# Hacker News Zero vs HackerReads

The clearest difference is update cadence: HackerReads at every 5 days against Hacker News Zero's every 6 weeks. HackerReads also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.6). Hacker News Zero's advantage is iOS requirement (11.2 vs 17.6). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

HackerReads holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7 and 3 respectively.

Hacker News Zero ships an update every 6 weeks, HackerReads every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hacker News Zero | HackerReads |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hacker-news-zero/id764890985/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hackerreads/id6745434040/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **7** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 85.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 13 MB | 20 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.2** | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [locacha](https://appshunter.io/developer/408814988) | [Mahesh Adhikari](https://appshunter.io/developer/1761921713) |

## What reviewers say

### Hacker News Zero

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hacker-news-zero/id764890985)

A streamlined mobile client for browsing Hacker News. Offers a simple interface with customizable themes and easy navigation between different sections of the site.

**Highlights:** Simple browsing interface, Dark and light mode themes, Article/comment switcher, Navigate front page, Ask HN, New sections

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### HackerReads

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hackerreads/id6745434040)

This app delivers curated tech and hacking news with AI-powered summaries. It offers a clean, distraction-free reading experience for developers and tech enthusiasts, ensuring you stay updated on important stories without the clutter.

**Highlights:** AI-powered summaries, Curated top tech stories, Clean, minimal design, Smart story tracking, Dark mode support, Lightweight and fast

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Hacker News Zero free?

Hacker News Zero is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is HackerReads free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Hacker News Zero or HackerReads?

HackerReads is rated higher. Hacker News Zero averages 4.6 out of 5 from 7 ratings, while HackerReads averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do Hacker News Zero or HackerReads have ads?

Neither Hacker News Zero nor HackerReads shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Hacker News Zero or HackerReads?

Hacker News Zero ships an update every 6 weeks, and HackerReads every 5 days. Most recently, Hacker News Zero was updated on September 30, 2026 and HackerReads on September 28, 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.*