# Flamingo Reader vs HACK for Hacker News YC Reader

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Flamingo Reader at none against HACK for Hacker News YC Reader's 6. Flamingo Reader also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). HACK for Hacker News YC Reader's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs every 17 months) and device support (4 vs 2). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. HACK for Hacker News YC Reader sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. Flamingo Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.

Flamingo Reader ships an update every 17 months, HACK for Hacker News YC Reader every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on August 15, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Flamingo Reader | HACK for Hacker News YC Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.7 (1.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hack-for-hacker-news-yc-reader/id1464477788/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **1.6K** |
| Positive reviews | — | 93.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 17 months | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Size | 4 MB | 28 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Alexis Creuzot](https://appshunter.io/developer/650627813) | [Pranoy Chowdhury](https://appshunter.io/developer/952263202) |

## 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


### HACK for Hacker News YC Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hack-for-hacker-news-yc-reader/id1464477788)

This app offers a beautiful and intuitive way to read tech, startup, and STEM news from Hacker News. It provides advanced features like push notifications, threaded comments, and powerful search, with extensive customization options for a personalized reading experience.

**Highlights:** Ad-free and subscription-free reading, Push notifications for replies, Nested threaded comments with collapse, Swipe to upvote and favorite, Submit new posts and drafts, Powerful Algolia-powered search, Customizable themes, fonts, and layout

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Nice Tip | $3.99 | one-time |
| Kind Tip | $6.99 | one-time |
| Generous Tip | $9.99 | one-time |
| Amazing Tip | $12.99 | one-time |
| Hack Premium | $14.99 | one-time |
| Godzilla Tip | $19.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Flamingo Reader free?

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

### Is HACK for Hacker News YC Reader free?

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

### Do Flamingo Reader or HACK for Hacker News YC Reader have ads?

Neither Flamingo Reader nor HACK for Hacker News YC Reader shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Flamingo Reader or HACK for Hacker News YC Reader?

Flamingo Reader ships an update every 17 months, and HACK for Hacker News YC Reader every 3 days. Most recently, Flamingo Reader was updated on August 15, 2026 and HACK for Hacker News YC Reader on September 24, 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.*