# Panels vs Manga Reader ㅤ

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Panels at 70% against Manga Reader ㅤ's 13%. Panels also leads on ads (none vs shown) and rating (4.8 vs 4.5). On price, ratings volume, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Panels sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month and Manga Reader ㅤ sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 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 18K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 70% of Panels's written reviews are positive against 13% of Manga Reader ㅤ's.

Panels ships an update every 8 days, Manga Reader ㅤ monthly. Both last shipped on September 25, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Panels | Manga Reader ㅤ |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (12K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/panels-comic-reader/id1236567663/reviews)** | [4.5 (18K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/manga-reader/id1579203943/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 12K | **18K** |
| Positive reviews | **70.2% of reviews** | 13.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 8 days** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #170 | **#128** |
| Size | 165 MB | 69 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Produkt Studio](https://appshunter.io/developer/1236567662) | [Manga Reader Apps LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1776788975) |

## 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


### Manga Reader ㅤ

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/manga-reader/id1579203943)

**Currently charting:** #128 Top Grossing · Book, #154 Top Free · Book (US App Store)

Access a vast and ever-growing library of manga titles with seamless navigation and a smooth reading experience. Discover new stories, track your progress, and enjoy personalized recommendations. Download manga for offline reading and explore curated content.

**Highlights:** Massive manga catalog, New chapters added quickly, Fast and smooth reading, Personalized recommendations, Offline reading, Save favorites and progress

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

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Subscribe Monthly Lezardo | $4.99 | per month |
| Weekly Premium | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Manga Weekly | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Subscribe Weekly | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| Manga Weekly | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Manga Weekly | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Subscribe For 3 Months | $12.99 | per 3 months |
| Manga Monthly | $14.99 | per month |
| Subscribe Monthly | $19.99 | per month |
| Manga | $49.99 | per year |
| Manga Yearly | $49.99 | per year |
| Subscribe Yearly | $99.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Lots of manga options
- 👍 Clean and simple interface
- 🚀 Fast chapter loading

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Manga pages out of order
- 🐛 Chapters not loading properly
- 🔒 Paywall blocks content
- 🐛 Search function not working
- 🐛 Sync issues across devices

**Reported bugs**

- Blank pages when trying to read
- App crashes when switching chapters
- Disappearing search bar

**Requested features**

- Next chapter button
- Bookmark/resume reading feature
- More categories and sorting options
- Free trial period


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Panels free?

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

### Is Manga Reader ㅤ free?

Manga Reader ㅤ is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Panels or Manga Reader ㅤ?

Panels is rated higher. Panels averages 4.8 out of 5 from 12K ratings, while Manga Reader ㅤ averages 4.5 from 18K ratings.

### Do Panels or Manga Reader ㅤ have ads?

Manga Reader ㅤ shows ads; Panels does not.

### Which is updated more often, Panels or Manga Reader ㅤ?

Panels ships an update every 8 days, and Manga Reader ㅤ monthly. Most recently, Panels was updated on September 25, 2026 and Manga Reader ㅤ on September 25, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Panels or Manga Reader ㅤ?

Panels currently peaks at #170 in the App Store charts, and Manga Reader ㅤ at #128. 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.*