Comparison

HackerBook vs HackerReads

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

Head to head
About

HackerBook

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
Read full description

Stay in the loop with the top trending topics on Hacker News using our streamlined app. Our main interface showcases the hottest discussions, ensuring you are always updated with the tech community's buzz. Navigating the vast world of Hacker News has never been this effortless and efficient. Dive in and immerse yourself in the heart of tech discourse! Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

HackerReads

This app delivers curated tech and hacking news with AI-powered summaries. It offers a clean, distraction-free reading experience for developers and tech enthusiasts, ensuring you stay updated on important stories without the clutter.

Highlights
  • AI-powered summaries
  • Curated top tech stories
  • Clean, minimal design
  • Smart story tracking
  • Dark mode support
  • Lightweight and fast
Features
Read full description

HackerReads surfaces the most important stories in tech, hacking, and software — without the noise. Built for developers, security enthusiasts, and curious minds, HackerReads delivers a focused, no-frills reading experience — now enhanced with AI-powered summaries. Key Features: AI Summaries Quickly understand each story with concise AI-generated summaries. No need to visit external sites. Curated Top Stories Only the most relevant and widely discussed stories are included, ensuring signal over noise. Clean, Minimal Design A distraction-free interface built for fast scanning and in-depth reading. Smart Story Tracking Automatically checks for new top stories, so you stay updated effortlessly. Dark Mode Support Comfortable reading experience whether you're coding during the day or burning the midnight oil. Lightweight and Fast No ads, no clutter. Just performance and simplicity. Whether you're deep in code or on a short break, HackerReads makes it easy to stay up to date with what matters in the hacker and tech world.

Screenshots

HackerBook4 screens
HackerReads4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: HackerReads at none against HackerBook's 2. HackerReads also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs fortnightly). HackerBook's advantage is iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.6). 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. HackerBook sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. HackerReads 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 HackerBook against 5.0 for HackerReads. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 3 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

HackerBook ships an update fortnightly, HackerReads every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
HackerBook versus HackerReads: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHackerBookHackerReads
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (3 ratings)5.0 (3 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings33
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemiumFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.1 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size9 MB20 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperTao XuMahesh Adhikari

Customer experience

HackerBook

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

HackerReads

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

HackerBook

Subscriptions1
  • Exclusive News$2.991 Month
One-time1
  • Tips$0.99
None

HackerReads

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is HackerBook free?
HackerBook is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is HackerReads free?
HackerReads is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, HackerBook or HackerReads?
HackerBook and HackerReads are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 3 and 3 ratings respectively.
Do HackerBook or HackerReads have ads?
Neither HackerBook nor HackerReads shows ads.
Which is updated more often, HackerBook or HackerReads?
HackerBook ships an update fortnightly, and HackerReads every 5 days. Most recently, HackerBook was updated on October 8, 2026 and HackerReads on September 28, 2026.

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