Hacker News AI digest to Telegram with n8n
Once a day it queries the free Hacker News Algolia API for AI stories from the last 24 hours, scrapes up to three articles, summarizes them (in Russian by default) via OpenRouter and posts a digest to Telegram. Sends 'no news today' if nothing qualifies.
Setup steps
- Daily schedule
- Query HN Algolia for AI stories, last 24h, max 3
- If none, send 'no news today'
- Scrape each article to Markdown
- Summarize with OpenRouter
- Post formatted digest to Telegram
Steps summarized from the original n8n template source ↗. Use “Copy” to grab them with the tools and source link, or copy an AI prompt.
Try it with AI
Paste this into ChatGPT, Claude or your own agent for step-by-step help. Prompt written by AppToBot from this recipe's data, not by the original author. It keeps drafts for your review and asks before anything is sent or paid.
Help me set up this automation using n8n + OpenRouter (GPT-5) + Telegram: "Hacker News AI digest to Telegram with n8n". Goal: replace Scrolling Hacker News for AI stories. How it should work: - Trigger: Once a day - Then: Finds AI stories on Hacker News - Then: Scrapes up to 3 articles - Then: Summarizes via OpenRouter - Result: Digest posted to Telegram Setup steps (summarized from the original source): 1. Daily schedule 2. Query HN Algolia for AI stories, last 24h, max 3 3. If none, send 'no news today' 4. Scrape each article to Markdown 5. Summarize with OpenRouter 6. Post formatted digest to Telegram Guide me one step at a time. Ask me for anything you need (accounts, sheet or channel names) before you start. Safety rules: - Build and test with sample data first, and show me a sample result before anything goes live. - Keep anything that goes to other people (emails, posts, replies, record updates) as drafts for my review until I say otherwise. - Never send, post, buy, pay, delete or change records without my approval. - Tell me about any cost (paid plans, API usage) before I'd incur it, and help me set a spending limit. - Keep API keys and passwords out of shared docs and chats. - Privacy: Article text goes to OpenRouter. Based on: https://n8n.io/workflows/17875-send-a-daily-ai-news-digest-from-hacker-news-with-openrouter-gpt-5-and-telegram/
Tool names link to each official site (opens in a new tab).
Running cost: Not reported Running cost not reported (OpenRouter credits extra). No-code How we sort costs
Stack: n8n · Telegram · OpenRouter
App vs bot, side by side
| Old app / habit | Bot | |
|---|---|---|
| Tool | Hacker News front page, checked by hand | n8n + HN Algolia API + OpenRouter GPT-5 (GPT-4 fallback) + Telegram |
| Monthly cost | Not reported | Not reported (HN API is free; OpenRouter credits extra) |
| Setup | None (already in use) | Not reported · Intermediate |
| Your time | Baseline | Not reported |
| Maintenance | Handled by vendor/you as before | Change the summary language and query; some sites block scraping. |
| Privacy | Data stays with the app vendor | Article text goes to OpenRouter. |
Full comparison
| Replaces | Hacker News front page, checked by hand |
|---|---|
| Bot / agent stack | n8n + HN Algolia API + OpenRouter GPT-5 (GPT-4 fallback) + Telegram |
| Monthly cost before | Not reported |
| Monthly cost after | Not reported (HN API is free; OpenRouter credits extra) |
| Setup time | Not reported |
| Time saved | Not reported |
| Skill level | Intermediate |
| Reliability | 3/5: published template with clear steps; no long-term usage data in the source. Skips blocked scrapes and has a model fallback. |
| Maintenance | Change the summary language and query; some sites block scraping. |
| Privacy & data | Article text goes to OpenRouter. |
| Best for | Developers who want a daily AI news pulse |
| Not for | People wanting broad, non-tech news |
Pros and cons
Pros
- Only 3 stories a day, no doom-scroll
- Free HN API, no auth
- Model fallback built in
Cons
- Russian output by default, must edit prompt
- Some articles fail to scrape
Source and evidence
n8n community template (RenegaDe, updated about 2 months before our check).
Read the original n8n template source ↗
“Not reported” means the source doesn't say. We never fill gaps with guesses. Numbers marked “per author” or “vendor claim” are the source's own and weren't independently tested. Source last checked Oct 16, 2026.
Our rating is an editorial opinion based on the public source above, not lab testing. Spot an error? Request a correction.
Plain-text summary (for search and AI assistants)
Hacker News AI digest to Telegram with n8n. Replaces Hacker News front page, checked by hand with n8n + HN Algolia API + OpenRouter GPT-5 (GPT-4 fallback) + Telegram. Cost before: Not reported. Cost after: Not reported (HN API is free; OpenRouter credits extra). Setup: Not reported, Intermediate. Time saved: Not reported. Reliability 3/5: 3/5: published template with clear steps; no long-term usage data in the source. Skips blocked scrapes and has a model fallback. Best for: Developers who want a daily AI news pulse. Not for: People wanting broad, non-tech news. Source: https://n8n.io/workflows/17875-send-a-daily-ai-news-digest-from-hacker-news-with-openrouter-gpt-5-and-telegram/
Related recipes
- Folo: an AI RSS reader with a daily digest (4/5)
- Hourly AI news digest to Telegram with self-hosted glean (3/5)
- Readless: an AI newsletter digest for 30+ newsletters (3/5)
- AI YouTube channel summaries by email (Make + ChatGPT) (3/5)
More: all News & Reading recipes · Best AI agents to replace Zapier · AI agents that replace browsing and search · n8n vs Make: AI agent recipes compared
Questions, corrections or ideas?
Spotted an error, want a recipe covered, or have a partnership idea? Send us a message and we'll get back to you.
Starting your own newsletter? Try beehiiv ↗
What is beehiiv?
beehiiv is a newsletter platform: you write and send emails, host a newsletter website, and grow and monetize a list from one place. We've used it for our own newsletter.
beehiiv says (vendor claims, not tested by us):
- Free plan with up to 2,500 subscribers and unlimited sends
- Built-in website, recommendation network and analytics
- 0% cut of paid subscription revenue (Stripe fees apply)
Good for: starting or growing an email newsletter. Not ideal for: email automations or removing beehiiv branding on a $0 budget (those need Lite or Pro).
Free plan: $0, no card needed. Paid plans from $49/mo billed annually (Lite, up to 1,000 subscribers). People who sign up through our link get a 14-day trial plus 20% off their first 3 months, per beehiiv's partner page. Facts as of Oct 2026, from beehiiv's own website. More about beehiiv →