# HackerBook vs HackerWatch

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: HackerWatch at none against HackerBook's 2. HackerWatch also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.1). HackerBook's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 11 months). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. HackerBook sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. HackerWatch asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for HackerBook against 5.0 for HackerWatch. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 3 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

HackerBook ships an update fortnightly, HackerWatch every 11 months. The most recent releases landed on August 24, 2026 and June 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | HackerBook | HackerWatch |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hackerbook/id6467827442/reviews) | [5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hackerwatch-hacker-news/id6479969061/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 3 | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 11 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Free** |
| Size | 9 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Tao Xu](https://appshunter.io/developer/1484566052) | [Dakota Kim](https://appshunter.io/developer/1391084970) |

## What reviewers say

### HackerBook

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hackerbook/id6467827442)

Stay updated with the most popular discussions on Hacker News through a streamlined interface. This app makes it effortless to immerse yourself in the tech community's latest conversations.

**Highlights:** Trending topics showcase, Streamlined interface, Tech community buzz, Effortless navigation, Immersive tech discourse

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Exclusive News | $2.99 | per month |
| Tips | $0.99 | one-time |


### HackerWatch

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hackerwatch-hacker-news/id6479969061)

Stay updated with the Hacker News community directly from your wrist. Browse top stories, read comments, and view original articles with this Apple Watch companion app. Easily share interesting content with others.

**Highlights:** Browse top stories, Read comments, View original articles, Share content, Apple Watch companion

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HackerBook free?

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

### Is HackerWatch free?

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

### Which has better reviews, HackerBook or HackerWatch?

HackerBook and HackerWatch are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 3 and 3 ratings respectively.

### Do HackerBook or HackerWatch have ads?

Neither HackerBook nor HackerWatch shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, HackerBook or HackerWatch?

HackerBook ships an update fortnightly, and HackerWatch every 11 months. Most recently, HackerBook was updated on August 24, 2026 and HackerWatch on June 1, 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.*