Comparison

HackerPillar vs HN Reader Pro

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

Head to head
About

HackerPillar

This app offers a streamlined and focused reading experience for Hacker News. It features a clean feed, readable comment threads, and a reader mode for articles. Users can save stories, read offline, and track discussions.

Highlights
  • Fast Hacker News feed
  • Readable comment threads
  • Focused Reader Mode
  • Saved stories and offline library
  • Thread tracking
  • Advanced search (Pro)
  • Home screen widget
Features
Read full description

HackerPillar helps you read Hacker News with less friction and more focus. Browse top stories in a clean, high-performance feed, open deep discussions with readable comment threads, and switch to Reader Mode for long-form articles. Save stories, read offline, and track threads you care about. Key features: - Fast, modern Hacker News feed - Readable comments with thread controls - Focused Reader Mode - Saved Stories + Offline Library - Thread tracking and activity checks - Advanced search and custom feeds (Pro) - Home screen widget support - Share extension for quick imports HackerPillar Pro unlocks: - HN account actions (login, vote, reply) - Advanced search and custom feeds - Extended reader and tracking features - Additional power-user tools across the app Subscription details: - Title: HackerPillar Pro - Length: Monthly and Yearly - Price: Pricing varies by region and is shown in-app before purchase - Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase - Subscription renews automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period - Manage or cancel in Settings > Apple ID > Subscriptions Privacy Policy: http://smartcodeapps.tech/hackerpillar-privacy-policy/ Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Built for people who read Hacker News every day.

About

HN Reader Pro

A streamlined reader for tech news, offering a comfortable dark mode experience. It displays top stories with integrated article and comment views, plus bookmarking for easy saving. Stay connected with the tech community.

Highlights
  • Dark mode for comfortable browsing
  • Integrated article and comment viewing
  • Bookmark functionality
  • Top stories display
  • Tech community engagement
Features
Read full description

A sleek Hacker News reader with dark mode for comfortable browsing. Features top stories, integrated article and comment viewing on a single page, and bookmark functionality for saving interesting content. Stay informed and engaged with the tech community effortlessly.

Screenshots

HackerPillar4 screens
HN Reader Pro4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: HN Reader Pro at none against HackerPillar's 1. HN Reader Pro also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs fortnightly) and iOS requirement (13.4 vs 26.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads 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. HackerPillar sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $4.99 per month. HN Reader Pro asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for HackerPillar against 5.0 for HN Reader Pro. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 1 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

HackerPillar ships an update fortnightly, HN Reader Pro every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on June 1, 2026 and June 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 5 level
HackerPillar versus HN Reader Pro: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHackerPillarHN Reader Pro
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings)
Number of ratings11
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemiumFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS26.013.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size4 MB22 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperTaha BroachwalaLucas Lima

Customer experience

HackerPillar

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

HN Reader Pro

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

HackerPillar

Subscriptions1
  • HackerPillar Pro Monthly$4.991 Month
None

HN Reader Pro

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is HackerPillar free?
HackerPillar is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is HN Reader Pro free?
HN Reader Pro is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, HackerPillar or HN Reader Pro?
HackerPillar and HN Reader Pro are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 1 ratings respectively.
Do HackerPillar or HN Reader Pro have ads?
Neither HackerPillar nor HN Reader Pro shows ads.
Which is updated more often, HackerPillar or HN Reader Pro?
HackerPillar ships an update fortnightly, and HN Reader Pro every 2 days. Most recently, HackerPillar was updated on June 1, 2026 and HN Reader Pro on June 10, 2026.

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