# Hacker News HN Reader vs NetNewsWire

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: NetNewsWire at none against Hacker News HN Reader's 6. NetNewsWire also leads on chart position (#96 vs unranked). Hacker News HN 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. Hacker News HN 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 Hacker News HN Reader against 4.7 for NetNewsWire. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.6K and 891 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 93% of Hacker News HN Reader's written reviews are positive against 84% of NetNewsWire's.

Hacker News HN Reader ships an update every 3 days, NetNewsWire monthly. Both last shipped on November 13, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hacker News HN Reader | NetNewsWire |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (1.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hacker-news-hn-reader-hack/id1464477788/reviews) | **[4.7 (891 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/netnewswire-rss-reader/id1480640210/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.6K** | 891 |
| Positive reviews | **93.3% of reviews** | 83.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 days** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | — | **#96** |
| 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

### Hacker News HN Reader

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

This app provides a beautiful and efficient way to read tech, startup, and STEM news from Hacker News. It offers features like push notifications, threaded comments, and powerful search capabilities, all without ads or subscriptions.

**Highlights:** Ad-free and subscription-free reading, Push notifications for replies, Nested threaded comments, Powerful search with Algolia API, Customizable appearance (dark mode, fonts), Submit posts and comments, Article archiving options

**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 | $17.99 | one-time |
| Godzilla Tip | $19.99 | one-time |


### NetNewsWire

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

**Currently charting:** #96 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 Hacker News HN Reader free?

Hacker News HN 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, Hacker News HN Reader or NetNewsWire?

NetNewsWire is rated higher. Hacker News HN Reader averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.6K ratings, while NetNewsWire averages 4.7 from 891 ratings.

### Do Hacker News HN Reader or NetNewsWire have ads?

Neither Hacker News HN Reader nor NetNewsWire shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Hacker News HN Reader or NetNewsWire?

Hacker News HN Reader ships an update every 3 days, and NetNewsWire monthly. Most recently, Hacker News HN Reader was updated on November 13, 2026 and NetNewsWire on November 13, 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.*