Hacker News, without AI is a reader built for following Hacker News stories while filtering out AI-heavy content and keeping discussions easy to track. It's free, with no pricing page or paid tier stated. Below are alternatives that do a similar job — some also filter content, others just improve the reading experience.
Comparison table
| Product | Free tier | Starts at | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hacker News, without AI | Yes | not stated (free) | AI-content filtering while browsing HN |
| Hacker News with reduced priority for AI driven content (sprinklz.io) | Yes | not stated | deprioritizing AI stories, free use |
| Hacker News with reduced priority for AI driven content (Vercel) | Unknown | not stated | same goal, pricing not disclosed |
| I built a tool to remove news articles from HN | Unknown | not stated | cutting out news-article posts entirely |
| A better Hacker News front end | Yes | not stated (free) | no ads, no tracking, open source |
| Hacker News with an embedded reader view mode | Yes | not stated (free) | reading linked articles inline |
| HackLens — Hacker News reader | Unknown | not stated | fast, distraction-free app browsing |
| Hacker News Reader | Unknown | not stated | cleaner design and readability |
Hacker News with reduced priority for AI driven content (sprinklz.io)
This version keeps AI-heavy posts on Hacker News but pushes them lower in the feed rather than removing them outright. That makes it close to the same job as Hacker News, without AI, though the filtering method differs (deprioritizing vs. excluding). It's stated as free, with no paid tiers mentioned. Suits people who still want to see AI stories occasionally, just not first. Limitation: since posts aren't hidden, you'll still scroll past some AI content. Site: sprinklz.io.
Hacker News with reduced priority for AI driven content (Vercel)
A separate build with the same stated goal — lowering the visibility of AI-driven posts — hosted at hn-without-ai.vercel.app. Pricing isn't documented anywhere on the site, so cost is unknown rather than confirmed free. Fits users who want an alternative implementation of the same filtering idea and don't mind unclear pricing. Limitation: with no pricing page and a description that references a different product name ("Unslop.news") internally, the project's status is a bit unclear.
I built a tool to remove news articles from HN
This tool strips news-article submissions out of the Hacker News feed, leaving other post types. It launched with strong early traction (131 votes on launch day), suggesting real demand for this kind of filtering. No pricing information is published, so cost is unknown. Best for readers who find general news links more distracting than AI content specifically. Limitation: it targets news articles broadly, not AI content in particular, so it solves a related but different noise problem. Site: hn.luap.info.
A better Hacker News front end
A forked and extended version of the open-source better-hn project, built by someone who wanted a front end closer to what they consider the "essence" of Hacker News. It's explicitly free, open source, with no ads, tracking, or monetization. Good fit for privacy-conscious users who want a clean HN alternative and don't need AI-specific filtering. Limitation: it doesn't filter or deprioritize AI content — the focus is on removing ads and tracking, not content type. Site: hakkernieuws.vercel.app.
Hacker News with an embedded reader view mode
This reader adds dark mode and an embedded reader view so linked articles open inline instead of leaving the site. It's free, with no pricing page found. Suits people who read a lot of linked articles and want fewer tab switches. Limitation: it doesn't mention any AI-content filtering, so it solves a reading-convenience problem rather than a noise-filtering one. Site: read-hn.vercel.app.
HackLens — Hacker News reader
HackLens positions itself as a faster, distraction-free way to browse Hacker News, built as an app rather than a plain web front end. Pricing isn't disclosed anywhere on its site, so it's unknown whether it's free or paid. Good option for people who prefer an app-style browsing experience over a website. Limitation: with no stated pricing and only 6 launch-day votes, it has less of a track record than some alternatives here. Site: hacklens.berranova.com.
Hacker News Reader
This reader focuses on neat design and better readability rather than filtering content of any kind. Pricing is unknown — nothing is stated on the product page or site. It suits readers who mainly want a nicer-looking way to browse HN, not a filtered feed. Limitation: it has the fewest launch-day votes (3) of the alternatives here and no confirmed pricing, so both its popularity and cost are unclear. Site: hackernews-app.netlify.com.
How to choose
If filtering AI content specifically is the point, start with the two "reduced priority for AI driven content" tools, picking the sprinklz.io version if you want confirmed free pricing. If you want news articles removed rather than AI content, try the luap.info tool. For a general clean, ad-free, tracking-free front end, use the better-hn fork. For reading convenience features like dark mode or inline article view, try read-hn. HackLens and Hacker News Reader are options mainly if design or app-style browsing matters more than filtering, but check pricing yourself since neither states it.
FAQ
Is Hacker News, without AI free? Yes, it's stated as free with no pricing page found.
Which alternative most directly targets AI content like the main product? The two "Hacker News with reduced priority for AI driven content" tools (sprinklz.io and the Vercel version) aim at the same goal.
Are any of the alternatives confirmed paid? No — every alternative listed here has pricing marked as free or unknown; none states a paid price.