# ACME Lighting vs Panels

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ACME Lighting at none against Panels's 5. ACME Lighting also leads on iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.0). Panels's advantage is update cadence (every 8 days vs every 3 weeks) and chart position (#206 vs unranked). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Panels sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month. ACME Lighting asks for nothing beyond the download.

ACME Lighting ships an update every 3 weeks, Panels every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ACME Lighting | Panels |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.8 (13K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/panels-comic-reader/id1236567663/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **13K** |
| Positive reviews | — | 70.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#206** |
| Size | 27 MB | 166 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ACMETEC HOLDINGS LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/965048939) | [Produkt Studio](https://appshunter.io/developer/1236567662) |

## What reviewers say

### ACME Lighting

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/acme-lighting/id1155768465)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Panels

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

**Currently charting:** #206 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 ACME Lighting free?

ACME Lighting is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Panels free?

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

### Do ACME Lighting or Panels have ads?

Neither ACME Lighting nor Panels shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ACME Lighting or Panels?

ACME Lighting ships an update every 3 weeks, and Panels every 8 days. Most recently, ACME Lighting was updated on October 7, 2026 and Panels on October 19, 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.*