# Kite vs Hacker News Reader

Kite and Hacker News Reader both sit at 5.0 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of Hacker News Reader's written reviews are positive against 53% of Kite's. Hacker News Reader also leads on update cadence (every 10 days vs every 2 months). Kite's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 6) and iOS requirement (14.1 vs 18.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Kite against 5.0 for Hacker News Reader. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 1 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 53% of Kite's written reviews are positive against 100% of Hacker News Reader's.

Kite ships an update every 2 months, Hacker News Reader every 10 days. Both last shipped on October 14, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Kite | Hacker News Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kite/id708299909/reviews) | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hacker-news-reader-hackernows/id6749719853/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 52.6% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 1 MB | 22 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.1** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Kite Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/885455684) | [Rodrigo Cardoso](https://appshunter.io/developer/1831862800) |

## What reviewers say

### Kite

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kite/id708299909)

A specialized web browser designed for individuals passionate about news. It offers a curated browsing experience focused on delivering news content efficiently.

**Highlights:** News-focused browsing, Curated content experience, Efficient news delivery, Ad-free browsing

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### 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 |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Kite free?

Kite is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Hacker News Reader free?

Hacker News Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Kite or Hacker News Reader?

Kite and Hacker News Reader are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 2 and 1 ratings respectively.

### Do Kite or Hacker News Reader have ads?

Neither Kite nor Hacker News Reader shows ads.

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

Kite ships an update every 2 months, and Hacker News Reader every 10 days. Most recently, Kite was updated on October 14, 2026 and Hacker News Reader on October 14, 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.*