# Comics Book Reader vs Panels

The clearest difference is rating: Panels at 4.8 against Comics Book Reader's 4.3. Panels also leads on update cadence (every 8 days vs every 4 months) and ratings volume (12K vs 214). Comics Book Reader's advantage is iOS requirement (10.0 vs 15.0). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Comics Book Reader sells 4 one-off in-app purchases and Panels sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Panels holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Panels has 12K ratings behind it against 214, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 75% of Comics Book Reader's written reviews are positive against 70% of Panels's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Comics Book Reader ships an update every 4 months, Panels every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Comics Book Reader | Panels |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (214 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/comics-book-reader/id1056129062/reviews) | **[4.8 (12K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/panels-comic-reader/id1236567663/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 214 | **12K** |
| Positive reviews | **75.1% of reviews** | 70.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#160** |
| Size | 158 MB | 165 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [LTD DevelSoftware](https://appshunter.io/developer/717594986) | [Produkt Studio](https://appshunter.io/developer/1236567662) |

## What reviewers say

### Comics Book Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/comics-book-reader/id1056129062)

This application is a robust viewer for various comic book formats, including CBZ, CBR, CB7, and CBT. It offers a highly optimized visualization system for mobile devices, ensuring maximum productivity and comfort. Enjoy an elegant design, extended functionality, and high speed for a pleasurable reading experience.

**Highlights:** Supports CBZ, CBR, CB7, CBT formats, Integrates with cloud services (Google Drive, Dropbox), Supports network services (SMB, FTP, SFTP), File manager with sorting and search, Wi-Fi and FTP transfer options, Page layout and effects customization, Bookmarks and quick preview

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Thank the Developer | $0.99 | one-time |
| Appearance Customization | $1.99 | one-time |
| Additional Formats | $3.99 | one-time |
| Pro Version | $5.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth performance
- 📚 Supports various comic formats
- 💾 Cloud storage integration
- 👍 Easy to use
- 🔍 Good file management

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
- ⏰ Frequent ads interrupting reading
- 💰 Expensive premium version
- 📱 Compatibility issues with newer devices
- 🔗 Cloud storage integration problems

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on launch
- Corrupted comic file downloads
- Slow performance on older devices
- Inability to access cloud storage
- Incorrect page rendering

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- Ability to organize comics into folders
- Seamless page-to-page navigation
- More cloud storage providers support
- Customizable reading experience


### Panels

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/panels-comic-reader/id1236567663)

**Currently charting:** #160 Top Free · Book (US App Store)

Enhance your comic and manga reading with a clean, customizable interface. Enjoy universal file compatibility, cross-device syncing, and advanced reading presets. Organize your library, secure your content, and import from various cloud services and local networks.

**Highlights:** Universal file compatibility (CBR, CBZ, PDF, ePUB), Cross-device reading progress sync, iCloud Drive integration, Customizable reading presets, Right-to-left reading for manga, OPDS server support, Content security with password/Face ID

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Panels+ Monthly | $1.49 | per month |
| Panels+ Yearly | $14.99 | per year |
| Panels 3 Upgrade | $9.99 | one-time |
| Panels 2 | $19.99 | one-time |
| Panels 3 | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth and responsive
- 👍 Clean and modern UI
- 💡 Useful features like panel view and vertical scrolling
- 🔒 No ads in paid version
- 👍 Good import and organization options

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 🔒 Useful features locked behind paywall
- 🔒 Subscription model instead of one-time purchase
- 🐛 Issues with page navigation and zoom
- 🐛 Problems with reading right-to-left content

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when opening large files
- Issues with page order and navigation
- Problems with zooming and scrolling
- Syncing and importing bugs
- Compatibility issues with older devices

**Requested features**

- Ability to create sub-folders and nested collections
- Automatic sorting and organization of comics
- Option to lock reading direction
- Double-tap to zoom functionality
- Progress tracking and bookmarking features


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Comics Book Reader free?

Comics Book Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Panels free?

Panels is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Comics Book Reader or Panels?

Panels is rated higher. Comics Book Reader averages 4.3 out of 5 from 214 ratings, while Panels averages 4.8 from 12K ratings.

### Do Comics Book Reader or Panels have ads?

Neither Comics Book Reader nor Panels shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Comics Book Reader or Panels?

Comics Book Reader ships an update every 4 months, and Panels every 8 days. Most recently, Comics Book Reader was updated on September 20, 2026 and Panels on September 29, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*