# HackerNoon vs Driftly

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: HackerNoon at none against Driftly's 4. HackerNoon also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.1). Driftly's advantage is update cadence (every 8 days vs every 2 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Driftly sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. HackerNoon asks for nothing beyond the download.

HackerNoon ships an update every 2 months, Driftly every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | HackerNoon | Driftly |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (21 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hackernoon/id6447998105/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **21** | — |
| Positive reviews | 72.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 24 MB | 31 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [HackerNoon](https://appshunter.io/developer/1588140053) | [Gallage Bihan Thilina Wijewickrama Karunaratne](https://appshunter.io/developer/1888482917) |

## 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


### Driftly

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/driftly-news-reader/id6766002566)

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Driftly Plus | $2.99 | per month |
| Driftly Pro Monthly | $5.99 | per month |
| Driftly Plus Annual | $19.99 | per year |
| Driftly Pro Annual | $39.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HackerNoon free?

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

### Is Driftly free?

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

### Do HackerNoon or Driftly have ads?

Neither HackerNoon nor Driftly shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, HackerNoon or Driftly?

HackerNoon ships an update every 2 months, and Driftly every 8 days. Most recently, HackerNoon was updated on September 22, 2026 and Driftly on September 21, 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.*