Hacker News vs Zulip: Pricing and Ratings Compared (2026)
Entry prices and free plans as read on each vendor's pricing page, and user ratings as published on review sites, for Hacker News and Zulip side by side. This page compares data; it is not a hands-on review.
On the data: On the data below the two are close or not directly comparable, so we do not name a winner for this pair.
Short on time? Here's the quick answer
Based on published vendor pricing and features and on public review data, here's who should pick what:
Hacker News
A community-curated news aggregator for technology and entrepreneurship.
Best for you if:
- • You want a fully free tool (Zulip requires payment)
Zulip
Open-source team chat with threads
Best for you if:
- • You want organized team chat
| At a Glance | Hacker News | Zulip |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | Free 100% free | Free plan, paid from $6.67/user/mo, billed yearly Standard plan |
Category | Community Platforms Social Networks | Communication Team Chat |
Rating | n/a | 4.8/5 Capterra 4.9 · G2 4.6 313 reviews |
Free plan | Yes | Yes |
Watch out for | n/a | Storage limits per user could add up for heavy media users. |
Choose Hacker News or Zulip?
Choose Hacker News if
- You want a fully free tool (Zulip requires payment)
- You want high-quality, curated tech content
- You want engaged and knowledgeable community
- You work in community platforms, not communication
Choose Zulip if
- You want organized team chat
- You want topic threading
- You work in communication, not community platforms
In-Depth Analysis
Hacker News
A community-curated news aggregator for technology and entrepreneurship.
Strengths
- Pro: High-quality, curated tech content
- Pro: Engaged and knowledgeable community
- Pro: Excellent source for industry news and trends
- Pro: Opportunities to discover new projects and tools
- Pro: Platform for asking questions and getting diverse perspectives
Weaknesses
- Con: Can be overwhelming with the volume of content
- Con: Discussions can sometimes become polarized
- Con: Interface is minimalist and may not appeal to all users
Key features
Zulip
Open-source team chat with threads
Zulip's pricing is quite fair and competitive, especially with a generous free tier.
Watch out
Storage limits per user could add up for heavy media users.
Strengths
- Pro: Organized team chat
- Pro: Topic threading
- Pro: Open source
- Pro: Self-hostable
- Pro: Good for large teams
Weaknesses
- Con: UI dated
- Con: Learning curve
- Con: Less adoption than Slack
- Con: Mobile apps basic
- Con: Threading confusing initially
Key features
Plans and prices: Hacker News vs Zulip
| Tool | Plans and prices | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Hacker News | No plan prices on file | news.ycombinator.com |
| Zulip |
| zulip.com/plans read Oct 26, 2026 |
Prices as read on each vendor's own pricing page on the date shown. Plans are listed per tool and are not matched against the other tool's plans: a plan name or price in one column says nothing about the same row in the other. Details on Hacker News pricing and Zulip pricing.
Key Takeaways
Hacker News
- Choose if you want a community-curated news aggregator for technology and entrepreneurship
Zulip
- Choose if you want open-source team chat with threads
What the data shows
On the data below the two are close or not directly comparable, so we do not name a winner for this pair.
- Only Zulip has a published user rating (4.8/5 from 313 reviews); Hacker News has none we can show.
- Zulip starts at $6.67/user/mo, billed yearly; Hacker News has no public paid plan price on file.
- Both have a free plan.
Criteria: user rating (only above 20 reviews on both sides, gap of 0.2 or more), entry price (only on the same billing basis), free plan. How we rate
Frequently Asked Questions
How do Hacker News and Zulip compare in 2026?
On the data below the two are close or not directly comparable, so we do not name a winner for this pair. Only Zulip has a published user rating (4.8/5 from 313 reviews); Hacker News has none we can show. Zulip starts at $6.67/user/mo, billed yearly; Hacker News has no public paid plan price on file. Both have a free plan.
What are Hacker News and Zulip used for?
Hacker News: A community-curated news aggregator for technology and entrepreneurship. Zulip: Open-source team chat with threads.
What does Hacker News cost vs Zulip?
Hacker News is free. Zulip's cheapest paid plan is Standard at $6.67/user/mo, billed yearly; it also has a free plan. Prices read on the vendors' pricing pages, latest check Oct 26, 2026.
What's the main difference between Hacker News and Zulip?
Hacker News's main strength: high-quality, curated tech content. Zulip's main strength: organized team chat.