# SideBooks vs WebToon Reader

The clearest difference is ads: SideBooks at none against WebToon Reader's shown. SideBooks also leads on update cadence (every 9 days vs every 3 weeks) and ratings volume (97 vs 29). WebToon Reader's advantage is review sentiment (88% vs 74%). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SideBooks sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and WebToon Reader sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

SideBooks holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 97 and 29 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 74% of SideBooks's written reviews are positive against 88% of WebToon Reader's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

SideBooks ships an update every 9 days, WebToon Reader every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SideBooks | WebToon Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (97 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sidebooks/id409777225/reviews)** | [4.4 (29 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/webtoon-reader-webcomic-file/id1493951523/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **97** | 29 |
| Positive reviews | 73.7% of reviews | **87.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 32 MB | 94 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Tatsumi-system Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/409777230) | [kim juyoung](https://appshunter.io/developer/918406157) |

## What reviewers say

### SideBooks

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sidebooks/id409777225)

This app offers a high-performance PDF and comic viewer with realistic paper-turning animations. It supports various viewing directions, enhanced bookshelf management, and secure password protection for your documents. Easily import files from multiple sources and enjoy a customizable reading experience.

**Highlights:** Realistic paper curl animation, Multiple viewing directions, Enhanced bookshelf management, Password protection, Dropbox and iTunes file import, Supports PDF, ZIP, CBZ, RAR, CBR

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Thema extension Add-On | $0.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth page turning
- 📚 Great for reading comics and manga
- 🗂️ Excellent folder organization
- 🔍 Useful search and table of contents features
- 💻 Seamless Dropbox integration

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes when loading large files
- 🚫 Limited file format support (no CBZ/CBR)
- 🔍 Difficult to find and delete books
- 🔒 Requires Dropbox access, no local file support
- 🔍 Small thumbnail size makes it hard to browse

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when opening certain PDF files
- Corrupted files cause repeated crashes
- Dropbox integration issues on some devices

**Requested features**

- Add support for ePub and other popular formats
- Implement iCloud/Google Drive integration
- Allow manual rearrangement of bookshelf
- Add dark mode and customizable background options
- Improve bookmark and annotation features


### WebToon Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/webtoon-reader-webcomic-file/id1493951523)

View your favorite webtoons and manga files with a simple, optimized reader. Supports a wide range of compressed file formats and PDFs, with easy file import from cloud services and PC.

**Highlights:** Horizontal scrolling for webtoon feel, Supports CBR, CBZ, CB7, ZIP, RAR, 7Z, PDF file support, Import from cloud services (iCloud, Google Drive, Dropbox), Upload via PC web browser (WIFI), App and file lock functions

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| WebToon Reader Remove Ads | $1.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SideBooks free?

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

### Is WebToon Reader free?

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

### Which has better reviews, SideBooks or WebToon Reader?

SideBooks is rated higher. SideBooks averages 4.6 out of 5 from 97 ratings, while WebToon Reader averages 4.4 from 29 ratings.

### Do SideBooks or WebToon Reader have ads?

WebToon Reader shows ads; SideBooks does not.

### Which is updated more often, SideBooks or WebToon Reader?

SideBooks ships an update every 9 days, and WebToon Reader every 3 weeks. Most recently, SideBooks was updated on October 13, 2026 and WebToon Reader on October 11, 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.*