# Rosella for Hacker News vs Hacker Reader

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Hacker Reader at none against Rosella for Hacker News's 1. Hacker Reader also leads on iOS requirement (16.4 vs 26.0). Rosella for Hacker News's advantage is update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 3 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Rosella for Hacker News sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Hacker Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.

Rosella for Hacker News ships an update every 6 weeks, Hacker Reader every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 14, 2026 and September 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Rosella for Hacker News | Hacker Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 weeks** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Size | 17 MB | 59 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **16.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 9+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Diego Otero Diaz](https://appshunter.io/developer/1730374671) | [Daniel Capistrano Sarinho Paiva](https://appshunter.io/developer/1580657892) |

## What reviewers say

### Rosella for Hacker News

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rosella-for-hacker-news/id6499280517)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Rosella Pro | $4.99 | one-time |


### Hacker Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hacker-reader/id6754137305)

A native iOS client for Hacker News offering a streamlined reading experience with home screen widgets, community interaction, and a beautiful, dark-mode-friendly design. Securely log in to upvote, comment, and bookmark stories.

**Highlights:** Browse all story categories, Upvote stories and comments, Secure login with HN account, Post comments and replies, Bookmark stories, Home screen widgets, Dark mode support

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Rosella for Hacker News free?

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

### Is Hacker Reader free?

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

### Do Rosella for Hacker News or Hacker Reader have ads?

Neither Rosella for Hacker News nor Hacker Reader shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Rosella for Hacker News or Hacker Reader?

Rosella for Hacker News ships an update every 6 weeks, and Hacker Reader every 3 months. Most recently, Rosella for Hacker News was updated on September 14, 2026 and Hacker Reader on September 7, 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.*