# HackerBook vs HackerReads

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.

Both are free to download. HackerBook sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. HackerReads 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 HackerReads. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 3 respectively.

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

## The numbers

| Metric | HackerBook | HackerReads |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 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/hackerreads/id6745434040/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 3 | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Free** |
| Size | 9 MB | 20 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 17.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Tao Xu](https://appshunter.io/developer/1484566052) | [Mahesh Adhikari](https://appshunter.io/developer/1761921713) |

## 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 |


### HackerReads

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hackerreads/id6745434040)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked 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.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*