# Stella* vs Hydra

The clearest difference is rating: Hydra at 4.8 against Stella*'s 3.5. Hydra also leads on ratings volume (814 vs 18) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). Stella*'s advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 5). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Hydra sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Stella* asks for nothing beyond the download.

Hydra holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hydra has 814 ratings behind it against 18, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 64% of Stella*'s written reviews are positive against 75% of Hydra's.

Stella* ships an update every 2 months, Hydra every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Stella* | Hydra |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.5 (18 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stella/id921372048/reviews) | **[4.8 (814 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hydra-read-upvote-comment/id6478089063/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 18 | **814** |
| Positive reviews | 64.1% of reviews | **75.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 70 MB | 79 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **16.4** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [OwletLabs LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/921372047) | [Dimitrie Milinovich](https://appshunter.io/developer/1637204263) |

## What reviewers say

### Stella*

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stella/id921372048)

This app is a user-oriented information gathering tool that optimizes web content for easy reading on any device. It offers customizable appearance, intuitive navigation, and offline reading capabilities, allowing users to control their information sources without relying on external services.

**Highlights:** Optimized web content rendering, Customizable font sizes and themes, Intuitive and animated UI, Offline article storage, Extensible information sources, One-handed operation support

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Hydra

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hydra-read-upvote-comment/id6478089063)

Experience Reddit browsing with a fast, fluid, and native iOS client. Organize topics, enjoy an immersive media viewer, and utilize quick gestures for seamless interaction. Customize themes and modes for a personalized experience.

**Highlights:** Lightning-fast loading, Multireddit support, Favorite subreddits, Native iOS design, Image and video viewer, Multiple account support, Quick access gestures

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Hydra Pro | $2.99 | per month |
| Nice Tip | $1.99 | one-time |
| Generous Tip | $4.99 | one-time |
| Amazing Tip | $9.99 | one-time |
| Incredible Tip | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Massive potential
- 👍 Closest thing to Apollo
- 👍 Best option for 2025
- 👍 Better in almost every way
- 👍 Superior Reddit Client++

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Sketchy security

**Reported bugs**

- Expect some bumps

**Requested features**

- Customizing the gestures and hiding the username on the tab bar
- Content blocking, comment images, startup feed, and others


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Stella* free?

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

### Is Hydra free?

Hydra is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Stella* or Hydra?

Hydra is rated higher. Stella* averages 3.5 out of 5 from 18 ratings, while Hydra averages 4.8 from 814 ratings.

### Do Stella* or Hydra have ads?

Neither Stella* nor Hydra shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Stella* or Hydra?

Stella* ships an update every 2 months, and Hydra every 3 weeks. Most recently, Stella* was updated on November 1, 2026 and Hydra on November 4, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*