# BookPlayer vs Panels

BookPlayer and Panels both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 83% of BookPlayer's written reviews are positive against 70% of Panels's. Panels's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. BookPlayer sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month 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.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for BookPlayer against 4.8 for Panels. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 20K and 12K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 83% of BookPlayer's written reviews are positive against 70% of Panels's.

BookPlayer ships an update every 10 days, Panels every 8 days. Both last shipped on October 13, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | BookPlayer | Panels |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (20K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookplayer/id1138219998/reviews) | [4.8 (12K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/panels-comic-reader/id1236567663/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **20K** | 12K |
| Positive reviews | **82.7% of reviews** | 70.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 10 days | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#60** | #166 |
| Size | 94 MB | 165 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Gianni Carlo](https://appshunter.io/developer/1138219997) | [Produkt Studio](https://appshunter.io/developer/1236567662) |

## What reviewers say

### BookPlayer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookplayer/id1138219998)

**Currently charting:** #60 Top Free · Book, #167 Top Grossing · Book (US App Store)

This app provides a dedicated listening experience for audiobooks in M4B, M4A, MP3, and FLAC formats. It offers robust import, management, and playback features, including chapter navigation, variable playback speed, and cloud sync for seamless listening across devices.

**Highlights:** Import audiobooks via AirDrop, Files, iTunes, servers, and zip files, Manage library with progress tracking, sorting, and playlists, Advanced playback controls including speed, rewind, and volume boost, Chapter navigation and lock screen controls, Cloud sync for cross-device listening, CarPlay and Apple Watch companion app support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Siri integration, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Support Monthly (1 Month) | $1.99 | per month |
| Support Monthly (1 Month) | $2.99 | per month |
| Support Monthly (1 Month) | $3.99 | per month |
| Pro Monthly (1 Month) | $4.99 | per month |
| Support Monthly (1 Month) | $6.99 | per month |
| Support Monthly (1 Month) | $9.99 | per month |
| Pro Yearly (1 Year) | $49.99 | per year |
| Kind tip | $2.99 | one-time |
| Kind Tip | $2.99 | one-time |
| Excellent Tip | $4.99 | one-time |
| Incredible Tip | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Flawless playback
- 👍 Intuitive and clean interface
- 💡 Ability to import from various sources
- 🚀 Fast and responsive
- 👍 Remembers playback position

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or glitches
- 🐛 Issues with importing or playing certain files
- 🐛 Syncing issues between devices
- 🐛 Unreliable performance after updates

**Reported bugs**

- Playback issues with certain audio formats
- Importing problems with large audiobook libraries
- Crashes when deleting books

**Requested features**

- Bookmark management
- Percentage completion tracking
- Improved multi-file book handling
- Customizable sleep timer
- iCloud/cloud sync between devices


### Panels

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

**Currently charting:** #166 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 BookPlayer free?

BookPlayer 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, BookPlayer or Panels?

BookPlayer and Panels are both rated 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store, from 20K and 12K ratings respectively.

### Do BookPlayer or Panels have ads?

Neither BookPlayer nor Panels shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, BookPlayer or Panels?

BookPlayer ships an update every 10 days, and Panels every 8 days. Most recently, BookPlayer was updated on October 13, 2026 and Panels on October 13, 2026.

### Which is more popular, BookPlayer or Panels?

BookPlayer currently peaks at #60 in the App Store charts, and Panels at #166. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*