# HN Reader vs hn

The clearest difference is rating: hn at 5.0 against HN Reader's 1.8. hn also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months). HN Reader's advantage is iOS requirement (8.0 vs 17.0). 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.

hn holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 1.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 5 and 2 respectively.

HN Reader ships an update every 2 months, hn weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 19, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | HN Reader | hn |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [1.8 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hn-reader-hacker-news-reader/id919243741/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hn-hacker-news-reader/id1446189504/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **5** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 46.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 12 MB | 14 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Thomas Ricouard](https://appshunter.io/developer/372456982) | [Victor Aguilar](https://appshunter.io/developer/1446189503) |

## What reviewers say

### HN Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hn-reader-hacker-news-reader/id919243741)

Access Hacker News articles and comments offline with background refresh and a convenient Today widget. Save articles to Safari Reading List for later viewing. Open source and developed in Swift.

**Highlights:** Offline reading, Today widget integration, Background refresh, Save to Safari Reading List, Read comments, Open source

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### hn

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hn-hacker-news-reader/id1446189504)

Stay updated with tech news and articles through a clean, simple, and distraction-free reading experience. Focus on content without clutter, ads, or pop-ups.

**Highlights:** Clean and simple interface, Easy navigation, Distraction-free reader mode, Ad-free experience, Focus on content

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HN Reader free?

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

### Is hn free?

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

### Which has better reviews, HN Reader or hn?

hn is rated higher. HN Reader averages 1.8 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while hn averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do HN Reader or hn have ads?

Neither HN Reader nor hn shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, HN Reader or hn?

HN Reader ships an update every 2 months, and hn weekly. Most recently, HN Reader was updated on September 19, 2026 and hn on October 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.*