HackStream vs Wello
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side β with what reviewers say about each.
HackStream
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HackStream is an unofficial Hacker News client designed to streamline your experience.Β At its core, HackStream has a customizable upvote threshold and you only see stories that meet that level in your feed.Β That way, you can enjoy a clean, focused feed of high-quality posts.Β ou can bookmark, comment, reply, and upvote directly. Browse new, top, best and more.Β HackStream keeps you in control of the Hacker News content that matters most to you.
Wello
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Read Hacker News in a calmer, cleaner, more focused way. Wello is a thoughtfully crafted Hacker News reader designed to make every part of the experience feel clearer, faster, and more comfortable. From top stories and product launches to deep comment threads and saved reads, Wello helps you stay close to the conversations that matter without the usual clutter. Built for iPhone, iPad, and Mac, Wello brings a polished reading experience to every screen, with thoughtful navigation, powerful search, flexible reading preferences, and seamless continuity across devices. WHY WELLO A calmer way to read Wello strips away friction and gives Hacker News a cleaner, more refined reading experience. Stories with context Go beyond the headline with story details, metadata, and threaded discussions in one clear view. Search that works better Quickly find stories, launches, discussions, and job posts with built-in filters and a faster path to the right result. Save what matters Keep standout posts close, build your own reading list, and return when the time is right. Designed for every device Enjoy a focused phone experience, a spacious multi-column layout on iPad, and a native desktop feel on Mac. FEATURES - Browse Top, New, Best, Ask, Show, and Jobs - Read stories and comments in a clean, distraction-light interface - Explore discussions with a layout designed for clarity and depth - Search Hacker News by relevance or recency - Filter results by content type, author, score, or story ID - Save stories for later and keep favorites organized - Revisit recently viewed stories with ease - Open articles in your preferred browser - Use Reader Mode for supported articles - Personalize the accent color and story banner preferences - Sync saved stories and recent activity with iCloud - Continue reading across devices with Handoff MADE FOR CURIOUS READERS Wello is built for founders, developers, designers, indie makers, students, and curious minds who use Hacker News to discover ideas, follow products, and stay connected to meaningful discussion.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Wello at none against HackStream's 1. Wello also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS
Both are free to download. HackStream sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Wello asks for nothing beyond the download.
HackStream ships an update every 3 weeks, Wello weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 15, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | HackStream | Wello |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Weekly β better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No β better |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPad β better |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | 26.0 |
| Further details β not scored | ||
| Size | 13 MB | 4 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 9+ |
| Developer | FiveSheep OU | Daniela D'Alonzo |
In-app purchases
HackStream
- Notifications$1.99
Wello
No in-app purchases







