# HACK for Hacker News YC Reader vs NetNewsWire

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: NetNewsWire at none against HACK for Hacker News YC Reader's 6. NetNewsWire also leads on chart position (#134 vs unranked). HACK for Hacker News YC Reader's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs monthly) and review sentiment (93% vs 84%). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. HACK for Hacker News YC Reader sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. NetNewsWire asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for HACK for Hacker News YC Reader against 4.7 for NetNewsWire. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.6K and 882 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 93% of HACK for Hacker News YC Reader's written reviews are positive against 84% of NetNewsWire's.

HACK for Hacker News YC Reader ships an update every 3 days, NetNewsWire monthly. Both last shipped on October 15, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | HACK for Hacker News YC Reader | NetNewsWire |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (1.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hack-for-hacker-news-yc-reader/id1464477788/reviews) | [4.7 (882 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/netnewswire-rss-reader/id1480640210/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.6K** | 882 |
| Positive reviews | **93.4% of reviews** | 84.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 days** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | — | **#134** |
| Size | 28 MB | 27 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 9+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Pranoy Chowdhury](https://appshunter.io/developer/952263202) | [Brent Simmons](https://appshunter.io/developer/1480640209) |

## What reviewers say

### HACK for Hacker News YC Reader

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

This app offers a beautiful and intuitive way to read tech, startup, and STEM news from Hacker News. It provides advanced features like push notifications, threaded comments, and powerful search, with extensive customization options for a personalized reading experience.

**Highlights:** Ad-free and subscription-free reading, Push notifications for replies, Nested threaded comments with collapse, Swipe to upvote and favorite, Submit new posts and drafts, Powerful Algolia-powered search, Customizable themes, fonts, and layout

**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 |
| Amazing Tip | $12.99 | one-time |
| Hack Premium | $14.99 | one-time |
| Godzilla Tip | $19.99 | one-time |


### NetNewsWire

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/netnewswire-rss-reader/id1480640210)

**Currently charting:** #134 Top Free · News (US App Store)

This app aggregates articles from your favorite blogs and news sites, offering a faster and more organized way to consume content. It provides control over your news feed, eliminating the need to visit multiple websites or rely on social media algorithms. Enjoy a streamlined reading experience with customizable features and syncing capabilities.

**Highlights:** Direct feed downloading, iCloud and third-party syncing, Customizable article themes, Reader view, Starred articles, Smart feeds, Home screen widgets

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HACK for Hacker News YC Reader free?

HACK for Hacker News YC Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is NetNewsWire free?

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

### Which has better reviews, HACK for Hacker News YC Reader or NetNewsWire?

HACK for Hacker News YC Reader and NetNewsWire are both rated 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1.6K and 882 ratings respectively.

### Do HACK for Hacker News YC Reader or NetNewsWire have ads?

Neither HACK for Hacker News YC Reader nor NetNewsWire shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, HACK for Hacker News YC Reader or NetNewsWire?

HACK for Hacker News YC Reader ships an update every 3 days, and NetNewsWire monthly. Most recently, HACK for Hacker News YC Reader was updated on October 15, 2026 and NetNewsWire on October 15, 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.*