# UNKNOWN COMICS vs Shortboxed

UNKNOWN COMICS and Shortboxed both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 90% of Shortboxed's written reviews are positive against 31% of UNKNOWN COMICS's. Shortboxed also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 8 days vs every 5 months). UNKNOWN COMICS's advantage is monetization model (ad-supported vs free with in-app purchases) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, rating, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for UNKNOWN COMICS against 4.8 for Shortboxed. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 217 and 850 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 31% of UNKNOWN COMICS's written reviews are positive against 90% of Shortboxed's.

UNKNOWN COMICS ships an update every 5 months, Shortboxed every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | UNKNOWN COMICS | Shortboxed |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (217 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/unknown-comics/id1494092840/reviews) | **[4.8 (850 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shortboxed/id1497091986/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 217 | **850** |
| Positive reviews | 30.8% of reviews | **89.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 181 MB | 56 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Unknown Comics LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1666301612) | [Shortboxed LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1497091025) |

## What reviewers say

### UNKNOWN COMICS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/unknown-comics/id1494092840)

Discover and purchase exclusive comic books from a vast library of over 1000 titles. Find weekly comic book discounts and great deals on tabletop games.

**Highlights:** Exclusive comic book titles, Over 1000 books in library, Weekly comic book discounts, Tabletop game sales, Growing book selection

**In-app purchases:** none


### Shortboxed

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shortboxed/id1497091986)

This app is a trusted marketplace and auction platform for buying and selling comic books. It offers tools like a price guide, portfolio manager, and community resources to facilitate safe and easy transactions for collectors.

**Highlights:** Buy and sell raw or graded comic books, Quick and easy submission process, Customer support handled by the app, Fair market value data and sales history, Portfolio manager for inventory and personal collection, Free price guide with extensive sales data, Community content and resources

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy buying experience
- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly app
- 🔒 Secure and trustworthy platform
- 💡 Helpful features like price guides and census data
- 👍 Great customer service and responsive team

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional app crashes
- 💰 Shipping costs can be high
- 🤔 Sellers can cancel orders after winning bids

**Reported bugs**

- Network issues causing failed uploads
- Glitches with payment processing

**Requested features**

- Ability to ask sellers questions
- Separate page to view auctions bid on
- Cheaper shipping options
- Feedback/community section


## Frequently asked questions

### Is UNKNOWN COMICS free?

UNKNOWN COMICS is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Shortboxed free?

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

### Which has better reviews, UNKNOWN COMICS or Shortboxed?

Shortboxed is rated higher. UNKNOWN COMICS averages 4.7 out of 5 from 217 ratings, while Shortboxed averages 4.8 from 850 ratings.

### Do UNKNOWN COMICS or Shortboxed have ads?

UNKNOWN COMICS shows ads; Shortboxed does not.

### Which is updated more often, UNKNOWN COMICS or Shortboxed?

UNKNOWN COMICS ships an update every 5 months, and Shortboxed every 8 days. Most recently, UNKNOWN COMICS was updated on September 20, 2026 and Shortboxed on September 24, 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.*