Hacker News
A tech and startup news aggregator and discussion community.
Hacker News at a glance
Hacker News is a social media website and one of the most visited sites in United States, currently ranked #326 in the country. It was founded in 2007 by Paul Graham and is headquartered in San Francisco, CA, USA. Today Hacker News is owned by Y Combinator. Our estimates put its audience at ≈ 60 million visits per month. The business earns money mainly through funded by y combinator. Its closest rivals include reddit.com, slashdot.org, producthunt.com.
Traffic statistics
Traffic history
| Period | Visits | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | ≈ 56.4 million / month | +2% |
| Q2 | ≈ 58.2 million / month | +3% |
| Q3 | ≈ 60 million / month | +3% |
| Q4 | ≈ 63.6 million / month | +6% |
Traffic sources
- Direct76%
- Organic search13%
- Referral6%
- Paid3%
- Email2%
Audience & demographics
- Men52%
- Women48%
- Age 18-2430%
- Age 25-3429%
- Age 35-4420%
The audience is concentrated in United States, skewing urban and mobile, with usage peaks in the evening hours.
Geographic reach
- United States86%
Home market
- Diaspora and neighbouring markets7%
- Europe3%
- North America2%
- Rest of world2%
SEO profile
- Estimated organic traffic
- ≈ 18 million visits / month
- Branded share of search
- High — brand terms lead the keyword profile
- Indexed pages
- Large — category, listing or article level
- Primary search market
- United States
Top organic keywords
| Keyword | Position | Volume | Traffic share |
|---|---|---|---|
| hacker news | 1 | Very high | Dominant |
| login | Top 10 | High | — |
| sign up | Top 10 | High | — |
| download app | Top 10 | High | — |
Backlink profile
- Referring domains
- Tens of thousands
- Link profile
- News coverage, directories, blogs and partner sites
- Authority
- High within the United States web
Top referral sources
- News and media31%
- Directories and aggregators24%
- Blogs and forums20%
- Partner sites14%
- Other11%
Technology stack
Website technologies
Advertising & analytics technologies
Stack details are inferred from public front-end signals and engineering communications; internal systems may differ.
Mobile app statistics
Available in the local store
Available in the local store
- App share of traffic
- ≈ 88% mobile
- Position in country
- Among the leading social media apps in United States
Company information
- Website
- news.ycombinator.com
- Sector
- Social Media
- Owner
- Y Combinator
- Owner type
- Private company
- Founders
- Paul Graham
- Founded
- 2007
- Headquarters
- San Francisco, CA, USA
- Employees
- 10+
- Ownership
- Y Combinator controls the platform. Ownership details are based on public filings and press reporting.
- Revenue
- Not publicly disclosed
- Languages
- English
- Top traffic sources
- direct, organic search, referral
Financials
- Revenue
- Not publicly disclosed
- Ownership
- Private company
- Reporting
- Figures based on public filings, press reports and market estimates
Business model & revenue
Hacker News operates a social platform focused on United States. A tech and startup news aggregator and discussion community. Revenue comes mainly from funded by y combinator, supported by the other lines listed below.
- Funded by Y Combinator
Products & services
International presence
- Primary market
- United States
- Expansion
- Regional and diaspora audiences beyond the home market
Employee statistics
Customer statistics
Website rankings
- Country rank (United States)
- #326 in this index
- Sector rank
- Leading social media site in United States
- Global rank
- 1000
Main competitors
Website comparisons
| Website | Monthly visits | Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| reddit.com | ≈ 36 million / month | #327 class competitor | — |
| slashdot.org | ≈ 27 million / month | #328 class competitor | — |
| producthunt.com | ≈ 18 million / month | #329 class competitor | — |
What is Hacker News?
Hacker News (news.ycombinator.com) is a social platform serving users in United States. A tech and startup news aggregator and discussion community. It ranks #326 among the most visited websites in the country in this index, within the social media category.
Who owns Hacker News?
The site is operated by Y Combinator, founded by Paul Graham. The company was established in 2007 and is headquartered in San Francisco, CA, USA. It employs around 10+.
Traffic and audience
Traffic estimates place Hacker News at roughly 60 million visits per month, about 2 million per day. Around 88% mobile of sessions come from mobile devices, and visitors view about 11.4 pages per visit with an average session of 12 min.
How Hacker News makes money
Revenue comes primarily from funded by y combinator, alongside .
Competitors in United States
Its closest rivals include reddit.com, slashdot.org, producthunt.com.
Data and accuracy
Company facts are drawn from public sources. Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or sector benchmarks, marked with ≈ where modelled, and are reviewed periodically.
Company history & milestones
- 2007
Hacker News is founded in San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Growth phase
Expands its social media offering and moves to a mobile-first product.
- Today
Ranks #326 among the most visited websites in United States.
User reviews & ratings
| Source | Score | Reviews | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Play | ≈ 4.3 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| App Store | ≈ 4.5 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| Consumer review platforms | Mixed | — | Service and support are common themes |
App store ratings are solid, while consumer review platforms show the usual friction around support and service quality.
Pros & cons
Pros
- Very high daily engagement
- Strong creator and community ecosystem
- Free to use with broad reach
- Self-serve advertising for small businesses
Cons
- Moderation and misinformation criticism
- Privacy and data-use concerns
- Algorithm changes hurt organic reach
- Ad load increases over time
Key statistics
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Hacker News?
Hacker News is operated by Y Combinator. Private company structure, based on public filings and press reporting.
Where is Hacker News headquartered?
Hacker News is headquartered in San Francisco, CA, USA.
When was Hacker News founded?
Hacker News was founded in 2007 by Paul Graham.
How many employees does Hacker News have?
Hacker News employs approximately 10+ people.
What is Hacker News's revenue?
Hacker News's revenue: Not publicly disclosed.
Who are Hacker News's competitors?
Main competitors in United States include reddit.com, slashdot.org, producthunt.com.
How does Hacker News make money?
Mainly funded by y combinator.
Is Hacker News publicly traded?
No — Hacker News is not listed as an independent public company; it is operated by Y Combinator.
How many visitors does Hacker News get?
Third-party estimates place Hacker News at roughly 60 million visits per month, mostly from United States, with 88% mobile traffic.
Is Hacker News safe?
Hacker News is an established social media site founded in 2007 and ranked #326 in United States; use the official domain news.ycombinator.com and HTTPS.
Popular searches
Data sources & confidence
- Company website and public announcementsnews.ycombinator.com
- Third-party traffic estimation providersSimilarweb-class estimates
Visit figures are modelled, not measured
- App store listingsApple App Store, Google Play
- Press and market coverageUnited States and international business media
- Data confidence
- Medium for company facts, medium-low for traffic and financial estimates. All modelled figures are rounded and marked with ≈.
- Last updated
- September 2026
Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or derived from sector benchmarks, and are reviewed periodically.
Social media profiles & statistics
Official brand account
Announcements and support
Community and campaigns
Company and hiring updates
Brand and product videos