# NovelLoop vs Paperback

The clearest difference is rating: Paperback at 4.3 against NovelLoop's 3.7. Paperback also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3) and ratings volume (642 vs 31). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. NovelLoop sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Paperback asks for nothing beyond the download.

Paperback holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Paperback has 642 ratings behind it against 31, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 44% of NovelLoop's written reviews are positive against 54% of Paperback's.

NovelLoop ships an update monthly, Paperback every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NovelLoop | Paperback |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.7 (31 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/novelloop/id1170755867/reviews) | **[4.3 (642 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paperback-comicmanga-reader/id1626613373/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 31 | **642** |
| Positive reviews | 44.4% of reviews | **53.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 22 MB | 33 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Cameron Jackson](https://appshunter.io/developer/1091923157) | [Faizan Durrani](https://appshunter.io/developer/1626613375) |

## What reviewers say

### NovelLoop

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/novelloop/id1170755867)

Stay updated with the latest translated novels and receive notifications for your reading list. Save your progress with bookmarks to easily pick up where you left off.

**Highlights:** Latest translated novel updates, Reading list notifications, Bookmark progress, Account synchronization, Novel updates on phone

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Cool Tip | $0.99 | one-time |
| Sunny Tip | $2.99 | one-time |
| Awesome Tip | $7.99 | one-time |


### Paperback

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paperback-comicmanga-reader/id1626613373)

This app provides an ad-free reading experience for comics and manga from a Komga server. It offers extensive customization through a scripting API, allowing users to extend its functionality with TypeScript or JavaScript.

**Highlights:** Ad-free reading, Komga server support, TypeScript/JavaScript scripting API, Extensible functionality

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fantastic app with great features
- 👍 Clean and efficient UI
- 🔒 No ads or in-app purchases
- 🎨 Customizable themes and settings
- 📚 Wide range of manga/comics sources

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and stability issues
- 🔍 Confusing setup and onboarding process
- 🔄 Unreliable library sync and update features
- 🕰️ Slow download and loading speeds
- 📱 Compatibility problems on some devices

**Reported bugs**

- JSON token errors when interacting with server
- Inability to add/remove manga from library
- Disappearing navigation UI elements

**Requested features**

- Bookmark/resume reading feature
- Panel-by-panel/smart panel reading mode
- Sync reading progress across devices
- Better documentation and support resources


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NovelLoop free?

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

### Is Paperback free?

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

### Which has better reviews, NovelLoop or Paperback?

Paperback is rated higher. NovelLoop averages 3.7 out of 5 from 31 ratings, while Paperback averages 4.3 from 642 ratings.

### Do NovelLoop or Paperback have ads?

Neither NovelLoop nor Paperback shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, NovelLoop or Paperback?

NovelLoop ships an update monthly, and Paperback every 2 weeks. Most recently, NovelLoop was updated on October 20, 2026 and Paperback on October 22, 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.*