Comparison

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.

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • Native, lightning-fast interface
  • Threaded comments
  • AI summaries on tap
  • 17+ handcrafted themes
  • Offline reading
  • No ads, no tracking
Features
Read full description

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/

About

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.

Highlights
  • Distraction-free home feed
  • Organized community list
  • Rich subreddit post previews
  • Streamlined inbox view
  • Privacy-focused design
  • No ads or tracking
Features
Read full description

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

HackerWire for Hacker News4 screens
Lurker Reader4 screens

Verdict

The call

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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

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.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

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.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
HackerWire for Hacker News versus Lurker Reader: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHackerWire for Hacker NewsLurker Reader
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better4.8 (5 ratings)
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings25 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS17.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size22 MB8 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperSabba PetriZabir Raihan

Customer experience

HackerWire for Hacker News

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Lurker Reader

All ratings5 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

HackerWire for Hacker News

No in-app purchases

None

Lurker Reader

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is HackerWire for Hacker News free?
HackerWire for Hacker News is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Lurker Reader free?
Lurker Reader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, HackerWire for Hacker News or Lurker Reader?
HackerWire for Hacker News is rated higher. HackerWire for Hacker News averages 5.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Lurker Reader averages 4.8 from 5 ratings.
Do HackerWire for Hacker News or Lurker Reader have ads?
Neither HackerWire for Hacker News nor Lurker Reader shows ads.
Which is updated more often, HackerWire for Hacker News or Lurker Reader?
HackerWire for Hacker News ships an update every 2 weeks, and Lurker Reader weekly. Most recently, HackerWire for Hacker News was updated on October 6, 2026 and Lurker Reader on October 9, 2026.

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