Comparison

HNR vs Hacker News Reader App

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

HNR

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
Read full description

A convenient way to read stories from the tech news website Hacker News (HN). Features: - Browse 100 top or latest stories - Save favorites - Share - Search - Customizable color with dark/light mode support

About

Hacker News Reader App

Features
Read full description

Experience Hacker News in a beautifully designed app. Crafted for tech enthusiasts, developers, and startup founders who want the best reading experience for their daily HN browsing. Key Features: Premium Reading Experience: Clean interface with both light and dark modes for comfortable reading any time Smart Reader Mode: Articles are automatically formatted for optimal readability in our in-app browser Intelligent Bookmarking: Save interesting stories locally with one tap for later reading. Multiple Categories: Easily browse different HN sections including Top, New, Best, Ask HN, and Show HN Seamless Browser Integration: Read articles directly in the app with our powerful in-app browser Offline Support: Access your saved articles anytime, anywhere Native iOS Design: Intuitive interface following iOS design guidelines for a familiar experience Perfect for: Software developers staying updated with tech trends Startup founders tracking industry news Tech professionals following important discussions Anyone who loves intelligent tech discourse

Screenshots

HNR4 screens
Hacker News Reader App3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Hacker News Reader App at every 3 months against HNR's every 11 months. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

UpkeepUpdate frequency

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

Scorecard1 real difference · 8 level
HNR versus Hacker News Reader App: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHNRHacker News Reader App
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings2 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 11 monthsEvery 3 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.215.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size3 MB32 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMichael HsiehToine Loris* Riedo*

In-app purchases

None

HNR

No in-app purchases

None

Hacker News Reader App

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is HNR free?
HNR is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Hacker News Reader App free?
Hacker News Reader App is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do HNR or Hacker News Reader App have ads?
Neither HNR nor Hacker News Reader App shows ads.
Which is updated more often, HNR or Hacker News Reader App?
HNR ships an update every 11 months, and Hacker News Reader App every 3 months. Most recently, HNR was updated on November 3, 2026 and Hacker News Reader App on October 27, 2026.

Other comparisons