# Hacker News HN Reader - HACK — Best Hacker News Tech Digest > Beautiful and efficient Hacker News reader with advanced features and no ads. (iPhone/iPad app by Pranoy Chowdhury.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hacker-news-hn-reader-hack/id1464477788 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Pranoy Chowdhury](https://appshunter.io/developer/952263202) - Category: News, Developer Tools - Price: Free with in-app purchases - Rating: 4.66/5 from 1,601 App Store ratings · 210 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 9+ - Requires: iOS 15.0 · 28 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2019-05-26 - Data updated: 2026-11-13 - Monetization: free with in-app purchases - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hacker-news-hn-reader-hack/id1464477788/reviews.md ## What is Hacker News HN Reader? HACK for YC's Hacker News (HN) is the most beautiful & easy way to read about the latest tech, startup, coding, developer, & STEM news. - No Ads. No subscriptions. - Login or Register your Hacker News account - PUSH NOTIFICATIONS for HN replies to comment or post - Supported on iPhone, iPad, and Mac - Setting to block AI posts on HN. - Comments are presented in nested threads - Tap a comment to collapse that thread - Swipe left or right on stories and comments to upvote and favorite - Ability to submit new posts including drafts - Long press a story, link or comment to share - iPad supports split view - On iPads, you can drag a story / comment / story's image (link) to open it in safari in split view. This is useful for when you are viewing the app in split view / multitasking and like opening the link / story / comment in a browser side by side. - Landscape and Portrait support - 3D touch for peek, pop support - Home screen 3D touch shortcuts - Hide posts from the feed - Tap the bottom button to scroll to the next root comment in the thread. Long press it to go to the previous one - All known hacker news endpoints - News, front page, Ask HN, Show HN, Show HN Newest, classic, active, best stories, best comments, new stories, new comments, noob stories, noob comments, jobs, over 100-500 points - Submit posts, reply, comment using your HN account - Browse top 100 leader accounts - Browse stories from a specific site, user or date - Search in comments and usernames! Search is case and diacritic insensitive and ignores punctuations. Search uses an CONTAINS, OR operation if multiple words are typed. - Can select / highlight the comment/post title text for lookup/copy/translate etc iOS native operations. - Powerful search (powered by Algolia API) - use @date to sort by date, #story to filter for stories, #comments to filter for comments, #author_username to filter by user etc. These tags can be separated by commas. Refer to https://hn.algolia.com/api for more tags. - Dark mode - both pure black and gray mode - Low contrast text mode to make the text not be pure white - Many color choices & color picker for customization - App icons in variety of colours for light and dark mode - Font choices - Ability to change font sizes, padding etc to make the layout as compact as you like! - Threaded comments with color bar to maintain visual orientation - Articles open in Safari view with setting to automatically open in "readability" mode - Tap the domain in a story to see all stories from that site - Tap the username in a story or comment to go to the user profile - Browse your submitted stories and comments, favorited stories and comments, upvoted stories and comments - Archive: View an archive of the post website. archive.is, archive.org & google cache. - Share comment as image - Articles can be opened in built in safari or 3rd party browsers. Supports Brave, Firefox, Firefox Focus, Orion, Opera Touch, Dolphin, DuckDuckGo, iCab Mobile, Microsoft Edge and Chrome. Go to settings > Disable the "Use in-app Safari" setting > tap that row to change the default browser. All stories and comments are via Algolia API and Hacker News API: https://news.ycombinator.com/ https://hn.algolia.com/api https://github.com/HackerNews/API Profile picture robots lovingly delivered by Robohash.org There are ongoing costs of developing and maintaining HACK. I am a small indie developer and need your help keep the lights on. I offer a beautiful app for the absolute best user-experience. I don't use intrusive ads, trackers, third-party analytics, subscriptions, or other nonsense. I need to run my own server for caching high quality favicons shown in the app plus for push notifications for replies to hacker news posts. If you can afford it, please support me by purchasing the one-time-only in-app-purchase or giving me a tip. No subscriptions. It's a small and fair amount which helps cover development costs of future updates. Contact me at: pran@pranapps.com ## Key features - Ad-free and subscription-free reading - Push notifications for replies - Nested threaded comments - Powerful search with Algolia API - Customizable appearance (dark mode, fonts) - Submit posts and comments - Article archiving options ## Pricing and in-app purchases Base price: Free. **One-time purchases** | Purchase | Price | Type | | --- | --- | --- | | Hack Premium | $17.99 | one-time | | Nice Tip | $3.99 | one-time | | Kind Tip | $6.99 | one-time | | Amazing Tip | $12.99 | one-time | | Generous Tip | $9.99 | one-time | | Godzilla Tip | $19.99 | one-time | ## Is Hacker News HN Reader safe? Hacker News HN Reader - HACK appears safe based on user ratings. The AppsHunter Safety Score for Hacker