We monitor 175 App Store storefronts to answer one question —
Is Simple RSS Reader censored by Apple?
Apple does not offer Simple RSS Reader in most of the App Stores it operates — 68 of 175, including India. 3.34B people cannot install it. It has been unavailable in India since Jan 5, 2026.
1,230 tests on record·last checked 25 days ago
Why it is unavailable
Five things can put an app out of one App Store. Each is weighed below against what can be seen from outside — open a card for the reasoning.
A government or a court demanded it
and Apple complied. Apple publishes a count of these per country each year and never says which apps they were. Apple's 2025 App Store Transparency Report
- Utilities apps in Hong Kong are unavailable at 10%, near the 13% for everything there, which cuts neither way.
- Apple reports 54 government-ordered removals in India for 2025, naming none of them.
Apple applied a rule, unasked
either its own review guidelines, or its own reading of a local law, with nobody having demanded anything. This is the largest category in Apple's own removal figures by a wide margin, and it covers distribution permits as well as content — Apple kept a free Bible app out of mainland China in 2021 for want of one. Apple's 2025 App Store Transparency Report
- Utilities apps in Hong Kong are unavailable at 10%, near the 13% for everything there, which cuts neither way.
The developer withheld it
freely, or under legal advice of their own, or because Apple's guidelines require that kind of app to be limited to certain countries. Switching a country off is easy for a developer to do in Apple's own tools: it needs no new version of the app, and it leaves no public trace other than the app being unavailable.
Something broke
a rejected update, a lapsed certificate, a payment or licensing problem, a mistake nobody has got round to noticing.
- Gone for 2 years.
A local rule about paying for it
gambling licences, financial rules, tax — the kind of law that governs a transaction. Apple can obey every one of them by refusing the payment, which is why this is the only restriction we would accept and the only one that cannot touch a free app.
- It is free, so Apple sells nothing here.
How this is weighed, and what it cannot tell you
Weighed from the evidence under each card, not from a model. There is no published figure for how Apple's removals divide up, so these are ordered words rather than percentages. For scale on the same-day counts: across the whole record an app leaves a storefront with fewer than two others, so a dozen at once is not a dozen coincidences.
None of this is certain, and a citation does not make it so: Apple naming a Chinese agency tells you what Apple said, not everything that happened. What can be said is that the readings alone cannot separate these five — a developer switching off a country and a government ordering it removed arrive at Apple's catalogue looking identical — and that nobody has ever measured how they divide across the App Store. The one careful study of the question was done on Google's store, using an error message Apple does not emit.
Apple publishes no record of which apps are unavailable in which of its App Stores. For the removals it makes on a government's demand it publishes the agency and the law behind every one — 2,045 of the 166,899 apps it removed during 2025 — and never which app. Where a reason reaches the public at all, it is usually because a developer chose to say so. Apple's App Store Transparency Report
Know of a statement, notice or order we have missed? Tell us →
Simple RSS Reader
Developer: Mario Alejandro Ramos Perez · Category: Utilities · Released: Apr 7, 2011 · Rating: 0.5★
Installing it anyway
Simple RSS Reader is unavailable in India, but it is still sold in the US App Store. A free second Apple ID installs it — about 10 minutes, no card, and your main account stays as it is.
Life of this app
- Apr 7, 2011Released on the App Store
- Oct 16, 2021First tested by AppleCensorship
- Nov 27, 2025Gone from 68 storefronts
- Sep 28, 2026Most recent test
Testing history
One column per month, every month from the first reading to the last. Height follows how many readings we took that month; red is the share of them that found the app unavailable. An empty month is one nobody tested.
