# Flamingo Reader vs Hacker News Reader

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Flamingo Reader at none against Hacker News Reader's 6. Flamingo Reader also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 18.0). Hacker News Reader's advantage is update cadence (every 10 days vs every 17 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

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

Flamingo Reader ships an update every 17 months, Hacker News Reader every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Flamingo Reader | Hacker News Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hacker-news-reader-hackernows/id6749719853/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **1** |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 17 months | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 4 MB | 22 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Alexis Creuzot](https://appshunter.io/developer/650627813) | [Rodrigo Cardoso](https://appshunter.io/developer/1831862800) |

## 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


### 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 Flamingo Reader free?

Flamingo Reader 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.

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

Neither Flamingo Reader nor Hacker News Reader shows ads.

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

Flamingo Reader ships an update every 17 months, and Hacker News Reader every 10 days. Most recently, Flamingo Reader was updated on October 10, 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.*