# Hackery vs HN Reader

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: HN Reader at none against Hackery's 1. HN Reader also leads on iOS requirement (11.0 vs 26.0). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Hackery sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. HN Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.

Hackery ships an update every 5 months, HN Reader every 8 months. The most recent releases landed on July 13, 2026 and September 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hackery | HN Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hackery/id1095090759/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **4** | — |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 months** | Every 8 months |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Size | 4 MB | 17 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Tim Shim](https://appshunter.io/developer/322829589) | [Truong Luu](https://appshunter.io/developer/992000179) |

## What reviewers say

### Hackery

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hackery/id1095090759)

This app offers a clean and distraction-free way to read Hacker News stories. It prioritizes content visibility with large headlines and integrates with Safari's Reader Mode for an optimal reading experience on iPhone and iPad.

**Highlights:** Distraction-free reading experience, Large, bold headlines, Safari Reader Mode integration, iPad and split-screen support, Clean and simple interface

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Buy me a coffee | $4.99 | one-time |


### HN Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hn-reader-yc-reader/id1519671235)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Hackery free?

Hackery is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is HN Reader free?

HN Reader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Hackery or HN Reader have ads?

Neither Hackery nor HN Reader shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Hackery or HN Reader?

Hackery ships an update every 5 months, and HN Reader every 8 months. Most recently, Hackery was updated on July 13, 2026 and HN Reader on September 18, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*