Found availableFound unavailable
Availability by storefront
Every storefront we test, current status first. Data is a measurement, not a promise: each row carries its own date.
| Test now | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AfghanistanAF | Unavailable | Nov 27, 2025 | 11 months ago | ||
| AlbaniaAL | Unavailable | May 2, 2024 | 2 years ago | ||
| AlgeriaDZ | Unavailable | Nov 27, 2025 | 9 months ago | ||
| AngolaAO | Unavailable | Mar 4, 2026 | 8 months ago | ||
| AzerbaijanAZ | Unavailable | Nov 27, 2025 | 6 months ago | ||
| BahrainBH | Unavailable | Apr 17, 2026 | 6 months ago | ||
| BelizeBZ | Unavailable | Nov 27, 2025 | 7 months ago | ||
| BermudaBM | Unavailable | Nov 27, 2025 | 7 months ago | ||
| BhutanBT | Unavailable | Apr 13, 2026 | 6 months ago | ||
| BoliviaBO | Unavailable | Jun 5, 2024 | 2 years ago | ||
| Bosnia & HerzegovinaBA | Unavailable | Nov 27, 2025 | 6 months ago | ||
| BruneiBN | Unavailable | May 11, 2026 | 5 months ago | ||
| BulgariaBG | Unavailable | Mar 10, 2026 | 7 months ago | ||
| Cape VerdeCV | Unavailable | Nov 27, 2025 | 6 months ago | ||
| Cayman IslandsKY | Unavailable | Nov 27, 2025 | 6 months ago | ||
| ChadTD | Unavailable | Nov 27, 2025 | 6 months ago | ||
| Costa RicaCR | Unavailable | May 3, 2026 | 6 months ago | ||
| Côte d’IvoireCI | Unavailable | Nov 27, 2025 | 5 months ago | ||
| CyprusCY | Unavailable | Mar 10, 2026 | 7 months ago | ||
| DenmarkDK | Unavailable | Nov 27, 2025 | 5 months ago | ||
| EcuadorEC | Unavailable | Nov 27, 2025 | 11 months ago | ||
| EgyptEG | Unavailable | Jul 19, 2024 | 2 years ago | ||
| EswatiniSZ | Unavailable | Feb 25, 2026 | 8 months ago | ||
| FijiFJ | Unavailable | Mar 28, 2026 | 7 months ago | ||
| FinlandFI | Unavailable | Nov 27, 2025 | 11 months ago | ||
| FranceFR | Unavailable | Nov 27, 2025 | 5 months ago | ||
| GabonGA | Unavailable | Nov 27, 2025 | 8 months ago | ||
| GreeceGR | Unavailable | Nov 10, 2025 | 6 months ago | ||
| Guinea-BissauGW | Unavailable | Nov 10, 2025 | 11 months ago | ||
| GuyanaGY | Unavailable | Jul 15, 2024 | 2 years ago | ||
| Hong KongHK | Unavailable | Mar 22, 2024 | 11 months ago | ||
| IndiaIN | Unavailable | Jan 5, 2026 | 10 months ago | ||
| IndonesiaID | Unavailable | Aug 4, 2024 | 2 years ago | ||
| JamaicaJM | Unavailable | Nov 27, 2025 | 7 months ago | ||
| LatviaLV | Unavailable | Nov 27, 2025 | 11 months ago | ||
| LithuaniaLT | Unavailable | Jan 31, 2026 | 6 months ago | ||
| MacaoMO | Unavailable | Aug 15, 2024 | 7 months ago | ||
| MadagascarMG | Unavailable | Jan 4, 2026 | 10 months ago | ||
| MalawiMW | Unavailable | Nov 8, 2025 | 11 months ago | ||
| MalaysiaMY | Unavailable | Mar 12, 2026 | 7 months ago | ||
| MexicoMX | Unavailable | Nov 27, 2025 | 7 months ago | ||
| MicronesiaFM | Unavailable | Jun 13, 2024 | 6 months ago | ||
| MozambiqueMZ | Unavailable | Sep 25, 2024 | 6 months ago | ||
| NigerNE | Unavailable | Nov 27, 2025 | 5 months ago | ||
| NigeriaNG | Unavailable | Jan 2, 2026 | 10 months ago | ||
| PakistanPK | Unavailable | May 4, 2024 | 2 years ago | ||
| PalauPW | Unavailable | May 16, 2024 | 9 months ago | ||
| PhilippinesPH | Unavailable | Mar 22, 2024 | 3 years ago | ||
| PortugalPT | Unavailable | Nov 27, 2025 | 6 months ago | ||
| Republic of the CongoCG | Unavailable | Nov 27, 2025 | 5 months ago | ||
| RomaniaRO | Unavailable | Apr 23, 2026 | 6 months ago | ||
| São Tomé & PríncipeST | Unavailable | Jun 18, 2024 | 5 months ago | ||
| SlovakiaSK | Unavailable | Nov 27, 2025 | 5 months ago | ||
| SpainES | Unavailable | Nov 8, 2025 | 9 months ago | ||
| Sri LankaLK | Unavailable | Apr 29, 2026 | 6 months ago | ||
| St. Kitts & NevisKN | Unavailable | Mar 22, 2024 | 6 months ago | ||
| St. LuciaLC | Unavailable | Nov 27, 2025 | 9 months ago | ||
| St. Vincent & GrenadinesVC | Unavailable | Nov 27, 2025 | 7 months ago | ||
