# Flamingo Reader vs Hackery

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Flamingo Reader at none against Hackery's 1. Flamingo Reader also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 26.0). Hackery's advantage is update cadence (every 5 months vs every 17 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Hackery sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Flamingo Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.

Flamingo Reader ships an update every 17 months, Hackery every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on August 15, 2026 and July 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Flamingo Reader | Hackery |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[3.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hackery/id1095090759/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **4** |
| Positive reviews | — | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 17 months | **Every 5 months** |
| Monetization | — | Paid |
| Size | 4 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Alexis Creuzot](https://appshunter.io/developer/650627813) | [Tim Shim](https://appshunter.io/developer/322829589) |

## What reviewers say

### Flamingo Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flamingo-reader/id817164332)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Hackery

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hackery/id1095090759)

This app offers a clean and distraction-free way to read Hacker News stories. It prioritizes content visibility with large headlines and integrates with Safari's Reader Mode for an optimal reading experience on iPhone and iPad.

**Highlights:** Distraction-free reading experience, Large, bold headlines, Safari Reader Mode integration, iPad and split-screen support, Clean and simple interface

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Buy me a coffee | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Flamingo Reader free?

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

### Is Hackery free?

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

### Do Flamingo Reader or Hackery have ads?

Neither Flamingo Reader nor Hackery shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Flamingo Reader or Hackery?

Flamingo Reader ships an update every 17 months, and Hackery every 5 months. Most recently, Flamingo Reader was updated on August 15, 2026 and Hackery on July 13, 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.*