# Hackery vs HackerPillar

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.

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.

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.

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

## The numbers

| Metric | Hackery | HackerPillar |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hackery/id1095090759/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hackerpillar-hn-reader/id6444180018/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **4** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Freemium** |
| Size | 4 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Tim Shim](https://appshunter.io/developer/322829589) | [Taha Broachwala](https://appshunter.io/developer/1634174506) |

## 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 |


### HackerPillar

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hackerpillar-hn-reader/id6444180018)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| HackerPillar Pro Monthly | $4.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked 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.

---

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