| SurinameSR | Unavailable | Jan 2, 2026 | 8 months ago | ||
| SwitzerlandCH | Unavailable | Mar 29, 2024 | 9 months ago | ||
| ThailandTH | Unavailable | Feb 9, 2026 | 8 months ago | ||
| TongaTO | Unavailable | May 17, 2026 | 5 months ago | ||
| TürkiyeTR | Unavailable | Jun 21, 2024 | 5 months ago | ||
| Turks & Caicos IslandsTC | Unavailable | Apr 17, 2024 | 3 years ago | ||
| UgandaUG | Unavailable | Apr 1, 2026 | 7 months ago | ||
| United KingdomGB | Unavailable | Apr 25, 2026 | 6 months ago | ||
| UzbekistanUZ | Unavailable | Aug 1, 2024 | 2 years ago | ||
| VenezuelaVE | Unavailable | Apr 23, 2024 | 3 years ago | ||
| ArgentinaAR | Available | — | 3 months ago | ||
| ArmeniaAM | Available | — | 4 months ago | ||
| AustraliaAU | Available | — | 2 months ago | ||
| BahamasBS | Available | — | 4 months ago | ||
| BelgiumBE | Available | — | 3 months ago | ||
| BeninBJ | Available | — | 4 months ago | ||
| BotswanaBW | Available | — | 2 months ago | ||
| British Virgin IslandsVG | Available | — | 26 days ago | ||
| Burkina FasoBF | Available | — | 3 months ago | ||
| CanadaCA | Available | — | 2 months ago | ||
| ChileCL | Available | — | 26 days ago | ||
| China (Mainland)CN | Available | — | 3 months ago | ||
| CroatiaHR | Available | — | 2 months ago | ||
| Dominican RepublicDO | Available | — | 34 days ago | ||
| DR CongoCD | Available | — | 3 months ago | ||
| EstoniaEE | Available | — | 3 months ago | ||
| GambiaGM | Available | — | 4 months ago | ||
| GeorgiaGE | Available | — | 26 days ago | ||
| GermanyDE | Available | — | 2 months ago | ||
| GuatemalaGT | Available | — | 32 days ago | ||
| IcelandIS | Available | — | 26 days ago | ||
| IraqIQ | Available | — | 4 months ago | ||
| IrelandIE | Available | — | 5 months ago | ||
| ItalyIT | Available | — | 25 days ago | ||
| JapanJP | Available | — | 2 months ago | ||
| KazakhstanKZ | Available | — | 4 months ago | ||
| KenyaKE | Available | — | 2 months ago | ||
| KosovoXK | Available | — | 25 days ago | ||
| KuwaitKW | Available | — | 45 days ago | ||
| LaosLA | Available | — | 3 months ago | ||
| LebanonLB | Available | — | 2 months ago | ||
| LibyaLY | Available | — | 26 days ago | ||
| LuxembourgLU | Available | — | 28 days ago | ||
| MauritaniaMR | Available | — | 26 days ago | ||
| MongoliaMN | Available | — | 25 days ago | ||
| MontenegroME | Available | — | 26 days ago | ||
| MontserratMS | Available | — | 3 months ago | ||
| NamibiaNA | Available | — | 26 days ago | ||
| NauruNR | Available | — | 34 days ago | ||
| NepalNP | Available | — | 40 days ago | ||
| North MacedoniaMK | Available | — | 40 days ago | ||
| PanamaPA | Available | — | 4 months ago | ||
| Papua New GuineaPG | Available | — | 32 days ago | ||
| ParaguayPY | Available | — | 3 months ago | ||
| PeruPE | Available | — | 5 months ago | ||
| QatarQA | Available | — | 2 months ago | ||
| RussiaRU | Available | — | 3 months ago | ||
| Saudi ArabiaSA | Available | — | 2 months ago | ||
| SenegalSN | Available | — | 5 months ago | ||
| South KoreaKR | Available | — | 43 days ago | ||
| SwedenSE | Available | — | 2 months ago | ||
| TanzaniaTZ | Available | — | 2 months ago | ||
| TurkmenistanTM | Available | — | 43 days ago | ||
| UkraineUA | Available | — | 4 months ago | ||
| United Arab EmiratesAE | Available | — | 34 days ago | ||
| United StatesUS | Available | — | 34 days ago | ||
| UruguayUY | Available | — | 45 days ago | ||
| VanuatuVU | Available | — | 25 days ago | ||
| YemenYE | Available | — | 2 months ago | ||
| ZambiaZM | Available | — | 26 days ago | ||
