# HN Reader vs HNR

The clearest difference is rating: HNR at 5.0 against HN Reader's 1.8. HN Reader's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 11 months) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 15.2). 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.

HNR 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, HNR every 11 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | HN Reader | HNR |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 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/hnr-hacker-news-reader/id6443591042/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** | Every 11 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 12 MB | 3 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 15.2 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Thomas Ricouard](https://appshunter.io/developer/372456982) | [Michael Hsieh](https://appshunter.io/developer/1634672514) |

## 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


### HNR

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hnr-hacker-news-reader/id6443591042)

Access and read stories from the popular tech news website Hacker News. Browse top or latest articles, save your favorites, share content, and search for specific topics. Offers customizable color themes including dark and light modes.

**Highlights:** Browse top/latest stories, Save favorite articles, Share stories, Search functionality, Customizable color themes, Dark/light mode support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HN Reader free?

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

### Is HNR free?

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

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

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

### Do HN Reader or HNR have ads?

Neither HN Reader nor HNR shows ads.

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

HN Reader ships an update every 2 months, and HNR every 11 months. Most recently, HN Reader was updated on November 6, 2026 and HNR on November 3, 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.*