# Hacker Journal vs Native Reader for Hacker News

The clearest difference is rating: Native Reader for Hacker News at 4.2 against Hacker Journal's 3.0. Native Reader for Hacker News also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 19) and update cadence (every 2 days vs every 6 months). Hacker Journal's advantage is review sentiment (40% vs 20%) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.4). On price, ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Hacker Journal sells 19 one-off in-app purchases. Native Reader for Hacker News asks for nothing beyond the download.

Native Reader for Hacker News holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6 and 5 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 40% of Hacker Journal's written reviews are positive against 20% of Native Reader for Hacker News's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Hacker Journal ships an update every 6 months, Native Reader for Hacker News every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on August 24, 2026 and September 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hacker Journal | Native Reader for Hacker News |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hacker-journal/id383622973/reviews) | **[4.2 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/native-reader-for-hacker-news/id931789125/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **6** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | **40.0% of reviews** | 20.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 86 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Sprea Editori spa](https://appshunter.io/developer/381249112) | [Cristian Monterroza](https://appshunter.io/developer/796818573) |

## What reviewers say

### Hacker Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hacker-journal/id383622973)

Learn cybersecurity "tricks of the trade" and become an expert. Access uncensored tutorials and news to defend against hackers, with step-by-step guides and code examples.

**Highlights:** Cybersecurity tutorials, Uncensored news, Hacker defense strategies, Attack system insights, Step-by-step code examples, Digital magazine format

**In-app purchases (19)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Hacker Journal 00-03-16 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Hacker Journal 00-03-12 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Hacker Journal 00-03-14 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Hacker Journal 00-03-13 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Hacker Journal 279 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Hacker Journal - Dicembre 2010 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Hacker Journal - Gennaio 2011 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Hacker Journal - Marzo 2011 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Hacker Journal - Aprile 2011 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Hacker Journal - Maggio 2011 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Hacker Journal - Giugno 2011 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Hacker Journal 276 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Speciali 000104 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Speciali 000105 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Speciali 00-02-19 | $5.99 | one-time |
| Speciali 00-02-15 | $5.99 | one-time |
| Speciali 00-02-11 | $5.99 | one-time |
| Speciali 00-02-16 | $5.99 | one-time |
| Speciali 00-02-17 | $5.99 | one-time |


### Native Reader for Hacker News

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/native-reader-for-hacker-news/id931789125)

Explore Hacker News with advanced filtering and customizable text sizes. Share articles easily and hide unwanted stories with a swipe. Enjoy an ad-free reading experience with dark mode options.

**Highlights:** Filter stories by Rank, Points, or Comments, Responsive text sizes, Share articles to social platforms, Swipe to hide stories, Ad-free reading, Dark mode

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Hacker Journal free?

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

### Is Native Reader for Hacker News free?

Native Reader for Hacker News is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Hacker Journal or Native Reader for Hacker News?

Native Reader for Hacker News is rated higher. Hacker Journal averages 3.0 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while Native Reader for Hacker News averages 4.2 from 5 ratings.

### Do Hacker Journal or Native Reader for Hacker News have ads?

Neither Hacker Journal nor Native Reader for Hacker News shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Hacker Journal or Native Reader for Hacker News?

Hacker Journal ships an update every 6 months, and Native Reader for Hacker News every 2 days. Most recently, Hacker Journal was updated on August 24, 2026 and Native Reader for Hacker News on September 16, 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.*