# Panels vs 8Round

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Panels at 13K against 8Round's 9. Panels also leads on update cadence (every 9 days vs monthly) and rating (4.8 vs 4.6). 8Round's advantage is review sentiment (80% vs 70%). 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 8Round sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $8.00 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Panels holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Panels has 13K ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 70% of Panels's written reviews are positive against 80% of 8Round's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Panels ships an update every 9 days, 8Round monthly. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Panels | 8Round |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (13K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/panels-comic-reader/id1236567663/reviews)** | [4.6 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/8round/id6753179517/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **13K** | 9 |
| Positive reviews | 70.3% of reviews | **80.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#119** | — |
| Size | 166 MB | 7 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 18.5 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Produkt Studio](https://appshunter.io/developer/1236567662) | [8 Round LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1842887047) |

## What reviewers say

### Panels

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

**Currently charting:** #119 Top Free · Book, #156 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


### 8Round

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/8round/id6753179517)

Access a vast digital library of tattoo reference books from leading artists. Discover flash, stencils, sketches, and line drawings with features like zoom, print, and download. Find inspiration for your next design efficiently.

**Highlights:** Digital reference imagery books, Flash, stencils, paintings, sketches, Line drawing books, Pinch zoom, Print and download options, Bookmarks page, Searchable reference materials

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 8Round Monthly subscription | $8.00 | per month |
| Chris Fernandez Lines (vol.1) | $10.00 | one-time |
| Armando Montero Sketchbook (vol.1) | $10.00 | one-time |
| Jason Ochoa Sketchbook (vol.1) | $10.00 | one-time |
| Boxcar Sketchbook (vol.1) | $10.00 | one-time |
| Steve Byrne Sketchbook (vol.1) | $10.00 | one-time |
| Zach Nelligan Lines (vol.1) | $10.00 | one-time |
| Javier Betancourt Sketchbook(vol.1) | $10.00 | one-time |
| Carlos Truan Sketchbook (vol.1) | $10.00 | one-time |
| Boxcar Faded Fantasies | $10.00 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Panels free?

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

### Is 8Round free?

8Round is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Panels or 8Round?

Panels is rated higher. Panels averages 4.8 out of 5 from 13K ratings, while 8Round averages 4.6 from 9 ratings.

### Do Panels or 8Round have ads?

Neither Panels nor 8Round shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Panels or 8Round?

Panels ships an update every 9 days, and 8Round monthly. Most recently, Panels was updated on October 24, 2026 and 8Round on October 24, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*