# HackerPillar vs PetalFeed

HackerPillar and PetalFeed are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

Both are free to download. HackerPillar sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $4.99 per month and PetalFeed sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

HackerPillar ships an update fortnightly, PetalFeed every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | HackerPillar | PetalFeed |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hackerpillar-hn-reader/id6444180018/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1** | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Freemium | — |
| Size | 4 MB | 11 MB |
| Requires iOS | **26.0** | 26.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Taha Broachwala](https://appshunter.io/developer/1634174506) | [Doxie Media LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1082145820) |

## What reviewers say

### HackerPillar

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hackerpillar-hn-reader/id6444180018)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| HackerPillar Pro Monthly | $4.99 | per month |


### PetalFeed

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/petalfeed-rss-reader/id6760257782)

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 14-Day Free Trial | Free | one-time |
| Small Tip | $1.99 | one-time |
| Medium Tip | $4.99 | one-time |
| PetalFeed Lifetime | $9.99 | one-time |
| Large Tip | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HackerPillar free?

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

### Is PetalFeed free?

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

### Do HackerPillar or PetalFeed have ads?

Neither HackerPillar nor PetalFeed shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, HackerPillar or PetalFeed?

HackerPillar ships an update fortnightly, and PetalFeed every 2 weeks. Most recently, HackerPillar was updated on October 27, 2026 and PetalFeed on October 26, 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.*