# Pulse for Hacker News vs Hacker Reader

The clearest difference is update cadence: Pulse for Hacker News at every 3 weeks against Hacker Reader's every 3 months. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Pulse for Hacker News ships an update every 3 weeks, Hacker Reader every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 11, 2026 and September 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pulse for Hacker News | Hacker Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Size | 38 MB | 59 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.3** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Dong Sian Lin](https://appshunter.io/developer/1754164176) | [Daniel Capistrano Sarinho Paiva](https://appshunter.io/developer/1580657892) |

## What reviewers say

### Pulse for Hacker News

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pulse-for-hacker-news/id6504872454)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### 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 Pulse for Hacker News free?

Pulse for Hacker News is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Hacker Reader free?

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

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

Neither Pulse for Hacker News nor Hacker Reader shows ads.

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

Pulse for Hacker News ships an update every 3 weeks, and Hacker Reader every 3 months. Most recently, Pulse for Hacker News was updated on September 11, 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.*