# Panels vs Cosmic Horror Monthly

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Panels at 13K against Cosmic Horror Monthly's 1. Panels also leads on review sentiment (70% vs 50%) and chart position (#168 vs unranked). Cosmic Horror Monthly's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs every 8 days) and rating (5.0 vs 4.8). On price, ads, 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 Cosmic Horror Monthly sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Cosmic Horror Monthly holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Panels has 13K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 70% of Panels's written reviews are positive against 50% of Cosmic Horror Monthly's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Panels ships an update every 8 days, Cosmic Horror Monthly every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Panels | Cosmic Horror Monthly |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (13K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/panels-comic-reader/id1236567663/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cosmic-horror-monthly/id6463258514/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **13K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | **70.3% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 8 days | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#168** | — |
| Size | 166 MB | 90 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.2 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Produkt Studio](https://appshunter.io/developer/1236567662) | [Cosmic Horror Monthly](https://appshunter.io/developer/1704195812) |

## What reviewers say

### Panels

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

**Currently charting:** #168 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


### Cosmic Horror Monthly

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cosmic-horror-monthly/id6463258514)

Access original fiction and art from a monthly horror magazine. Manage your print and digital subscriptions and receive instant notifications for new issues. Dive into a world of terror with this dedicated mobile experience.

**Highlights:** Original fiction and art, Subscription management, New issue notifications, Digital and print options, Mobile reading experience

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| CHM Digital Premium - Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| CHM Digital Premium - Yearly | $24.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Panels free?

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

### Is Cosmic Horror Monthly free?

Cosmic Horror Monthly is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Panels or Cosmic Horror Monthly?

Cosmic Horror Monthly is rated higher. Panels averages 4.8 out of 5 from 13K ratings, while Cosmic Horror Monthly averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Panels or Cosmic Horror Monthly have ads?

Neither Panels nor Cosmic Horror Monthly shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Panels or Cosmic Horror Monthly?

Panels ships an update every 8 days, and Cosmic Horror Monthly every 3 days. Most recently, Panels was updated on October 15, 2026 and Cosmic Horror Monthly on October 10, 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.*