# HN Reader vs HackTheNews

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: HN Reader at none against HackTheNews's 2. HN Reader also leads on iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.1). HackTheNews's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 8 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. HackTheNews sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. HN Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.

HN Reader ships an update every 8 months, HackTheNews fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | HN Reader | HackTheNews |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Size | 17 MB | 39 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Truong Luu](https://appshunter.io/developer/992000179) | [HackTheNews](https://appshunter.io/developer/1852327292) |

## What reviewers say

### HN Reader

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

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### HackTheNews

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hackthenews/id6755159012)

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| HackTheNews Premium Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| HackTheNews Premium Yearly | $39.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HN Reader free?

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

### Is HackTheNews free?

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

### Do HN Reader or HackTheNews have ads?

Neither HN Reader nor HackTheNews shows ads.

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

HN Reader ships an update every 8 months, and HackTheNews fortnightly. Most recently, HN Reader was updated on October 5, 2026 and HackTheNews on October 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.*