HackerWire for Hacker News vs Lurker Reader
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
HackerWire for Hacker News
A fast, native iOS reader for Hacker News offering a clutter-free experience. Enjoy threaded comments, AI summaries, customizable themes, and offline reading without ads or tracking.
- Native, lightning-fast interface
- Threaded comments
- AI summaries on tap
- 17+ handcrafted themes
- Offline reading
- No ads, no tracking
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Hacker News, reimagined. HackerWire is a fast, beautiful, fully native iOS reader for Hacker News, no web wrappers, no clutter, no account required to browse. Built from scratch in SwiftUI, HackerWire makes reading HN a genuine pleasure on iPhone. FEATURES • Native, lightning-fast interface, zero web views • Threaded comments that are actually easy to follow • AI summaries on tap, get the gist of long threads instantly • 17+ handcrafted themes, from clean light to deep dark • 30+ custom app icons to match your home screen • Offline reading, save stories for the subway • No ads, no tracking, no account needed to browse Whether you're a developer, a founder, or just love the orange site, HackerWire is the cleanest, fastest way to keep up with what's new. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Lurker Reader
A fast and clean Reddit client designed with a distraction-free interface. Browse your home feed, explore communities, and manage your inbox efficiently. Built with privacy as a priority, it offers a clutter-free experience without ads or tracking.
- Distraction-free home feed
- Organized community list
- Rich subreddit post previews
- Streamlined inbox view
- Privacy-focused design
- No ads or tracking
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Lurker is a clean, fast Reddit client built natively with SwiftUI. Browse your home feed, explore any subreddit, manage your communities, and stay on top of your inbox, all without the clutter. • Home Feed: Scroll through posts from your subscribed communities with a clean, distraction-free interface • Communities: Access all your subreddits in one organized list, with quick search to jump to any sub • Subreddit Browsing: Dive into any subreddit and browse posts with rich previews including images, links, and YouTube videos • Inbox: Keep up with replies, mentions, and messages in a streamlined conversation view Built with privacy in mind. No ads, no tracking, just Reddit.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: HackerWire for Hacker News at 5.0 against Lurker Reader's 4.8. HackerWire for Hacker News also leads on iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
HackerWire for Hacker News holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 5 respectively.
HackerWire for Hacker News ships an update every 2 weeks, Lurker Reader weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | HackerWire for Hacker News | Lurker Reader |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better | 4.8 (5 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 2 | 5 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPad — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 — better | 26.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 22 MB | 8 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Sabba Petri | Zabir Raihan |
Customer experience
HackerWire for Hacker News
Lurker Reader
In-app purchases
HackerWire for Hacker News
No in-app purchases
Lurker Reader
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is HackerWire for Hacker News free?
Is Lurker Reader free?
Which has better reviews, HackerWire for Hacker News or Lurker Reader?
Do HackerWire for Hacker News or Lurker Reader have ads?
Which is updated more often, HackerWire for Hacker News or Lurker Reader?
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