# Paperback vs CBZ Manga Reader

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Paperback at none against CBZ Manga Reader's 1. Paperback also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. CBZ Manga Reader sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Paperback asks for nothing beyond the download.

Paperback ships an update every 2 weeks, CBZ Manga Reader every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Paperback | CBZ Manga Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (569 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paperback-comicmanga-reader/id1626613373/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **569** | — |
| Positive reviews | 53.5% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 33 MB | 78 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Faizan Durrani](https://appshunter.io/developer/1626613375) | [VYTAUTAS SAPRANAVICI](https://appshunter.io/developer/6785543225) |

## What reviewers say

### Paperback

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paperback-comicmanga-reader/id1626613373)

This app provides an ad-free reading experience for comics and manga from a Komga server. It offers extensive customization through a scripting API, allowing users to extend its functionality with TypeScript or JavaScript.

**Highlights:** Ad-free reading, Komga server support, TypeScript/JavaScript scripting API, Extensible functionality

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fantastic app with great features
- 👍 Clean and efficient UI
- 🔒 No ads or in-app purchases
- 🎨 Customizable themes and settings
- 📚 Wide range of manga/comics sources

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and stability issues
- 🔍 Confusing setup and onboarding process
- 🔄 Unreliable library sync and update features
- 🕰️ Slow download and loading speeds
- 📱 Compatibility problems on some devices

**Reported bugs**

- JSON token errors when interacting with server
- Inability to add/remove manga from library
- Disappearing navigation UI elements

**Requested features**

- Bookmark/resume reading feature
- Panel-by-panel/smart panel reading mode
- Sync reading progress across devices
- Better documentation and support resources


### CBZ Manga Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cbz-manga-reader/id6789862403)

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Paperback free?

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

### Is CBZ Manga Reader free?

CBZ Manga Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Paperback or CBZ Manga Reader have ads?

Neither Paperback nor CBZ Manga Reader shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Paperback or CBZ Manga Reader?

Paperback ships an update every 2 weeks, and CBZ Manga Reader every 9 days. Most recently, Paperback was updated on October 18, 2026 and CBZ Manga Reader on October 9, 2026.

---

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