How to Read Reddit Without the App

Follow subreddits without the addiction machine.

The Reddit app is designed to keep you scrolling. Algorithmic feeds, autoplay videos, push notifications, and infinite scroll work together to consume your time. But there’s an escape route: RSS.

Every subreddit has a hidden RSS feed. You can subscribe to your favorite communities in an RSS reader and get the content without the manipulation.

Why Leave the Reddit App?

The Algorithmic Home Feed

Reddit’s home feed is algorithmically sorted to maximize engagement, not to show you what you actually want to see. Hot posts from default subreddits push out content from niche communities you actually care about.

Infinite Scroll

There’s no bottom to Reddit. You can scroll for hours without ever seeing an ending. This is intentional — the app is designed to keep you engaged as long as possible.

Notifications That Pull You Back

Push notifications are designed to re-engage you. “Trending on r/technology” isn’t information you need — it’s a hook.

Ads Everywhere

The native app is full of promoted posts that look like organic content. Your feed becomes a mix of content and advertising.

Video Autoplay

Videos start playing automatically, grabbing your attention and data. One video leads to another.

How Reddit RSS Feeds Work

Every public subreddit has an RSS feed. Just add .rss to the end of any subreddit URL:

Subreddit RSS Feed URL
r/technology https://www.reddit.com/r/technology.rss
r/books https://www.reddit.com/r/books.rss
r/minimalism https://www.reddit.com/r/minimalism.rss

You can also get feeds for:

  • Multireddits: reddit.com/user/USERNAME/m/MULTIREDDIT.rss
  • User posts: reddit.com/user/USERNAME/submitted.rss
  • Specific sort orders: reddit.com/r/SUBREDDIT/top.rss or /new.rss

Step-by-Step: Reddit in Electric Pants

Electric Pants has built-in Reddit support that makes following subreddits easy. Here’s how to set it up:

Step 1: Download Electric Pants

Get Electric Pants from the App Store. It’s free.

Step 2: Add a Subreddit

  1. Tap the + button
  2. Enter the subreddit URL (e.g., reddit.com/r/technology)
  3. Electric Pants automatically detects and subscribes to the feed

That’s it. Posts from that subreddit will now appear in your timeline.

Step 3: Organize with Folders

Create a “Reddit” folder to keep your subreddits organized:

  1. Go to Settings → Folders
  2. Create a new folder named “Reddit”
  3. Choose a color and icon
  4. Move your Reddit feeds into the folder

Now you can browse all your subreddits in one place, separate from your other feeds.

Step 4: Enjoy the Finite Experience

When you’ve seen the new posts, you’ll hit Electric Pants’ “All Caught Up” screen. Unlike the Reddit app, there’s an ending. You’re done.

What You Gain

No Algorithm

Posts appear in chronological order. You see everything, in the order it was posted.

No Infinite Scroll

RSS feeds are finite. When you’ve caught up, you’re done. No endless scrolling.

No Ads

RSS feeds don’t include promoted posts. Just the content.

No Account Needed

You don’t need to log in to Reddit. No account, no tracking.

Beautiful Display

Electric Pants renders Reddit content beautifully — images, galleries, videos, and text posts all display natively in card layouts.

Privacy

Reddit isn’t tracking what you read, when you read it, or how long you spend reading.

What You Lose

Comments

RSS feeds show posts, not comments. If you want to read discussion, you’ll need to tap through to Reddit.

Voting and Participation

You can’t upvote, downvote, or comment from an RSS reader. This is read-only access.

Private Subreddits

RSS only works for public subreddits. Private communities aren’t accessible.

Real-Time Updates

RSS readers check feeds periodically (usually every 15-60 minutes), so you won’t see posts the instant they’re posted.

Great Subreddits to Follow via RSS

Here are some subreddits that work particularly well in RSS format:

Tech & Programming

  • r/programming
  • r/apple
  • r/technology
  • r/selfhosted
  • r/privacy

Learning & Productivity

  • r/getdisciplined
  • r/productivity
  • r/learnprogramming
  • r/explainlikeimfive

Hobbies & Interests

  • r/books
  • r/photography
  • r/cooking
  • r/fitness
  • r/travel

Mindfulness & Minimalism

  • r/minimalism
  • r/simpleliving
  • r/digitalminimalism
  • r/nosurf

Tips for a Better Reddit RSS Experience

Follow Fewer, Better Subreddits

Without the algorithm pushing content at you, you can be more intentional. Follow only subreddits that genuinely add value.

Use the “Top” or “Hot” Feed

If a subreddit is too active, use the top feed instead:

  • reddit.com/r/SUBREDDIT/top.rss?t=day (top posts from today)

Create a Browsing Schedule

Check your Reddit RSS feeds once or twice a day at set times. This prevents Reddit from bleeding into your whole day.

Combine with Other Sources

Mix Reddit feeds with blogs, news sites, and other sources. Get a balanced information diet, not just Reddit.

Start Reading Reddit Mindfully

You can keep up with your favorite communities without falling into the Reddit vortex. RSS gives you the content without the manipulation.

Ready to escape the Reddit app?

Download Electric Pants — Built-in Reddit support, free, and finite by design.