Comparison

Panels vs Smart Comic Reader

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Panels

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
Currently charting
Read full description

Improve your comic reading experience with Panels. Enjoy reading your favorite titles in a clean and delightful interface, with plenty of customization and advanced features — fully DRM-free, with first-class support for OPDS, your own library, and your own files. Key features: - Universal Compatibility: Support for most common comic types: CBR, CBZ, CB7, PDF and comic ePUB (not text eBook). Support for multiple image formats, including WebP. - Cross-Device Sync: Synchronize your reading progress across iPhone, iPad and Mac and resume reading exactly where you left off. - Full iCloud Drive support: store your entire library on iCloud and access it from different devices. - Library Organization: Effortlessly manage your comic library with intuitive tools for easy navigation, custom folder colors, logos and cover images. * Themes: support for Light and Dark modes, and many others. * Reading Presets: Choose from a multitude of reading presets or create your own, including horizontal, vertical, or panel-by-panel guided view. - Right to Left reading (manga): read any comic with Panels. * OPDS support: Stream, search and download comics from your OPDS compatible server (Komga, Kavita, Codex, Ubooquity and others). * Secure your content: Keep files locked using a password or Face ID for your collections and files. Use Incognito mode to keep your reading sessions hidden. * Live Text and Subject detection. * Experimental Features: Access experimental features like panel-by-panel navigation. Panels Store — DRM-free comics from independent creators: - Browse and buy comics directly inside Panels, no extra apps or accounts. - 100% DRM-free: every purchase is yours to keep, read offline and back up. - Creators keep 80% of revenue, so your purchases directly support the people making the comics. - Purchased issues are added to your library and sync across your devices automatically. Native support for importing files from: * iCloud Drive * Dropbox * Microsoft OneDrive - Substack * OPDS: Komga, Kavita, Codex and others * Local network shared files and folders via SMB and Embedded web server - iTunes - External drives - Airdrop - Drag&Drop from other apps Page Filters: * Reduce Noise * Increase Sharpness * Reduce Moiré * Crop Borders * Require an active subscription or a one-time purchase. • You may purchase an Auto-Renewing Subscription to unlock all the premium features while it\'s active; or a one-off purchase to unlock the current major version features forever. • Your subscription will be charged to your iTunes account at confirmation of purchase and will automatically renew (at the duration selected) unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. • Current subscription may not be cancelled during the active subscription period; however, you can manage your subscription and/or turn off auto-renewal by visiting your iTunes Account Settings after purchase • Read our privacy policy and terms of use: https://panels.app/privacy / https://panels.app/terms

About

Smart Comic Reader

This app offers a unique comic reading experience by automatically detecting and zooming into individual panels. It allows for seamless navigation between panels with simple taps, optimizing the view for smaller screens. Import comics from various sources and organize them within your iCloud or local storage.

Highlights
  • Automatic panel detection and zoom
  • Seamless panel-to-panel navigation
  • Optimized viewing for small screens
  • Comic import from any source
  • iCloud sync and local storage options
  • Supports CBZ, CBR, and PDF formats
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

A different kind of comic reader that offers a better way to read comics on a smaller screen. How it works: 1. Import any comic into the app. 2. Double tap on a panel and watch the app automatically detect its boundaries and zoom in on it. 3. Tap on the side of the screen to easily move to the next panel. If needed, the app will rotate the comic to make maximum use of your screen space. Key Features ============ Smart Reader: - Automatically zoom in and move between panels for a smooth reading experience. - Works with any comic, western or manga, no matter the art style. Panels do not need well-defined edges to be detected. - Always stay in control, let the app guide you over the page while you can always manually zoom and pan. Comic Collection: - Import comics from anywhere and organize your comic collection. - Comics are stored in iCloud to save storage space and keep your collection in sync across devices. - Your Smart Comic Reader collection is a regular folder on your iCloud Drive that you can access and manage from any iCloud connected device, like a Mac, or a Windows device using iCloud for Windows. - Also works locally if iCloud is disabled. - Supports comics in CBZ/ZIP, CBR/RAR and PDF formats. And many more features to come! If you have any questions or suggestions, please do not hesitate to send them to: support@vandijk.dev. Comics in video and screenshots: “Pepper&Carrot”, David Revoy, CC-By “Plastic Man”, Quality Comics, Public Domain “Say Hello to Black Jack”, Shuho Sato

