# HN Reader vs NetNewsWire

The clearest difference is rating: NetNewsWire at 4.7 against HN Reader's 1.8. NetNewsWire also leads on review sentiment (84% vs 47%) and ratings volume (882 vs 5). HN Reader's advantage is iOS requirement (8.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

NetNewsWire holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 1.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NetNewsWire has 882 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 47% of HN Reader's written reviews are positive against 84% of NetNewsWire's.

HN Reader ships an update every 2 months, NetNewsWire monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 19, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | HN Reader | NetNewsWire |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [1.8 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hn-reader-hacker-news-reader/id919243741/reviews) | **[4.7 (882 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/netnewswire-rss-reader/id1480640210/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 5 | **882** |
| Positive reviews | 46.7% of reviews | **84.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | — | **#138** |
| Size | 12 MB | 27 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) | [Brent Simmons](https://appshunter.io/developer/1480640209) |

## 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


### NetNewsWire

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/netnewswire-rss-reader/id1480640210)

**Currently charting:** #138 Top Free · News (US App Store)

This app aggregates articles from your favorite blogs and news sites, offering a faster and more organized way to consume content. It provides control over your news feed, eliminating the need to visit multiple websites or rely on social media algorithms. Enjoy a streamlined reading experience with customizable features and syncing capabilities.

**Highlights:** Direct feed downloading, iCloud and third-party syncing, Customizable article themes, Reader view, Starred articles, Smart feeds, Home screen widgets

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HN Reader free?

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

### Is NetNewsWire free?

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

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

NetNewsWire is rated higher. HN Reader averages 1.8 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while NetNewsWire averages 4.7 from 882 ratings.

### Do HN Reader or NetNewsWire have ads?

Neither HN Reader nor NetNewsWire shows ads.

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

HN Reader ships an update every 2 months, and NetNewsWire monthly. Most recently, HN Reader was updated on September 19, 2026 and NetNewsWire on October 15, 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.*