Google Reader Shut Down: What Happened to It and FeedBurner

It was a sad day in March 2013 when Google announced that Google Reader was shutting down, and I wondered whether FeedBurner would be next. This updated article explains what happened to Google Reader and FeedBurner, and which RSS readers and feed tools to use instead today.

Quick answer: Google Reader shut down on July 1, 2013, so you can no longer use it or recover old Reader data. FeedBurner did not close, but Google moved it to maintenance mode in 2021 and turned off its email subscriptions. To follow sites by RSS today, use a reader such as Feedly, Inoreader, NewsBlur or The Old Reader.

Why Google Reader shut down

Google Reader was my main RSS aggregator, the tool I used to track breaking news and read my favourite blogs. Google announced the closure in its second spring cleaning post and gave two reasons:

There are two simple reasons for this: usage of Google Reader has declined, and as a company we’re pouring all of our energy into fewer products.

It made sense for Google to focus on its core products. People were already reading headlines on Twitter, Facebook and smartphone apps. Still, I’m sure thousands of users like me would have paid for a premium account to keep it running.

It was also a lesson about relying on a single service. My first RSS reader, Bloglines, was hugely popular and then shut down. I later read feeds on iGoogle, which also went away, and then on Netvibes. Popular services like Digg, Delicious and Myspace had also changed or faded. Any free service can disappear, so keep your own export of anything important.

Did FeedBurner shut down too?

We wrote earlier that FeedBurner might shut down because Google had stopped developing it. It did not close completely. In 2021 Google announced that FeedBurner would move to a maintenance mode with only core feed features, and the FeedBurner email subscription service was turned off in July 2021. Existing feeds kept working.

For a blog, that means:

• Your FeedBurner feed can still deliver posts to RSS readers, but don’t expect new features.
• If you relied on FeedBurner email, export your subscriber list and move to an email tool. We describe how we moved FeedBurner subscribers to Amazon SES via Sendy.
• If your feed stops updating, see how to fix FeedBurner feeds not updating.
• Promote your site’s own feed (for WordPress, usually /feed/) as the main feed so you don’t depend on one provider.

Best Google Reader alternatives today

RSS is still a great way to follow sites without an algorithm deciding what you see. These readers are actively run today:

• Feedly: the reader I switched to in 2013. Web, iPhone and Android apps with a free plan. See how to switch from Google Reader to Feedly.
• Inoreader: a feature-rich reader with rules, search and a free plan.
• NewsBlur: an open-source reader that learns which stories you like.
• The Old Reader: a simple reader built to feel like the classic Google Reader.
• Reeder: a polished reader for iPhone, iPad and Mac.

How to move your feeds to a new reader

1. Export your subscriptions from your current reader as an OPML file (most readers offer this in settings).
2. Sign up for the new reader and look for an Import or OPML option.
3. Upload the OPML file. Your feeds and folders come across in one step.

FAQ

When did Google Reader shut down?

Google Reader closed on July 1, 2013, a few months after Google announced it in March 2013.

Can I still get my old Google Reader data?

No. Google offered an export through Google Takeout before the shutdown, but that option ended with the service.

Is FeedBurner still working?

Yes, for feeds. It runs in maintenance mode with core feed features, but its email subscription service was turned off in 2021.

What is the closest thing to Google Reader?

Feedly and The Old Reader are the closest in feel. Inoreader suits people who want more power features.