Screenshots

Panels4 screens
Smart Comic Reader4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Panels at Free against Smart Comic Reader's $2.99. Panels also leads on update cadence (every 8 days vs every 5 weeks) and ratings volume (12K vs 539). Smart Comic Reader's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 5) and review sentiment (91% vs 70%). On rating, ads and chart position there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Panels is free to download; Smart Comic Reader costs $2.99 up front. Panels sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month. Smart Comic Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Panels against 4.9 for Smart Comic Reader. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Panels has 12K ratings behind it against 539, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 70% of Panels's written reviews are positive against 91% of Smart Comic Reader's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Panels ships an update every 8 days, Smart Comic Reader every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 3 level
Panels versus Smart Comic Reader: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPanelsSmart Comic Reader
PriceFree — better$2.99
Rating4.8 (12K ratings)4.9 (539 ratings) — better
Positive reviews70.2% of reviews91.2% of reviews — better
Number of ratings12K — better539
Update frequencyEvery 8 days — betterEvery 5 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
Best chart rank#184#72 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better18.3
Further details — not scored
Size165 MB54 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperProdukt StudioOnne van Dijk

Customer experience

Panels

All ratings12,369 ratings
Positive95.4%
Neutral1.8%
Negative2.7%
Written reviews1,119 reviews
Positive70.2%
Neutral9.6%
Negative20.3%

Smart Comic Reader

All ratings539 ratings
Positive97.0%
Neutral0.9%
Negative2.0%
Written reviews217 reviews
Positive91.2%
Neutral2.3%
Negative6.5%

User reviews

Panels

From 12K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 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

Room to improve

  • 🐛 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

Smart Comic Reader

From 539 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Panel-by-panel reading mode
  • 👍 Seamless iCloud integration
  • 🔒 No ads or data collection
  • 👍 Clean, minimal UI
  • 🚀 Fast and responsive

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional issues with panel detection
  • 🔀 Difficulty exiting panel view
  • 🔀 Inability to adjust cover size in grid view

Bugs and requests

Panels

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • 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

6 requests
  • 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
Show 1 more
  • Support for more file formats like ePub

Smart Comic Reader

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Deleted user's entire comic collection
  • iCloud sync not working for some users
  • Freezing/crashing issues on iPad

Requested features

6 requests
  • Page marking/bookmarking function
  • Built-in dictionary/translation tool
  • Vertical scrolling mode for webtoons
  • Ability to manually arrange reading order
  • Live Text integration for dictionary lookup
Show 1 more
  • Widgets for quick access

In-app purchases

5 purchases

Panels

Subscriptions2
  • Panels+ Monthly7 Days trial$1.491 Month
  • Panels+ Yearly7 Days trial$14.991 Year
One-time3
  • Panels 3 Upgrade$9.99
  • Panels 2$19.99
  • Panels 3$19.99
None

Smart Comic Reader

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Panels free?
Panels is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Smart Comic Reader free?
Smart Comic Reader costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Panels or Smart Comic Reader?
Smart Comic Reader is rated higher. Panels averages 4.8 out of 5 from 12K ratings, while Smart Comic Reader averages 4.9 from 539 ratings.
Do Panels or Smart Comic Reader have ads?
Neither Panels nor Smart Comic Reader shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Panels or Smart Comic Reader?
Panels ships an update every 8 days, and Smart Comic Reader every 5 weeks. Most recently, Panels was updated on September 23, 2026 and Smart Comic Reader on September 22, 2026.
Which is more popular, Panels or Smart Comic Reader?
Panels currently peaks at #184 in the App Store charts, and Smart Comic Reader at #72. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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