RSS Feed Reader That Saves the Feeds of the Last 3 Days in Google Sheets – n8n Workflow Automation

Tired of manually checking dozens of blogs, news sites, or competitor feeds every day? You're not alone. Freelancers, content marketers, and small business owners waste hours each week copying RSS feed entries into spreadsheets for tracking, curation, or analysis.

What if you could automate it all—filtering only the latest content from the past 3 days and saving it directly into Google Sheets? With this free n8n workflow, you can. No coding, no expensive tools, just pure automation magic.

What Problem Does This n8n Workflow Solve?

Manually monitoring RSS feeds is tedious, error-prone, and unsustainable at scale. Whether you're tracking industry news, curating content for clients, or spying on competitors, you need a system that:

• Captures only recent, relevant content (last 3 days)
• Eliminates duplicate entries and outdated posts
• Syncs seamlessly with Google Sheets for easy sharing and analysis
• Requires zero coding knowledge to set up and customize

Why Use n8n for RSS Automation?

While there are many automation tools out there, n8n stands out for its flexibility, open-source nature, and powerful node-based architecture. Unlike Zapier or Make, n8n gives you full control over logic, filtering, and data transformation—without locking you into premium plans for basic features.

For this workflow, we leverage several core n8n nodes:

• n8n-nodes-base.scheduleTrigger Runs the workflow on a schedule (e.g., daily)
• n8n-nodes-base.rssFeedRead Fetches raw RSS feed data
• n8n-nodes-base.code Filters items to only those published in the last 3 days
• n8n-nodes-base.googleSheets Appends filtered data to your spreadsheet

Step-by-Step: How to Set Up This n8n Workflow

Follow these steps to deploy your own RSS feed reader that saves the feeds of the last 3 days in Google Sheets. Even if you've never used n8n before, this guide will get you up and running fast.

1. Import the Template

Click the button below to install the pre-built workflow directly into your n8n instance. No copy-pasting JSON or manual node setup required.

2. Configure Your RSS Feed URL

In the RSS Read node, replace the default URL with your target feed (e.g., https://example.com/feed.xml). You can add multiple feeds by duplicating the workflow or using a loop.

3. Connect Google Sheets

Set up a Google Sheets credential in n8n (follow our step-by-step guide). Then, in the Google Sheets node, select your spreadsheet and worksheet. Map the fields: Title, Link, Publication Date, and Description.

4. Adjust the Schedule

The Schedule Trigger is set to run daily at 9 AM by default. Change it to hourly, weekly, or any interval that fits your needs. Just remember: more frequent runs increase API usage.

5. Activate and Test

Toggle the workflow to “Active,” then run it manually once to test. Check your Google Sheet—you should see only entries from the last 72 hours.

Real-World Use Cases for This Automation

This isn’t just a technical demo—it’s a productivity powerhouse. Here’s how real users apply it:

• Content Curators: Aggregate trending articles for newsletters or social media.
• Competitive Intelligence: Track competitor blog updates and product launches.
• Job Seekers: Monitor job board RSS feeds for new openings in your field.
• Researchers: Log academic paper releases or government updates automatically.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Even the best workflows hit snags. Here’s how to fix the most common problems:

Problem: No Data Appears in Google Sheets

• ✅ Verify your RSS feed URL is valid and publicly accessible
• ✅ Check that the feed includes <pubDate> tags
• ✅ Ensure Google Sheets permissions are correctly configured

Problem: Old Posts Are Still Included

• ✅ Confirm the Code node uses item.date > now - 3 days
• ✅ Timezone mismatches? Set your n8n instance timezone in settings

Final Thoughts: Automate Smarter, Not Harder

This n8n RSS to Google Sheets workflow turns a daily chore into a hands-off system. By focusing only on the last 3 days of content, you avoid clutter and stay relevant—without lifting a finger.

Whether you're a freelancer juggling client content, a developer building automation pipelines, or a business owner tracking market trends, this workflow saves time, reduces errors, and scales effortlessly.