GuideRSS Feed Guide

How to find an RSS feed URL for almost any site

This guide shows the fast ways to detect RSS feeds, what URL patterns to try first, and how to validate that you found a real feed before adding it to your workflow.

Use a repeatable process instead of guessing

Check the common feed patterns first

Validate the feed before adding it to your newsletter stack

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The fast path: try the common patterns first

Many sites still expose feeds using familiar paths. Start with the patterns that work most often before you open page source.

Try the root-level feed path

Many CMS setups expose a feed at a predictable path such as `/feed`, `/rss`, `/rss.xml`, or `/feed.xml`.

Check page source for alternate feed links

Search the HTML for `application/rss+xml` or `application/atom+xml`. Sites often declare their feeds in a `<link rel="alternate">` tag.

Confirm the feed is real before saving it

A valid feed should return XML and include recognizable feed elements such as channel, item, feed, or entry.

Common platform patterns to try

These patterns are worth testing first because they cover a large share of blogs and newsletters.

WordPress

The most common default is `/feed/`. Category, tag, and author archives often expose their own feed variants too.

Try `example.com/feed/`
Also check category or tag archive feeds
Useful for many publisher and company blogs

Ghost

Ghost sites commonly expose an RSS feed at `/rss/`, which makes them easy to test quickly.

Try `example.com/rss/`
Often works on publication homepages
Common among newsletter-first sites

Substack

Substack publications usually expose an RSS feed at `/feed`. This is one of the easiest newsletter platforms to detect.

Try `publication.substack.com/feed`
Check the publication homepage first
Useful for newsletter discovery and source collection

Medium

Medium uses feed endpoints tied to publications, usernames, or tags. The exact path varies, so checking the page source is often fastest.

Use the platform pattern for publications or users
If in doubt, inspect page source
Validate carefully because multiple feed types can exist

How to find the feed from page source

Open the page, view source, and search for `rss`, `atom`, or `alternate`. On many sites you will find a line similar to a `link rel="alternate"` tag that points to the feed URL.

This method is more reliable than guessing when the site uses a custom publishing stack or hides the feed behind a non-obvious path.

How to validate the feed before using it

Check that the response is XML

A real feed should return an XML document, not a normal HTML page or a redirect loop.

Look for recent items

If the feed is stale or empty, it may not be useful for an active newsletter workflow.

Confirm the scope

Make sure you found the feed you actually need, whether that is the whole site, a publication, a tag, or a category archive.

Common mistakes when searching for RSS feeds

Assuming every site uses the same path

Patterns help, but not every site exposes the feed in the same place. That is why source inspection is still important.

Saving the homepage instead of the feed

Some pages mention RSS without linking directly to the XML endpoint. Validate the actual response before adding it.

Ignoring category or tag feeds

A niche newsletter often performs better when you subscribe to a focused feed instead of the entire site output.

What to do after you find the feed

Once you know the feed URL, the next step is deciding whether it belongs in your source stack. The best feeds are consistent, timely, and closely aligned with your newsletter angle.

If you need ideas for what to subscribe to, the best RSS feeds guide is a good next step. If you are ready to turn those feeds into a sendable issue, start with the RSS to newsletter workflow.

FAQ

Common questions

What is the quickest way to find a feed?

Start by trying the common paths such as `/feed`, `/rss`, `/rss.xml`, or `/feed.xml`, then confirm the result is a real XML feed.

Can a site have more than one RSS feed?

Yes. Many sites expose separate feeds for the full publication, categories, tags, authors, or specific content types.

Why do I need to validate the feed?

Because a guessed URL might return HTML, a redirect, or an empty source. Validating avoids broken inputs in your workflow.

More to explore

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