# Alerts for Reddit vs Hydra

The clearest difference is rating: Hydra at 4.8 against Alerts for Reddit's 4.2. Hydra also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (807 vs 182). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Alerts for Reddit sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per year and Hydra sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Hydra holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 182 and 807 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 68% of Alerts for Reddit's written reviews are positive against 75% of Hydra's.

Alerts for Reddit ships an update every 3 months, Hydra every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Alerts for Reddit | Hydra |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (182 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alerts-for-reddit/id1208773745/reviews) | **[4.8 (807 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hydra-read-upvote-comment/id6478089063/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 182 | **807** |
| Positive reviews | 67.9% of reviews | **74.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 41 MB | 75 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | +17 |
| Developer | [Amanda O'Neal](https://appshunter.io/developer/1208773744) | [Dimitrie Milinovich](https://appshunter.io/developer/1637204263) |

## What reviewers say

### Alerts for Reddit

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alerts-for-reddit/id1208773745)

Receive instant notifications for new Reddit posts and comments from specific subreddits or users. Customize alerts with keywords and notification frequencies to stay updated on the content you care about most. Easily manage your subscriptions and access notifications directly within your preferred Reddit app or browser.

**Highlights:** Custom subreddit and user notifications, Keyword filtering for alerts, Adjustable notification frequency, No Reddit account login required, Direct launch to Reddit app or browser, View recent notifications history

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Subscription | $3.99 | per year |
| Premium Speed: Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| Premium Speed: Yearly | $44.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Premium | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast real-time alerts for Reddit posts
- 👍 Simple and intuitive user interface
- 💰 Generous free tier with no ads
- 🎯 Highly customizable keyword and subreddit filtering
- 📱 Works with multiple Reddit client apps

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Notifications fail to send or arrive late
- 💾 Settings not saved to iCloud backup
- 🔄 App crashes and freezes on startup
- ⚠️ Inconsistent notification filtering behavior
- 🔌 Duplicate notifications for single posts

**Reported bugs**

- App won't open or stuck on loading screen
- Settings don't persist after closing app
- iCloud backup excludes app data
- Notifications not appearing in Notification Center
- Duplicate notifications for same post

**Requested features**

- iCloud sync for subscriptions and settings
- Comment notifications and threaded conversation alerts
- Advanced filtering with AND/OR/NOT operations
- Search within post content, not just titles
- Quiet hours or do-not-disturb scheduling


### Hydra

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hydra-read-upvote-comment/id6478089063)

Experience Reddit browsing with a fast, fluid, and native iOS client. Organize topics, enjoy an immersive media viewer, and utilize quick gestures for seamless interaction. Customize themes and modes for a personalized experience.

**Highlights:** Lightning-fast loading, Multireddit support, Favorite subreddits, Native iOS design, Image and video viewer, Multiple account support, Quick access gestures

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Hydra Pro | $2.99 | per month |
| Nice Tip | $1.99 | one-time |
| Generous Tip | $4.99 | one-time |
| Amazing Tip | $9.99 | one-time |
| Incredible Tip | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Massive potential
- 👍 Closest thing to Apollo
- 👍 Best option for 2025
- 👍 Better in almost every way
- 👍 Superior Reddit Client++

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Sketchy security

**Reported bugs**

- Expect some bumps

**Requested features**

- Customizing the gestures and hiding the username on the tab bar
- Content blocking, comment images, startup feed, and others


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Alerts for Reddit free?

Alerts for Reddit is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Hydra free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Alerts for Reddit or Hydra?

Hydra is rated higher. Alerts for Reddit averages 4.2 out of 5 from 182 ratings, while Hydra averages 4.8 from 807 ratings.

### Do Alerts for Reddit or Hydra have ads?

Neither Alerts for Reddit nor Hydra shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Alerts for Reddit or Hydra?

Alerts for Reddit ships an update every 3 months, and Hydra every 3 weeks. Most recently, Alerts for Reddit was updated on November 2, 2026 and Hydra on October 30, 2026.

---

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