# HN Reader vs HNR

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: HN Reader at 11.0 against HNR's 15.2. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

HN Reader ships an update every 8 months, HNR every 11 months. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | HN Reader | HNR |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hnr-hacker-news-reader/id6443591042/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **2** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 8 months** | Every 11 months |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Size | 17 MB | 3 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 15.2 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Truong Luu](https://appshunter.io/developer/992000179) | [Michael Hsieh](https://appshunter.io/developer/1634672514) |

## What reviewers say

### HN Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hn-reader-yc-reader/id1519671235)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### HNR

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hnr-hacker-news-reader/id6443591042)

Access and read stories from the popular tech news website Hacker News. Browse top or latest articles, save your favorites, share content, and search for specific topics. Offers customizable color themes including dark and light modes.

**Highlights:** Browse top/latest stories, Save favorite articles, Share stories, Search functionality, Customizable color themes, Dark/light mode support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HN Reader free?

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

### Is HNR free?

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

### Do HN Reader or HNR have ads?

Neither HN Reader nor HNR shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, HN Reader or HNR?

HN Reader ships an update every 8 months, and HNR every 11 months. Most recently, HN Reader was updated on October 27, 2026 and HNR 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.*