# Hacker News Zero vs Native Reader for Hacker News

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Hacker News Zero at 86% against Native Reader for Hacker News's 20%. Hacker News Zero also leads on rating (4.6 vs 4.2) and iOS requirement (11.2 vs 16.4). Native Reader for Hacker News's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs every 6 weeks). 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.

Hacker News Zero holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7 and 5 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 86% of Hacker News Zero's written reviews are positive against 20% of Native Reader for Hacker News's.

Hacker News Zero ships an update every 6 weeks, Native Reader for Hacker News every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hacker News Zero | Native Reader for Hacker News |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hacker-news-zero/id764890985/reviews)** | [4.2 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/native-reader-for-hacker-news/id931789125/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **7** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | **85.7% of reviews** | 20.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 13 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.2** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [locacha](https://appshunter.io/developer/408814988) | [Cristian Monterroza](https://appshunter.io/developer/796818573) |

## 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


### Native Reader for Hacker News

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/native-reader-for-hacker-news/id931789125)

Explore Hacker News with advanced filtering and customizable text sizes. Share articles easily and hide unwanted stories with a swipe. Enjoy an ad-free reading experience with dark mode options.

**Highlights:** Filter stories by Rank, Points, or Comments, Responsive text sizes, Share articles to social platforms, Swipe to hide stories, Ad-free reading, Dark mode

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

**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 Native Reader for Hacker News free?

Native Reader for Hacker News is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Hacker News Zero or Native Reader for Hacker News?

Hacker News Zero is rated higher. Hacker News Zero averages 4.6 out of 5 from 7 ratings, while Native Reader for Hacker News averages 4.2 from 5 ratings.

### Do Hacker News Zero or Native Reader for Hacker News have ads?

Neither Hacker News Zero nor Native Reader for Hacker News shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Hacker News Zero or Native Reader for Hacker News?

Hacker News Zero ships an update every 6 weeks, and Native Reader for Hacker News every 2 days. Most recently, Hacker News Zero was updated on October 15, 2026 and Native Reader for Hacker News on October 3, 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.*