# The Comic Book Reader vs Longbox

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Longbox at 100% against The Comic Book Reader's 0%. Longbox also leads on rating (4.0 vs 1.0) and update cadence (every 3 days vs every 2 weeks). The Comic Book Reader's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.5). On price, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Longbox sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. The Comic Book Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.

Longbox holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 1.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 4 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of The Comic Book Reader's written reviews are positive against 100% of Longbox's.

The Comic Book Reader ships an update every 2 weeks, Longbox every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Comic Book Reader | Longbox |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [1.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-comic-book-reader/id1434459858/reviews) | **[4.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/longbox-comic-reader/id6794874811/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **4** |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 40 MB | 74 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 15.5 |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Dennis Mueller](https://appshunter.io/developer/1147985491) | [NOAH REILLEY BEARUP](https://appshunter.io/developer/6794875113) |

## What reviewers say

### The Comic Book Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-comic-book-reader/id1434459858)

Organize and read your digital comic book collection with custom-designed bookshelves. Import comics and other items, then arrange them freely with a drag-and-drop system. Customize the appearance of your shelves and individual items for a personalized reading experience.

**Highlights:** Custom digital bookshelves, Drag-and-drop item placement, Template editor for customization, Supports PDF, CBZ, ZIP files, Organize with built-in file browser, Import via Drag&Drop or iTunes

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Longbox

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/longbox-comic-reader/id6794874811)

This app allows you to read your existing comic book files, including CBZ, CBR, and PDF formats, directly on your device. It offers various reading modes, library management, and offline access to your collection. Premium features unlock server connections, cloud browsing, and advanced reading tools.

**Highlights:** Reads CBZ, CBR, and PDF files, Offline reading support, Customizable reading modes (fit to width/height, two-page view), Right-to-left reading for manga, Library management with search and favorites, Optional cloud server integration, EPUB novel support

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Longbox Premium Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Longbox Premium Yearly | $14.99 | per year |
| Longbox Premium Lifetime | $24.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Comic Book Reader free?

The Comic Book Reader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Longbox free?

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

### Which has better reviews, The Comic Book Reader or Longbox?

Longbox is rated higher. The Comic Book Reader averages 1.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Longbox averages 4.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do The Comic Book Reader or Longbox have ads?

Neither The Comic Book Reader nor Longbox shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, The Comic Book Reader or Longbox?

The Comic Book Reader ships an update every 2 weeks, and Longbox every 3 days. Most recently, The Comic Book Reader was updated on November 2, 2026 and Longbox on October 31, 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.*