Comparison

hn vs HackerPillar

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

Head to head
About

hn

Stay updated with tech news and articles through a clean, simple, and distraction-free reading experience. Focus on content without clutter, ads, or pop-ups.

Highlights
  • Clean and simple interface
  • Easy navigation
  • Distraction-free reader mode
  • Ad-free experience
  • Focus on content
Features
Read full description

The hn app is the perfect way to stay up-to-date with all your favorite tech news and articles on Hacker News. Our app features a clean and simple interface that's easy to navigate, so you can focus on the content that matters most to you. With our reader mode, you can enjoy a distraction-free reading experience that's easy on the eyes. No more cluttered pages, ads or annoying pop-ups. Just pure, unadulterated content that's a pleasure to read. Experience the ultimate in simplicity and functionality with the hn app.

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

hn3 screens
HackerPillar4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: hn at none against HackerPillar's 1. hn also leads on iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence 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. HackerPillar sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $4.99 per month. hn asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for hn against 5.0 for HackerPillar. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 1 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

hn ships an update weekly, HackerPillar fortnightly. Both last shipped on October 27, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 6 level
hn versus HackerPillar: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterhnHackerPillar
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings)
Number of ratings2 — better1
Update frequencyWeekly — betterFortnightly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size14 MB4 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperVictor AguilarTaha Broachwala

Customer experience

hn

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

HackerPillar

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

In-app purchases

None

hn

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

HackerPillar

Subscriptions1
  • HackerPillar Pro Monthly$4.991 Month

Questions

Is hn free?
hn is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is HackerPillar free?
HackerPillar is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, hn or HackerPillar?
hn and HackerPillar are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 2 and 1 ratings respectively.
Do hn or HackerPillar have ads?
Neither hn nor HackerPillar shows ads.
Which is updated more often, hn or HackerPillar?
hn ships an update weekly, and HackerPillar fortnightly. Most recently, hn was updated on October 27, 2026 and HackerPillar on October 27, 2026.

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