# Z Combinator for Hacker News vs command_line

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Z Combinator for Hacker News at none against command_line's 3. Z Combinator for Hacker News also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 15 months). command_line's advantage is iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. command_line sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Z Combinator for Hacker News asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Z Combinator for Hacker News against 5.0 for command_line. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 1 respectively.

Z Combinator for Hacker News ships an update every 3 weeks, command_line every 15 months. The most recent releases landed on September 9, 2026 and July 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Z Combinator for Hacker News | command_line |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/z-combinator-for-hacker-news/id1638242818/reviews) | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/command-line/id6468368351/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 15 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 6 MB | 39 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | +17 | 9+ |
| Developer | [Jiaqi Feng](https://appshunter.io/developer/1462586544) | [Daniel Shaw](https://appshunter.io/developer/1699998952) |

## What reviewers say

### Z Combinator for Hacker News

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/z-combinator-for-hacker-news/id1638242818)

An open-source client for browsing Hacker News. It offers a straightforward way to access news and discussions from the popular tech community.

**Highlights:** Hacker News client, Open source, News aggregation, Discussion access

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### command_line

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/command-line/id6468368351)

A fast, terminal-style client for reading and participating in Hacker News discussions. Offers a focused interface with features like offline caching and story saving. Premium unlocks account actions and advanced tools for deeper engagement.

**Highlights:** Terminal-inspired interface, Browse all story types, Threaded comment discussions, Search Hacker News, Save stories with bookmarks, Offline caching, Account sign-in and participation

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Premium Yearly | $39.99 | per year |
| Premium Lifetime | $99.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Z Combinator for Hacker News free?

Z Combinator for Hacker News is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is command_line free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Z Combinator for Hacker News or command_line?

Z Combinator for Hacker News and command_line are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 2 and 1 ratings respectively.

### Do Z Combinator for Hacker News or command_line have ads?

Neither Z Combinator for Hacker News nor command_line shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Z Combinator for Hacker News or command_line?

Z Combinator for Hacker News ships an update every 3 weeks, and command_line every 15 months. Most recently, Z Combinator for Hacker News was updated on September 9, 2026 and command_line on July 23, 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.*