News HN Reader is 93 out of 100. This assessment is based on 1,601 user ratings, with an App Store average of 4.7 out of 5. Of 1,600 App Store ratings, 91.4% point to a safe experience, 2.6% suggest some concerns, and 6.0% point to a risky experience. ## Is Hacker News HN Reader legit? Hacker News HN Reader - HACK appears to be a legitimate app. The AppsHunter Legitimacy Score for Hacker News HN Reader is 100 out of 100 points across 7 verification signals from App Store and developer data. ## Recent user reviews (10 of 210) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hacker-news-hn-reader-hack/id1464477788/reviews.md ### 5/5 — A great app and great support! *2026-11-11* I’ve been using HACK for years, never had to look elsewhere after finding this one. Lots of settings so you can customize the UI too! Recently, there was an unintentional bug that popped up due to something that changed on HN’s side. Pram, the developer was quick to respond and got the patch out quickly. Loved his dedication and effort to keep this app top notch. ### 5/5 — Best way to read HN *2026-11-10* Dev, quick note, everything is showing as [deleted] in mine and also only the Chronological view shows the comment/likes for each article and allows you to read the comments where every otherview (Trending, Home, etc) has suddenly caused clicking them to open in Browser with no way to just go to the thread and comments I believe this is a bug **Developer response:** This was a bug few days ago due to changes in the HN website. Please update to the latest app version 188 which fixes it. If your issue is resolved, please update your review. If you still have issue, email me at: pran@pranapps.com ### 5/5 — Dev is S Tier *2026-11-09* Plain and simple, this guys is insane. Insanely good, answers to all feature requests, etc. App itself is solid, just like hn crowd ***** November 2026 update, app forgot how to show comments lol ***** Nov 9, 2026 All good now ***** **Developer response:** Nov 10 edit: glad the update fixed the bug! Nov 8: Comments not showing was due to a change to the hacker news website. I released a fix late last night. Please update to version 187 for the fix. If it helps, hope you update your review. Feel free to email me if you have any problems: pran@pranapps.com ### 5/5 — Practically perfect *2026-11-08* It has the best UX of any socal media app on my phone. A great way to keep up to date with tech. ### 5/5 — Best HN reader! *2026-11-08* I’ve been a happy user of this app for years, it’s easily the best, fully featured, most native, and most customizable HN client. Also the creator is SUPER responsive to feedback and bugs and gets things fixed very quickly. Highly recommend! ### 5/5 — Better than the actual website *2026-11-08* I usually just default to using the mobile website for most places - but for hacker news, Hack is actually just better across the board. It’s fast, it’s organized, it’s convenient. You can tell there’s been a lot of love put into it. ### 1/5 — Can’t open comments section *2026-11-08* Up until the latest version, when I opened an article from Home, it would take me to the comments section. Now it opens the linked article, with no way to read the comments. ### 5/5 — Great app, but please stop the begging! *2026-11-08* The app is great, but why are you still nagging me to buy you a tip when I already purchased the life-time version for 15,00 EUR? Please stop the begging! **Developer response:** Hi, the tips option was originally added per user request. The reason was that the one-time purchase gives the features for life. However, many users also believe in supporting regular updates via small tips. Many times, I receive emails from users requesting certain features and I try to add them quickly. Users appreciate my personalized email replies, my responsiveness to adding and discussing features, and support me via tips. The app also has a monthly server cost for delivering push notifications and favicon images and annual developer membership fees. Most apps would use subscriptions or ads to pay for these monthly costs. I understand most users don't like subscriptions or ads, so I don't use those. Instead, I have the tips option hoping some users would throw in a few extra dollars to help me pay for that. The prompt asking for tips only shows when the app has a significant update. You can use the "Don't show what's new" button to disable that popup which prompts for tips. Hope this answers your query. Feel free to email me if you have any other questions: pran@pranapps.com ### 5/5 — Excellent HN experience *2026-11-08* Honestly my preferred way to browse the site. Well worth the price to upgrade too. Super usable, very feature rich, and very responsive developer. **Developer response:** Thank you! ### 5/5 — Best way to read HN *2026-11-08* I've used Hack for years and it's still my favorite way to read Hacker News. Everything is customizable, so it fits how I read. I recently requested a feature and the developer replied, built it, and followed up to tell me when it shipped. That kind of responsiveness is rare. Highly recommend. **Developer response:** Thank you for the kind words and supporting me! ## Frequently asked questions about Hacker News HN Reader ### Does Hacker News HN Reader have ads? No, Hacker News HN Reader is ad-free. The app explicitly states 'No Ads. No subscriptions.' in its description, ensuring an uninterrupted reading experience. ### What devices does Hacker News HN Reader support? Hacker News HN Reader is supported