Comparison

Hackery vs HackerPillar

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Hackery

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
Read full description

A clean, fast Hacker News client for iPhone, iPad, and Apple Vision Pro. Stay in the Loop Browse the latest Hacker News stories in a clean, card-based layout. See scores, comment counts, and authors instantly. Tap any story to read in Safari's reader mode. Never Lose a Story Swipe to save stories for later. Your bookmarks sync across all your devices via iCloud, so you never lose track of what you want to read. Follow the Conversation Follow conversations with nested, threaded comments. Links are tappable and underlined. Discussions load in pages so the app stays fast, even on long threads. Keep It Civil On-device comment moderation powered by Apple Intelligence lets you filter out noise and focus on quality discussions. Adjust the sensitivity to your comfort level. Easy on the Eyes Easy on the eyes, day or night. Hackery follows your system appearance with a carefully crafted dark theme. https://hackery.timshim.com

About

HackerPillar

This app offers a streamlined and focused reading experience for Hacker News. It features a clean feed, readable comment threads, and a reader mode for articles. Users can save stories, read offline, and track discussions.

Highlights
  • Fast Hacker News feed
  • Readable comment threads
  • Focused Reader Mode
  • Saved stories and offline library
  • Thread tracking
  • Advanced search (Pro)
  • Home screen widget
Features
Read full description

HackerPillar helps you read Hacker News with less friction and more focus. Browse top stories in a clean, high-performance feed, open deep discussions with readable comment threads, and switch to Reader Mode for long-form articles. Save stories, read offline, and track threads you care about. Key features: - Fast, modern Hacker News feed - Readable comments with thread controls - Focused Reader Mode - Saved Stories + Offline Library - Thread tracking and activity checks - Advanced search and custom feeds (Pro) - Home screen widget support - Share extension for quick imports HackerPillar Pro unlocks: - HN account actions (login, vote, reply) - Advanced search and custom feeds - Extended reader and tracking features - Additional power-user tools across the app Subscription details: - Title: HackerPillar Pro - Length: Monthly and Yearly - Price: Pricing varies by region and is shown in-app before purchase - Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase - Subscription renews automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period - Manage or cancel in Settings > Apple ID > Subscriptions Privacy Policy: http://smartcodeapps.tech/hackerpillar-privacy-policy/ Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Built for people who read Hacker News every day.

Screenshots

Hackery1 screens
HackerPillar4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: HackerPillar at 5.0 against Hackery's 3.0. HackerPillar also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 5 months) and monetization model (freemium vs paid). Hackery's advantage is ratings volume (4 vs 1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Hackery sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and HackerPillar sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

HackerPillar holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 1 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Hackery ships an update every 5 months, HackerPillar fortnightly. Both last shipped on October 3, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Hackery versus HackerPillar: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHackeryHackerPillar
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.0 (4 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings4 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationPaidFreemium — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS26.026.0
Further details — not scored
Size4 MB4 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperTim ShimTaha Broachwala

Customer experience

Hackery

All ratings4 ratings
Positive25.0%
Neutral50.0%
Negative25.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral66.7%
Negative33.3%

HackerPillar

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Hackery

One-time1
  • Buy me a coffee$4.99
1 purchases

HackerPillar

Subscriptions1
  • HackerPillar Pro Monthly$4.991 Month

Questions

Is Hackery free?
Hackery is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is HackerPillar free?
HackerPillar is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Hackery or HackerPillar?
HackerPillar is rated higher. Hackery averages 3.0 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while HackerPillar averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Hackery or HackerPillar have ads?
Neither Hackery nor HackerPillar shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Hackery or HackerPillar?
Hackery ships an update every 5 months, and HackerPillar fortnightly. Most recently, Hackery was updated on October 3, 2026 and HackerPillar on October 3, 2026.

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