# Hacker News Tech Reader vs NewsBudz

The clearest difference is ads: Hacker News Tech Reader at none against NewsBudz's shown. Hacker News Tech Reader also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs every 26 months) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). NewsBudz's advantage is iOS requirement (12.1 vs 15.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Hacker News Tech Reader sells 6 one-off in-app purchases and NewsBudz sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Hacker News Tech Reader against 4.7 for NewsBudz. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hacker News Tech Reader has 1.6K ratings behind it against 29, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 94% of Hacker News Tech Reader's written reviews are positive against 100% of NewsBudz's.

Hacker News Tech Reader ships an update every 3 days, NewsBudz every 26 months. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hacker News Tech Reader | NewsBudz |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (1.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hacker-news-tech-reader-hack/id1464477788/reviews)** | [4.7 (29 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/newsbudz/id1465984183/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.6K** | 29 |
| Positive reviews | 93.5% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 days** | Every 26 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 28 MB | 25 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **12.1** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Pranoy Chowdhury](https://appshunter.io/developer/952263202) | [GlassWave LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/391637976) |

## What reviewers say

### Hacker News Tech Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hacker-news-tech-reader-hack/id1464477788)

This app offers a beautiful and intuitive way to read the latest tech, startup, and STEM news from Hacker News. It features customizable reading options, push notifications, and advanced search capabilities, all without ads or subscriptions.

**Highlights:** Ad-free and subscription-free experience, Push notifications for replies, Nested comment threads, Advanced search with filters, Customizable fonts and themes, Article sharing and archiving, Support for multiple browsers

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Nice Tip | $3.99 | one-time |
| Kind Tip | $6.99 | one-time |
| Generous Tip | $9.99 | one-time |
| Hack Premium | $12.99 | one-time |
| Amazing Tip | $12.99 | one-time |
| Godzilla Tip | $19.99 | one-time |


### NewsBudz

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/newsbudz/id1465984183)

Stay informed with the latest cannabis and medical marijuana news. This app aggregates trending headlines and developments from over 35 sources, covering adult use, recreational, and medical applications.

**Highlights:** Aggregates news from 35+ sources, Covers adult use and recreational news, Features medical marijuana developments, Easy-to-read format, Trending headlines and developments

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Kind Tip | $4.99 | one-time |
| Generous Tip | $14.99 | one-time |
| Amazing Tip | $42.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Hacker News Tech Reader free?

Hacker News Tech Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is NewsBudz free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Hacker News Tech Reader or NewsBudz?

Hacker News Tech Reader is rated higher. Hacker News Tech Reader averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.6K ratings, while NewsBudz averages 4.7 from 29 ratings.

### Do Hacker News Tech Reader or NewsBudz have ads?

NewsBudz shows ads; Hacker News Tech Reader does not.

### Which is updated more often, Hacker News Tech Reader or NewsBudz?

Hacker News Tech Reader ships an update every 3 days, and NewsBudz every 26 months. Most recently, Hacker News Tech Reader was updated on November 3, 2026 and NewsBudz on November 3, 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.*