# HN Pro vs PacketMessage

The clearest difference is rating: PacketMessage at 5.0 against HN Pro's 3.5. PacketMessage also leads on device support (3 vs 1). HN Pro's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and ratings volume (8 vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PacketMessage sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. HN Pro asks for nothing beyond the download.

PacketMessage holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: HN Pro has 8 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

HN Pro ships an update every 2 weeks, PacketMessage weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | HN Pro | PacketMessage |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.5 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hn-pro/id1384303792/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/packetmessage/id6758742785/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **8** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 40.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 5 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | 17.6 |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Lionheart Software LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/548052593) | [Lukasz Skierkowski](https://appshunter.io/developer/1280847319) |

## What reviewers say

### HN Pro

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hn-pro/id1384303792)

This app provides a streamlined and efficient way to access Hacker News content. It allows users to browse stories, comment, upvote, and manage threads directly from their mobile device, mirroring the functionality of the web application.

**Highlights:** Browse Hacker News stories, Reply to comments, Upvote and hide stories, Collapse comment threads, Dark mode support, Access to all HN lists

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### PacketMessage

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/packetmessage/id6758742785)

This app enables licensed amateur radio operators to send reliable messages directly over RF using their radio and a compatible TNC interface. It leverages advanced error correction protocols for robust communication in a decentralized network.

**Highlights:** FX.25 forward error correction, AX.25 bit-flip error correction, Software TNC or KISS TNC interface support, Direct RF message transmission, Decentralized communication

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Small Tip | $1.99 | one-time |
| Medium Tip | $4.99 | one-time |
| Large Tip | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HN Pro free?

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

### Is PacketMessage free?

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

### Which has better reviews, HN Pro or PacketMessage?

PacketMessage is rated higher. HN Pro averages 3.5 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while PacketMessage averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do HN Pro or PacketMessage have ads?

Neither HN Pro nor PacketMessage shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, HN Pro or PacketMessage?

HN Pro ships an update every 2 weeks, and PacketMessage weekly. Most recently, HN Pro was updated on October 15, 2026 and PacketMessage on October 14, 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.*