# Flamingo Reader vs Hacker Reader

The clearest difference is update cadence: Hacker Reader at every 2 months against Flamingo Reader's every 17 months. Flamingo Reader's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.4). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

Flamingo Reader ships an update every 17 months, Hacker Reader every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Flamingo Reader | Hacker Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[3.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hacker-reader/id6754137305/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **2** |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 17 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Size | 4 MB | 65 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | +9 |
| Developer | [Alexis Creuzot](https://appshunter.io/developer/650627813) | [Daniel Capistrano Sarinho Paiva](https://appshunter.io/developer/1580657892) |

## 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 Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hacker-reader/id6754137305)

A native iOS client for Hacker News offering a streamlined reading experience with home screen widgets, community interaction, and a beautiful, dark-mode-friendly design. Securely log in to upvote, comment, and bookmark stories.

**Highlights:** Browse all story categories, Upvote stories and comments, Secure login with HN account, Post comments and replies, Bookmark stories, Home screen widgets, Dark mode support

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Flamingo Reader free?

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

### Is Hacker Reader free?

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

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

Neither Flamingo Reader nor Hacker Reader shows ads.

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

Flamingo Reader ships an update every 17 months, and Hacker Reader every 2 months. Most recently, Flamingo Reader was updated on November 1, 2026 and Hacker Reader on October 30, 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.*