# ObserveHN vs HackStream

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ObserveHN at none against HackStream's 1. ObserveHN also leads on iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). HackStream's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 7 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. HackStream sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. ObserveHN asks for nothing beyond the download.

ObserveHN ships an update every 7 months, HackStream every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on June 1, 2026 and September 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ObserveHN | HackStream |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/observehn/id6503405610/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **5** | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 3 MB | 13 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Evan Japundza](https://appshunter.io/developer/1695172341) | [FiveSheep OU](https://appshunter.io/developer/1725654318) |

## What reviewers say

### ObserveHN

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/observehn/id6503405610)

This reader app provides a streamlined way to access the latest tech news and discussions from Hacker News. It features interactive widgets for quick access to top stories and a clean, minimalist design for an enhanced reading experience.

**Highlights:** Interactive home screen widgets, Clean and minimalist design, Effortless navigation through categories, Upvote posts and join discussions, SwiftUI integration for smooth performance

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### HackStream

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hackstream-hackernews-feed/id6757635951)

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Notifications | $1.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ObserveHN free?

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

### Is HackStream free?

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

### Do ObserveHN or HackStream have ads?

Neither ObserveHN nor HackStream shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ObserveHN or HackStream?

ObserveHN ships an update every 7 months, and HackStream every 3 weeks. Most recently, ObserveHN was updated on June 1, 2026 and HackStream on September 2, 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.*