# Stratechery by Ben Thompson

7 Hacker News commenters recommended Stratechery by Ben Thompson and 11 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 4 of 13 months.

**Verdict:** Recommended for influential analysis of tech strategy, platforms and aggregation theory, and for a successful paid newsletter. Critics say recent writing has weakened and grown too uncritical of tech boosterism.

## Why people recommend it

- Platforms and aggregators analysis (2 comments): "Stratechery's articles on on Platforms and Aggregators" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46811995)) "Read Ben Thompson to understand aggregation theory." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49365317))
- Widely praised, valuable reading (2 comments): "Read Ben Thompson to understand aggregation theory." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49365317)) "which is great by the way" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46188253))
- Influential in tech and media (2 comments): "Ben Thompson is also very influential in Silicon Valley and the overall tech/media industry." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49258381)) "like the Acquired podcast, Stratechery, Paul Graham" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46713926))

## What people warn about

- Too uncritical of tech boosterism (3 comments): "Ben also has tended a little too ...uncritical of tech boosterism these days" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45813375)) "Shame on Stratechery for not asking any hard questions or digging deeper." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45953854)) "Shame on Stratechery for not asking any hard questions or digging deeper" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45953921))
- Writing quality has declined (4 comments): "Stratechery reads like it's written to be narrated - rather than exist first as writing." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48461333)) "its part of why I've become so bored of stratechery's articles lately" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48466615)) "Even his paid content is lacking." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49258679))
- Recent announcement made subscription worse (3 comments): "As a subscriber, this makes the offering significantly worse." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50190575)) "This announcement, though, leaves a sour taste in my mouth." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50185899)) "Why pay, if it will become like any other free column?" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50272728))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [Ed Zitron newsletter](https://hackerapproved.com/p/ed-zitron-s-newsletter.md): 46 recommend
- [SemiAnalysis](https://hackerapproved.com/p/semianalysis.md): 20 recommend
- [Bits about Money by Patrick McKenzie](https://hackerapproved.com/p/bits-about-money.md): 7 recommend

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "Stratechery by Ben Thompson", https://hackerapproved.com/p/stratechery/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).