# Native Reader for Hacker News vs Hacko for Hacker News

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Hacko for Hacker News at 67% against Native Reader for Hacker News's 20%. Hacko for Hacker News also leads on rating (4.6 vs 4.2) and ratings volume (31 vs 5). Native Reader for Hacker News's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 5) and update cadence (every 2 days vs fortnightly). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Hacko for Hacker News sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Native Reader for Hacker News asks for nothing beyond the download.

Hacko for Hacker News holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hacko for Hacker News has 31 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 20% of Native Reader for Hacker News's written reviews are positive against 67% of Hacko for Hacker News's.

Native Reader for Hacker News ships an update every 2 days, Hacko for Hacker News fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 16, 2026 and September 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Native Reader for Hacker News | Hacko for Hacker News |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/native-reader-for-hacker-news/id931789125/reviews) | **[4.6 (31 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hacko-for-hacker-news/id6448201970/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 5 | **31** |
| Positive reviews | 20.0% of reviews | **66.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 days** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 5 MB | 10 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Cristian Monterroza](https://appshunter.io/developer/796818573) | [Andrii Sievrikov](https://appshunter.io/developer/1568000284) |

## What reviewers say

### Native Reader for Hacker News

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/native-reader-for-hacker-news/id931789125)

Explore Hacker News with advanced filtering and customizable text sizes. Share articles easily and hide unwanted stories with a swipe. Enjoy an ad-free reading experience with dark mode options.

**Highlights:** Filter stories by Rank, Points, or Comments, Responsive text sizes, Share articles to social platforms, Swipe to hide stories, Ad-free reading, Dark mode

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Hacko for Hacker News

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hacko-for-hacker-news/id6448201970)

This client offers a unique way to navigate Hacker News discussions, keeping comments readable at any depth. Enjoy smooth navigation, custom boards, search, and a reading list for an enhanced experience.

**Highlights:** Alternative comment tree display, Maintains comment readability, Swipe navigation, Custom boards, Search functionality, Reading list

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Tip - Regular Tip | $0.99 | one-time |
| Tip - Big Tip | $3.99 | one-time |
| Premium | $5.99 | one-time |
| Tip - Large Tip | $6.99 | one-time |
| Tip - Huge Tip | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Native Reader for Hacker News free?

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

### Is Hacko for Hacker News free?

Hacko for Hacker News is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Native Reader for Hacker News or Hacko for Hacker News?

Hacko for Hacker News is rated higher. Native Reader for Hacker News averages 4.2 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Hacko for Hacker News averages 4.6 from 31 ratings.

### Do Native Reader for Hacker News or Hacko for Hacker News have ads?

Neither Native Reader for Hacker News nor Hacko for Hacker News shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Native Reader for Hacker News or Hacko for Hacker News?

Native Reader for Hacker News ships an update every 2 days, and Hacko for Hacker News fortnightly. Most recently, Native Reader for Hacker News was updated on September 16, 2026 and Hacko for Hacker News on September 11, 2026.

---

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