# Panels vs Shiori Reader

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Shiori Reader at none against Panels's 5. Shiori Reader also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 70%). Panels's advantage is ratings volume (13K vs 14) and chart position (#169 vs unranked). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Panels sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month. Shiori Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Panels against 4.7 for Shiori Reader. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Panels has 13K ratings behind it against 14, 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 100% of Shiori Reader's.

Panels ships an update every 8 days, Shiori Reader weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Panels | Shiori Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (13K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/panels-comic-reader/id1236567663/reviews)** | [4.7 (14 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shiori-reader/id6744979827/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **13K** | 14 |
| Positive reviews | 70.3% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 8 days | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#169** | — |
| Size | 166 MB | 310 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Produkt Studio](https://appshunter.io/developer/1236567662) | [Clint Russell Graviet Jr](https://appshunter.io/developer/1810290576) |

## What reviewers say

### Panels

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

**Currently charting:** #169 Top Free · Book, #197 Top Grossing · 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


### Shiori Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shiori-reader/id6744979827)

This EPUB reader is designed for Japanese language learners. It offers one-tap dictionary lookups, vocabulary saving, and Anki integration to help users expand their Japanese vocabulary and improve reading comprehension.

**Highlights:** One-tap dictionary lookup, Yomitan dictionary import, Seamless EPUB reading, Vocabulary list saving, Anki integration, Context-aware learning, Smart Japanese text support

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Panels free?

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

### Is Shiori Reader free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Panels or Shiori Reader?

Panels is rated higher. Panels averages 4.8 out of 5 from 13K ratings, while Shiori Reader averages 4.7 from 14 ratings.

### Do Panels or Shiori Reader have ads?

Neither Panels nor Shiori Reader shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Panels or Shiori Reader?

Panels ships an update every 8 days, and Shiori Reader weekly. Most recently, Panels was updated on October 15, 2026 and Shiori Reader on October 2, 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.*