on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. It also offers specific features for iPad like split view support. ### How does Hacker News HN Reader handle comments? Comments are presented in nested threads, making them easy to follow. You can tap a comment to collapse its thread and swipe on comments to upvote them. ### Can I customize the appearance of Hacker News HN Reader? Yes, the app offers extensive customization options. You can choose from dark modes, various color schemes, font types, and adjust font sizes and padding. ### What are the in-app purchase options for Hacker News HN Reader? Hacker News HN Reader offers several one-time purchase options for tips, ranging from $3.99 to $19.99, and a 'Hack Premium' option for $17.99. These are presented as optional tips. ### How often is Hacker News HN Reader updated? The app was last updated on November 12, 2026, with version 189. This indicates a recent update, suggesting ongoing development and support. ### What is the age rating for Hacker News HN Reader? Hacker News HN Reader has an age rating of 9+. This is suitable for a wide range of users interested in its content. ### How does the search functionality in Hacker News HN Reader work? The app features powerful search powered by the Algolia API, allowing you to search comments and usernames. You can use tags like @date, #story, #comments, and #author_username for refined searches. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 189 — 2026-11-12 - Fixed a bug where tapping to open an article would sometimes have a 1-2 seconds delay. Now it should be instant. - HACK is supported on Mac, iPhone, iPad. Please write me a review on the App Store as that really helps me get the word out. There are ongoing costs of developing and maintaining HACK. I am a small indie developer and need your help keep the lights on. I offer a beautiful app for the absolute best user-experience. I don't use intrusive ads, trackers, third-party analytics, subscriptions, or other nonsense. I need to run my own server for caching high quality favicons shown in the app plus for push notifications for replies to hacker news posts. If you can afford it, please support me by purchasing the one-time-only in-app-purchase or giving me a tip. No subscriptions. It's a small and fair amount which helps cover development costs of future updates. Thank you for choosing HACK. If you have a programming job or have feedback, contact me at: pran@pranapps.com ### 188 — 2026-11-10 - Crucial fix for a bug where comments page wasn't loading due to changes in the Hacker News website HTML. - The time field for posts and comments now shows number of days instead of month if it's less than 90 days. This aligns with how HN website shows time. - As requested, added a new endpoint "Best Stories by Hours" to the home page list. - Previous update included a crucial fix for a bug where scrolling up comments would sometimes flicker and get janky when many comments are collapsed. Due to the infrequent nature of this bug, I am hoping the changes I made in this update fixes it. If it persists, please email me. - HACK is supported on Mac, iPhone, iPad. Please write me a review on the App Store as that really helps me get the word out. There are ongoing costs of developing and maintaining HACK. I am a small indie developer and need your help keep the lights on. I offer a beautiful app for the absolute best user-experience. I don't use intrusive ads, trackers, third-party analytics, subscriptions, or other nonsense. I need to run my own server for caching high quality favicons shown in the app plus for push notifications for replies to hacker news posts. If you can afford it, please support me by purchasing the one-time-only in-app-purchase or giving me a tip. No subscriptions. It's a small and fair amount which helps cover development costs of future updates. Thank you for choosing HACK. If you have a programming job or have feedback, contact me at: pran@pranapps.com ### 187 — 2026-11-08 - Crucial fix for a bug where comments page wasn't loading due to changes in the Hacker News website HTML. - As requested, added a new endpoint "Best Stories by Hours" to the home page list. - Previous update included a crucial fix for a bug where scrolling up comments would sometimes flicker and get janky when many comments are collapsed. Due to the infrequent nature of this bug, I am hoping the changes I made in this update fixes it. If it persists, please email me. - HACK is supported on Mac, iPhone, iPad. Please write me a review on the App Store as that really helps me get the word out. There are ongoing costs of developing and maintaining HACK. I am a small indie developer and need your help keep the lights on. I offer a beautiful app for the absolute best user-experience. I don't use intrusive ads, trackers, third-party analytics, subscriptions, or other nonsense. I need to run my own server for caching high quality favicons shown in the app plus for push notifications for replies to hacker news posts. If you can afford it, please support me by purchasing the one-time-only in-app-purchase or giving me a tip. No subscriptions. It's a small and fair amount which helps cover development costs of future updates. Thank you for choosing HACK. If you have a programming job or have feedback, contact me at: pran@pranapps.com ### 185 — 2026-10-31 - Crucial fix for a bug where scrolling up comments would sometimes flicker and get janky when many comments are collapsed. Due to the infrequent nature of this bug, I am hoping the changes I made in this update fixes