# Panels vs MangaToon

The clearest difference is ads: Panels at none against MangaToon's shown. Panels also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.5) and review sentiment (70% vs 59%). MangaToon's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Panels sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month and MangaToon sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Panels holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 12K and 4.8K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 70% of Panels's written reviews are positive against 59% of MangaToon's.

Panels ships an update every 8 days, MangaToon every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Panels | MangaToon |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (12K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/panels-comic-reader/id1236567663/reviews)** | [4.5 (4.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mangatoon-comic-and-manga/id1385287093/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **12K** | 4.8K |
| Positive reviews | **70.2% of reviews** | 58.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 8 days** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#170** | #198 |
| Size | 165 MB | 106 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Produkt Studio](https://appshunter.io/developer/1236567662) | [Mangatoon HK Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1385287092) |

## What reviewers say

### Panels

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

**Currently charting:** #170 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


### MangaToon

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mangatoon-comic-and-manga/id1385287093)

**Currently charting:** #198 Top Grossing · Book, #208 Top Free · Book (US App Store)

Explore a vast library of comics, manga, webtoons, and chat stories across various genres. Enjoy a smooth reading experience with offline downloads and community discussions. Unlock new chapters through free methods or in-app purchases.

**Highlights:** Vast comic and manga library, Multiple genres available, Chat story format, Offline reading support, Community discussion forum, Multi-language support

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

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| VIP tháng - VN | $1.99 | per month |
| MONTHLY VIP - EN | $4.99 | per month |
| Pass Card | $11.99 | per month |
| 100 coins | $0.99 | one-time |
| 600 coins | $5.99 | one-time |
| 1000 coins | $9.99 | one-time |
| 2000 coins | $19.99 | one-time |
| 3000 coins | $29.99 | one-time |
| 4000 coins | $39.99 | one-time |
| 5000 coins | $49.99 | one-time |
| 7000 coins | $69.99 | one-time |
| 8000 coins | $79.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💯 Amazing app
- 🤩 Fantastic manga selection
- 👍 Easy to use
- 🎨 Great art and stories
- 🕰️ Frequent updates

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Too many locked chapters
- 💰 Expensive to unlock content
- 🤖 Glitches and crashes
- 🕰️ Slow loading times
- 🕰️ Long ads

**Reported bugs**

- Disappearing reading progress
- Inconsistent login issues
- Ads not loading properly
- Chapters not unlocking after watching ads

**Requested features**

- More free content
- Subscription-based model
- Improved search and discovery
- Ability to save reading progress
- Better translation quality


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Panels free?

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

### Is MangaToon free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Panels or MangaToon?

Panels is rated higher. Panels averages 4.8 out of 5 from 12K ratings, while MangaToon averages 4.5 from 4.8K ratings.

### Do Panels or MangaToon have ads?

MangaToon shows ads; Panels does not.

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

Panels ships an update every 8 days, and MangaToon every 2 weeks. Most recently, Panels was updated on September 25, 2026 and MangaToon on September 24, 2026.

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

Panels currently peaks at #170 in the App Store charts, and MangaToon at #198. 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.*