# HackTheNews vs GistForge

HackTheNews and GistForge are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

Both are free to download. HackTheNews sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and GistForge sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

HackTheNews ships an update fortnightly, GistForge weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 10, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | HackTheNews | GistForge |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Weekly** |
| Size | 39 MB | 43 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | 15.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [HackTheNews](https://appshunter.io/developer/1852327292) | [增林 洪](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896402759) |

## What reviewers say

### HackTheNews

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hackthenews/id6755159012)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| HackTheNews Premium Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| HackTheNews Premium Yearly | $39.99 | per year |


### GistForge

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gistforge-hacker-news-reader/id6768026955)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| GistForge Pro | $1.99 | per month |
| GistForge Pro | $14.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HackTheNews free?

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

### Is GistForge free?

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

### Do HackTheNews or GistForge have ads?

Neither HackTheNews nor GistForge shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, HackTheNews or GistForge?

HackTheNews ships an update fortnightly, and GistForge weekly. Most recently, HackTheNews was updated on September 10, 2026 and GistForge on September 19, 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.*