# HackerNoon vs LevelUp for Hacker News

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: HackerNoon at none against LevelUp for Hacker News's 3. HackerNoon also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 10 months) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.4). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. LevelUp for Hacker News sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. HackerNoon asks for nothing beyond the download.

HackerNoon ships an update every 2 months, LevelUp for Hacker News every 10 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | HackerNoon | LevelUp for Hacker News |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (20 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hackernoon/id6447998105/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **20** | — |
| Positive reviews | 72.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 10 months |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 24 MB | 59 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [HackerNoon](https://appshunter.io/developer/1588140053) | [Hemant Chaudhary](https://appshunter.io/developer/1785592917) |

## What reviewers say

### HackerNoon

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hackernoon/id6447998105)

Access a vast library of technology articles, tutorials, and perspectives on programming, startups, AI, and blockchain. Listen to stories on the go, create personalized playlists, and engage with a vibrant tech community. Discover recommendations tailored to your interests and build your profile.

**Highlights:** Audio player for stories, Cross-device access, Original and user-generated content, Personalized playlists, Community engagement and discussions, Personalized recommendations, User profiles

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### LevelUp for Hacker News

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/levelup-for-hacker-news/id6739486543)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 100 Article Summaries | $0.99 | one-time |
| 550 Article Summaries | $4.99 | one-time |
| 1200 Article Summaries | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HackerNoon free?

HackerNoon is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is LevelUp for Hacker News free?

LevelUp for Hacker News is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do HackerNoon or LevelUp for Hacker News have ads?

Neither HackerNoon nor LevelUp for Hacker News shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, HackerNoon or LevelUp for Hacker News?

HackerNoon ships an update every 2 months, and LevelUp for Hacker News every 10 months. Most recently, HackerNoon was updated on October 24, 2026 and LevelUp for Hacker News on October 18, 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.*