# Manga UP! vs Reading Journal

The clearest difference is ads: Reading Journal at none against Manga UP!'s shown. Reading Journal also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs every 4 weeks). Manga UP!'s advantage is chart position (#68 vs unranked). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Manga UP! sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Reading Journal sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Manga UP! ships an update every 4 weeks, Reading Journal every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on November 12, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Manga UP! | Reading Journal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (2.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/manga-up/id1623721894/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **2.6K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 30.4% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Best chart rank | **#68** | — |
| Size | 22 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [SQUARE ENIX Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/300186801) | [Ryosuke Igarashi](https://appshunter.io/developer/6781130241) |

## What reviewers say

### Manga UP!

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/manga-up/id1623721894)

**Currently charting:** #68 Top Grossing · Book, #127 Top Free · Book (US App Store)

Access a vast library of manga, including popular titles and new releases, with daily free chapters. A premium subscription unlocks thousands more, offering the latest content as it's released in Japan. Discover diverse genres and support creators through the official publisher app.

**Highlights:** Daily free chapter unlocks, Premium subscription for full access, Latest chapters same day as Japan, Over 400 manga series, Supports creators and publishers, Discover new and hidden gems

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Vault Pass | $4.99 | per month |
| Vault Pass | $6.99 | per month |
| 160 Coin (First Time Only) | $0.99 | one-time |
| 160 Coin | $0.99 | one-time |
| 650 Coin | $3.99 | one-time |
| 1200 Coin | $7.99 | one-time |
| 2600 Coin | $15.99 | one-time |
| 3900 Coin | $23.99 | one-time |
| 5000 Coin | $31.99 | one-time |
| 6400 Coin | $39.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Lots of new titles
- 👍 Good price for subscription
- 😊 Enjoyable reading experience

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Confusing currency system
- 🔒 Aggressive censorship
- ⏱️ Chapters split into multiple parts
- 🔒 Screenshots banned
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and loading issues

**Reported bugs**

- Login errors and account issues
- Chapters not loading properly
- Inconsistent app performance

**Requested features**

- Subscription-based model instead of microtransactions
- Ability to permanently own chapters
- Reduced censorship or option to view uncensored versions


### Reading Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reading-journal-readlog/id6781130239)

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ReadLog Premium (Monthly) | $2.99 | per month |
| ReadLog Premium (Yearly) | $19.99 | per year |
| ReadLog Pro (Lifetime) | $39.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Manga UP! free?

Manga UP! is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Reading Journal free?

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

### Do Manga UP! or Reading Journal have ads?

Manga UP! shows ads; Reading Journal does not.

### Which is updated more often, Manga UP! or Reading Journal?

Manga UP! ships an update every 4 weeks, and Reading Journal every 3 days. Most recently, Manga UP! was updated on November 12, 2026 and Reading Journal on November 10, 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.*