Comparison

Hacker News vs command_line

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

Head to head
About

Hacker News

Features
Read full description

The Ultimate Hacker News Experience Stay on top of the latest tech trends with HackerNews, your go-to app for all things Hacker News. Dive into the most engaging discussions, read breaking news, and explore a wealth of information from the Hacker News community. Key Features: - Top Stories: Get instant access to the most popular and trending stories on Hacker News. - Best Stories: Discover the best stories, handpicked by the community. - Jobs Board: Browse and apply for tech jobs from the Hacker News job listings. - Ask HN: Participate in or read through intriguing questions and answers from the Ask HN section. - Show HN: Explore creative projects and interesting submissions in the Show HN section. With its sleek design and intuitive interface, HackerNews is optimized for both iPhone and iPad, offering a seamless and enjoyable experience. Whether you’re a tech enthusiast, a programmer, or just curious about the latest in technology, HackerNews provides everything you need to stay informed and engaged. ABOUT HACKER NEWS: Hacker News is a social news website focusing on computer science and entrepreneurship. It is run by Paul Graham's investment fund and startup incubator, Y Combinator. In general, its content can be submitted is defined as "anything that gratifies one's intellectual curiosity". You can think of Hacker News as reddit for tech. It's the go-to news aggregator for tech. SUPPORT: Found a bug or have a feature request? Create an Issue on Github, or e-mail me: https://github.com/nik3212/HackerNews

About

command_line

A fast, terminal-style client for reading and participating in Hacker News discussions. Offers a focused interface with features like offline caching and story saving. Premium unlocks account actions and advanced tools for deeper engagement.

Highlights
  • Terminal-inspired interface
  • Browse all story types
  • Threaded comment discussions
  • Search Hacker News
  • Save stories with bookmarks
  • Offline caching
  • Account sign-in and participation
Features
Read full description

command_line is a fast, terminal-style Hacker News client built for readers who want speed, focus, and real participation. Browse top stories, new stories, best stories, Ask HN, Show HN, jobs, polls, profiles, and full discussion threads in a clean mobile experience designed to feel quick, dense, and intentional. Unlike many read-only Hacker News apps, command_line is built for both reading and doing. Free users can browse and read comfortably, while premium unlocks account-based actions and power-user tools. FREE FEATURES • Read Hacker News with a fast, terminal-inspired interface • Browse Top, New, Best, Ask HN, Show HN, Jobs, and Polls • Open full story discussions with threaded comments • Search Hacker News stories and discussions • Save stories with bookmarks for later • Use offline-friendly caching for faster repeat visits • View user profiles and activity • Enjoy a focused dark interface designed for mobile reading PREMIUM FEATURES • Sign in to your Hacker News account • Upvote stories and comments • Reply to discussions • Submit posts • Manage your account session from the app • Access RSS tools and advanced power-user features WHY command_line Most Hacker News clients feel outdated, slow, or limited. command_line was rebuilt to feel fast on every revisit, not just the first load. It combines quick browsing, cached reading, dense threaded discussions, and a terminal-style design that stands out from generic news apps. Whether you just want a better way to read Hacker News on mobile or a premium tool for participating in the community, command_line is built to help you move through the news quickly and stay close to the conversation. SUBSCRIPTION / PURCHASE INFO Premium is available as an optional monthly, yearly, or lifetime upgrade. Reading remains free. Premium unlocks account actions and advanced features such as sign-in, voting, replying, posting, and RSS tools. Subscriptions automatically renew unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage or cancel your subscription anytime in your App Store account settings.

Screenshots

Hacker News4 screens
command_line4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Hacker News at none against command_line's 3. command_line's advantage is iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price, update cadence, ads 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. command_line sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Hacker News asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Hacker News ships an update every 10 months, command_line every 15 months. The most recent releases landed on September 16, 2026 and July 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
Hacker News versus command_line: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHacker Newscommand_line
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Number of ratings1 — better
Update frequencyEvery 10 months — betterEvery 15 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS17.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size12 MB39 MB
Age rating17+9+
DeveloperNikita VasilyevDaniel Shaw

In-app purchases

None

Hacker News

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

command_line

Subscriptions2
  • Premium Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Premium Yearly$39.991 Year
One-time1
  • Premium Lifetime$99.99

Questions

Is Hacker News free?
Hacker News is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is command_line free?
command_line is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Hacker News or command_line have ads?
Neither Hacker News nor command_line shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Hacker News or command_line?
Hacker News ships an update every 10 months, and command_line every 15 months. Most recently, Hacker News was updated on September 16, 2026 and command_line on July 23, 2026.

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