it. If it persists, please email me. - Fixed a bug where replying to a comment would mess up the comment tree with random comment appearing below your reply. - HACK is supported on Mac, iPhone, iPad. There are ongoing costs of developing and maintaining HACK. I am a small indie developer and need your help keep the lights on. I offer a beautiful app for the absolute best user-experience. I don't use intrusive ads, trackers, third-party analytics, subscriptions, or other nonsense. I need to run my own server for caching high quality favicons shown in the app plus for push notifications for replies to hacker news posts. If you can afford it, please support me by purchasing the one-time-only in-app-purchase or giving me a tip. No subscriptions. It's a small and fair amount which helps cover development costs of future updates. You can also write a review on the App Store as that really helps me get the word out. Thank you for choosing HACK. If you have a programming job or have feedback, contact me at: pran@pranapps.com ### 184 — 2026-10-18 - Updated to latest iOS 27 SDK. - Fixed a bug where replying to a comment would mess up the comment tree with random comment appearing below your reply. - Fixed bugs where the "Open in HACK" safari extension, URL scheme, and app icon shortcut weren't working. - HACK is supported on Mac, iPhone, iPad. I am a small indie developer and need your help keep the lights on. I offer an ad and analytics free and beautiful app for the absolute best experience for my users. I need to run my own server for caching high quality favicons shown in the app plus for push notifications for replies to hacker news posts. If you can afford it, please support me by purchasing the one-time-only in-app-purchase or giving me a tip. No subscriptions. You can also leave a review on the App Store as that really helps me get the word out. Thank you for choosing HACK and supporting me. If you have a programming job or have feedback, contact me at: pran@pranapps.com ## Apps similar to Hacker News HN Reader | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Octal for Hacker News](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/octal-for-hacker-news/id1308885491) | 4.8 (2,852) | Free | News | | [Hacker News - Latest in Tech](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hacker-news-latest-in-tech/id1573004386) | 4.7 (34) | Free | News | | [Hacki for Hacker News](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hacki-for-hacker-news/id1602043763) | 4.7 (43) | Free | News | | [Cyber Security News & Reports](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cyber-security-news-and-reports/id792406035) | 4.5 (398) | Free | News | | [Tech News Tube](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tech-news-tube/id422953518) | 4.6 (948) | Free | News | | [9to5Mac — Breaking Tech News](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/9to5mac-breaking-tech-news/id955138289) | 4.7 (4,841) | Free | News | ## More apps by Pranoy Chowdhury - [Fititude - Cardio, Workout, Exercise tracker and full log with music player for fitness and training](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fititude-cardio-workout-exercise-tracker-and-full-log-with-music-player-for-fitness-and-training/id952263203) - [Color Circle - Tap to Switch](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/color-circle-tap-to-switch/id1084246048) - [Note Flash Music Sight Reading](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/note-flash-music-sight-reading/id1285315687) - [OLEDify Pure Black Wallpapers](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/oledify-pure-black-wallpapers/id1416984528) - [Keyboard Warrior Speed Typing](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/keyboard-warrior-speed-typing/id1435547020) - [MoodWell: moody tracker diary](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/moodwell-moody-tracker-diary/id1443436795) All apps by Pranoy Chowdhury: https://appshunter.io/developer/952263202 ## Related topics [hacker news](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/hacker-news) · [hacer](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/hacer) · [insidetechie](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/insidetechie) · [cydia hack](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/cydia-hack) · [react native hacker news](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/react-native-hacker-news) · [tldr tech](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/tldr-tech) · [cyberspace hacker](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/cyberspace-hacker) · [cybersecurity news](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/cybersecurity-news) · [hacker news app](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/hacker-news-app) · [paywall bypass](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/paywall-bypass) · [tech news](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/tech-news) · [hacker code](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/hacker-code) · [redbean tech](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/redbean-tech) · [why boy! running wild](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/why-boy-running-wild) · [hack phone](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/hack-phone) · [tech news pro](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/tech-news-pro) · [y combinator](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/y-combinator) --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-11-13.*