets you create RSS feeds for your site and has a range of plans, including a free trial plan with 5 feeds, 10 items per feed and the inclusion of Feedity ads. To remove those ads and get analytics you will need the starter plan at $6 a month and if you need an hourly update interval and tracking for broken feeds you will need the plus plan at $179 a year.
- IFTTT – If This Then That allows you to connect services by means of channels, triggers and recipes. It is free and includes several RSS feed management options.
- JetPack – allows readers of a WordPress blog to subscribe to posts or comments. It is free.
- Mad Mimi – handles email newsletters but has an RSS to email add-on at an additional cost. Broadcasting your blog to 500 subscribers would cost $13 per month.
- MailChimp – is another email list management tool which is free for fewer than 2000 subscribers and 12,000 monthly emails. It includes an RSS to email feature which allows people to get your blog posts by email. And its monthly pricing plan for unlimited sends to 500 subscribers starts at $10 a month.
- Nourish – allows you to create an email newsletter from your default feed. It is free up to 1,000 emails per month. The next tier allows custom templates and unlimited campaigns for $29 per month.
- RapidFeeds – provides RSS feed management, including podcast feeds, but it’s not free. The service starts at $4.49 a month for up to 3 feeds, but if you want the tracking features FeedBurner has you will need to buy their Pro service at $6.95 a month.
- RevResponse – has an RSS to Email tool which uses your default feed to create an email update for subscribers. Using RevResponse is free.
- Subscribe2 – notifies subscribers to a WordPress blog of the publication of new posts. It is free.
- Subscribe by Email – is a free WordPress plugin allowing users to get email notification of new posts.
Other useful advice on FeedBurner alternatives
The blogosphere is buzzing about the possible end of FeedBurner. Here are some great articles:
- Ultimate FeedBurner Alternatives Guide – MaAnna Stephenson provides a list of FeedBurner alternatives along with a series of questions to help you work out the best option.
- FeedBurner Alternatives? What I’m Doing – Amy Lynn Andrews recaps recent issues with FeedBurner and explains why she is thinking about switching to MadMimi.
- 5 Best FeedBurner Alternatives For Your WordPress Blog on WPMU.org discusses why an RSS management solution is useful and suggests five candidates if you are planning to move your feed.
- 7 Best Alternatives to FeedBurner on KnolZone covers many of the same options, though one of these, PostRank, is no longer available.
- FeedBurner Alternatives for RSS and Email Subscriptions by Jennifer Reese says that for those just using RSS, there isn’t an issue, but those using FeedBurner for email subscribers need an alternative. Her list includes IFTTT.
- Both RevResponse and Feedblitz have positioned themselves as viable FeedBurner alternatives and MailChimp is in on the action too. The links explain the differences from FeedBurner and the migration process.
- FeedBurner to Feedblitz – Why We Migrated Our RSS Feed on Convince and Convert outlines the benefits of using a paid service and an initial review of FeedBlitz in action.
The Big Question: Should You Move?
So, should you move your feeds?
Here’s my take…
I have used and recommended FeedBurner since I first discovered it about six years ago but my gut is telling me that it’s time to take control of my bigger feeds rather than waiting to find out what Google has in mind. That’s why I’ve changed source feeds for third party services to the default feed and I’m using that same feed with my email newsletter provider.
In the end, it comes down to this. If you have a small list, then one of the free alternatives is a viable option BUT could you find yourself in the same situation should that service be pulled.
A paid service is more likely to stick around, but can be pricey.
What will you do? Are there other alternatives to FeedBurner you would recommend?
