Comparison

Panels vs Comic Garden

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
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

Comic Garden

A social platform for comic enthusiasts. Creators can upload and organize their work, while readers can discover new comics, follow artists, and interact with content. Offers a premium subscription for access to exclusive comics.

Highlights
  • Upload comic panels, pages, and strips
  • Organize work into series by issue and page
  • Edit and replace uploaded artwork
  • Create character profiles
  • Discover comics, series, and creators
  • Follow creators and save posts
  • Interact via likes, comments, and messages
Features
Read full description

Comic Garden is a social platform for comic creators and readers. For creators, upload your comic panels, pages, issues, and strips. Organize your work into series sorted by issue, page, and panel number—even when uploads arrive out of order. Edit and replace uploaded panel artwork as your series evolves. Create character profile pages with biographies and artwork. Creator Hub also gives you a referral code you can share with readers. For readers, discover comics, series, creators, and characters. Browse creator profiles, follow creators, save posts, and interact through likes, comments, and messages. Search the library, then stay connected with notifications. The Library Card subscription unlocks premium comics across the library through Apple In-App Purchase. Manage or restore your subscription from the Library Card screen. Comic Garden is a home for sequential art and the worlds built around it. Terms of Use (EULA): https://comicgarden.xyz/terms Privacy Policy: https://comicgarden.xyz/privacy

Screenshots

Panels4 screens
Comic Garden4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Panels at 13K against Comic Garden's 1. Panels also leads on chart position (#146 vs unranked) and update cadence (every 9 days vs every 3 weeks). Comic Garden's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.8). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

Both are free to download. Panels sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month and Comic Garden sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Comic Garden 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.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Panels ships an update every 9 days, Comic Garden every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
Panels versus Comic Garden: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPanelsComic Garden
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (13K ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews70.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings13K — better1
Update frequencyEvery 9 days — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#146 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size166 MB64 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperProdukt StudioCHRISTIAN JOSHUA VELASQUEZ ZAVALA

Customer experience

Panels

All ratings12,574 ratings
Positive95.5%
Neutral1.8%
Negative2.7%
Written reviews1,139 reviews
Positive70.3%
Neutral9.5%
Negative20.2%

Comic Garden

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

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

Comic Garden

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

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
1 purchases

Comic Garden

Subscriptions1
  • Library Card$4.991 Month

Questions

Is Panels free?
Panels is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Comic Garden free?
Comic Garden is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Panels or Comic Garden?
Comic Garden is rated higher. Panels averages 4.8 out of 5 from 13K ratings, while Comic Garden averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Panels or Comic Garden have ads?
Neither Panels nor Comic Garden shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Panels or Comic Garden?
Panels ships an update every 9 days, and Comic Garden every 3 weeks. Most recently, Panels was updated on October 30, 2026 and Comic Garden on October 25, 2026.

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