| AnguillaAI | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| Antigua & BarbudaAG | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| AustriaAT | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| BarbadosBB | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| BelarusBY | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| BrazilBR | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| CambodiaKH | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| CameroonCM | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| ColombiaCO | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| CzechiaCZ | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| DominicaDM | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| El SalvadorSV | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| GhanaGH | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| GrenadaGD | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| HondurasHN | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| HungaryHU | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| IsraelIL | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| JordanJO | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| KyrgyzstanKG | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| LiberiaLR | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| MaldivesMV | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| MaliML | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| MaltaMT | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| MauritiusMU | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| MoldovaMD | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| MoroccoMA | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| Myanmar (Burma)MM | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| NetherlandsNL | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| New ZealandNZ | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| NicaraguaNI | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| NorwayNO | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| OmanOM | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| PolandPL | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| RwandaRW | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| SerbiaRS | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| SeychellesSC | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| Sierra LeoneSL | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| SingaporeSG | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| SloveniaSI | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| Solomon IslandsSB | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| South AfricaZA | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| TaiwanTW | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| TajikistanTJ | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| Trinidad & TobagoTT | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| TunisiaTN | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| VietnamVN | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| ZimbabweZW | Not tested | — | — | 0 |
Testing asks Apple whether it will sell this app in that storefront, right now, by the same method the crawler has used since 2019. Your browser asks Apple directly, so the answer describes what Apple serves your connection — and if your browser cannot reach Apple at all, we ask on your behalf and say so. The result is a link: open it to see Apple's own answer and check ours. Readings are added to the record above; roughly a quarter of the readings taken each day come from people testing.
How we test
Availability is checked against Apple's own catalog servers for every storefront, the same way the App Store app asks. "Unavailable" means Apple's servers say the app cannot be offered in that country — it does not say who asked for the removal. Removals initiated by the developer and removals demanded by governments look the same from outside; the history and context on this page are how we tell them apart.