# Hacker News Reader vs Hacker Reader

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Hacker Reader at none against Hacker News Reader's 6. Hacker Reader also leads on iOS requirement (16.4 vs 18.0). Hacker News Reader's advantage is update cadence (every 11 days vs every 3 months). On price, review sentiment, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Hacker News Reader sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Hacker Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.

Hacker News Reader ships an update every 11 days, Hacker Reader every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hacker News Reader | Hacker Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hacker-news-reader-hackernows/id6749719853/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1** | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 11 days** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 19 MB | 59 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **16.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Rodrigo Cardoso](https://appshunter.io/developer/1831862800) | [Daniel Capistrano Sarinho Paiva](https://appshunter.io/developer/1580657892) |

## What reviewers say

### Hacker News Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hacker-news-reader-hackernows/id6749719853)

A native iOS application offering a streamlined Hacker News experience. Users can read, vote, comment, and post stories, browse different sections, and organize content with custom groups. It prioritizes speed and privacy.

**Highlights:** Vote, comment, and post stories, Browse Ask, Show, Jobs, and New sections, Read threaded discussions, Submit stories, Create custom story groups, iCloud sync for groups

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Iron | $0.99 | per month |
| Steel | $1.99 | per month |
| Mithril | $2.99 | per month |
| Small Tip | $0.99 | one-time |
| Medium Tip | $2.99 | one-time |
| Large Tip | $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 Hacker News Reader free?

Hacker News Reader 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 Hacker News Reader or Hacker Reader have ads?

Neither Hacker News Reader nor Hacker Reader shows ads.

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

Hacker News Reader ships an update every 11 days, and Hacker Reader every 3 months. Most recently, Hacker News Reader was updated on September 21, 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.*