# Hacker News vs HackerNoon

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: HackerNoon at none against Hacker News's 4. HackerNoon also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.4). Hacker News's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs every 2 months). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Hacker News sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. HackerNoon asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Hacker News against 4.7 for HackerNoon. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 35 and 21 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 79% of Hacker News's written reviews are positive against 73% of HackerNoon's.

Hacker News ships an update every 5 days, HackerNoon every 2 months. Both last shipped on September 22, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hacker News | HackerNoon |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (35 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hacker-news-latest-in-tech/id1573004386/reviews) | [4.7 (21 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hackernoon/id6447998105/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **35** | 21 |
| Positive reviews | **79.2% of reviews** | 72.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 20 MB | 24 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.4 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Snap Web Studios](https://appshunter.io/developer/496259214) | [HackerNoon](https://appshunter.io/developer/1588140053) |

## What reviewers say

### Hacker News

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hacker-news-latest-in-tech/id1573004386)

Access the latest tech, startup, and science news with a fast and customizable reader. Organize stories by topic, search quickly, and enjoy AI-powered summaries. This ad-free experience syncs across devices and prioritizes your privacy.

**Highlights:** Fast browsing of feeds and comments, iCloud sync for favorites and read status, Customizable story groups by topic, Lightning-fast search, AI-powered story summaries, Ad-free reading experience, Home screen widgets

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Small Tip | $0.99 | one-time |
| Medium Tip | $2.99 | one-time |
| Large Tip | $4.99 | one-time |
| Extra Large Tip | $19.99 | one-time |


### HackerNoon

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hackernoon/id6447998105)

Access a vast library of technology articles, tutorials, and perspectives on programming, startups, AI, and blockchain. Listen to stories on the go, create personalized playlists, and engage with a vibrant tech community. Discover recommendations tailored to your interests and build your profile.

**Highlights:** Audio player for stories, Cross-device access, Original and user-generated content, Personalized playlists, Community engagement and discussions, Personalized recommendations, User profiles

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Hacker News free?

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

### Is HackerNoon free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Hacker News or HackerNoon?

Hacker News and HackerNoon are both rated 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store, from 35 and 21 ratings respectively.

### Do Hacker News or HackerNoon have ads?

Neither Hacker News nor HackerNoon shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Hacker News or HackerNoon?

Hacker News ships an update every 5 days, and HackerNoon every 2 months. Most recently, Hacker News was updated on September 22, 2026 and HackerNoon on September 22, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*