Comparison

SideBooks vs ColourComics

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

SideBooks

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
Read full description

SideBooks is a high performance, high speed PDF viewer that allows you to enjoy reading with the feel of actual paper. =Features= Curl animation that simulates the actual turning of paper pages has been added to the standard page slide function. Supports viewing from 3 directions, documents that open left to right, right to left and vertically. It provides the optimal environment for viewing any book. All zoom rates have been optimized providing high speed, dynamic screen display. An infinite hierarchy of folders can be created, moved, deleted, renamed, etc. using the enhanced bookshelf management function. Real visual bookshelf function that corresponds to back cover style display. Files can be imported by 3 methods, Network transfer through Dropbox, USB transfer through iTunes and direct transfer from other applications. Books can be protected so others cannot view them by using the password protected locking function. This is a universal application that operates on the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. =Functions= Overall: *Brightness Adjustment *Screen rotates to match the orientation of the device *Screen Rotation Lock *Password Protected Start-up Lock Viewer: *Support PDF,ZIP,CBZ,RAR and CBR format *Page Turning: Choose from slide or curl *Viewing Directions: Choose from opening left to right / right to left / vertically *Page Spacing: Choose form wide / narrow / none *Facing Pages: Choose the pair of facing pages by setting the cover to on or off *Trim function within the range of page display *Cache pre-read function for the previous and next pages *Set the display for each book and remember the page number of the last page read *Text search function (list display type) *Contents function (also supports hierarchy type) *Bookmark function (with editable memos) *Edit handwritten notes *Send to other applications (Open-In) *Send by email *Printing function (Air Print) *In-page link function *Link to outside URL function (built-in browser / Safari / Printing) *Display / Don't Display link buttons *Page turning function using tap or swipe *Expansion / Contraction function using pinch and double tap (1-1024x zoom) *Viewing of encrypted PDF files with password protection *Display / non-display of statusbar when reading Bookshelf: *Display form: Choose form list bookshelf / visual bookshelf *Function to set theme of visual bookshelf with each folder *Bookshelf thema extension pack (Add-On) *Cover editing function (corresponds to the trim) *File editing function: create, move, delete, setting for all books in folder *Bookmark list *Reading history list *Unread list *Edit of mark choose form already read / unread *Book name search function *Network transfer through Dropbox *USB transfer through iTunes *Direct transfer from other applications Special thanks to, "Give My Regards to Black Jack" SHUHO SATO Manga on Web http://mangaonweb.com

About

ColourComics

A comic book viewer that supports .cbr, .cbz, and .pdf file formats. It offers features like full text title search, saved searches, and automatic bookmarks for an organized reading experience.

Highlights
  • Supports .cbr, .cbz, and .pdf formats
  • Full text title search
  • Saved searches
  • Large icon previews
  • Automatic bookmarks
  • Large icon scrolling index
Features
Read full description

ColourComics is a comic book viewer application supporting .cbr, cbz and .pdf file formats. Additional features include full text title search, saved searches, large icon previews, automatic bookmarks and large icon scrolling index.

Screenshots

SideBooks4 screens
ColourComics2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: SideBooks at 4.6 against ColourComics's 4.0. SideBooks also leads on update cadence (every 9 days vs every 9 months) and ratings volume (97 vs 1). ColourComics's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1). On price, review sentiment, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. SideBooks sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. ColourComics asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

SideBooks holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SideBooks has 97 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 72% of SideBooks's written reviews are positive against 80% of ColourComics's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SideBooks ships an update every 9 days, ColourComics every 9 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and June 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
SideBooks versus ColourComics: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSideBooksColourComics
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (97 ratings) — better4.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews72.4% of reviews80.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings97 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 9 days — betterEvery 9 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS9.0 — better12.0
Further details — not scored
Size32 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTatsumi-system Co., Ltd.LitanySoft

Customer experience

SideBooks

All ratings97 ratings
Positive92.8%
Neutral2.1%
Negative5.2%
Written reviews243 reviews
Positive72.4%
Neutral7.8%
Negative19.8%

ColourComics

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive80.0%
Neutral20.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

SideBooks

Reported bugs

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

Requested features

6 requests
  • 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
Show 1 more
  • Implement a more intuitive file management system

ColourComics

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

SideBooks

One-time1
  • Thema extension Add-On$0.99
None

ColourComics

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is SideBooks free?
SideBooks is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is ColourComics free?
ColourComics is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, SideBooks or ColourComics?
SideBooks is rated higher. SideBooks averages 4.6 out of 5 from 97 ratings, while ColourComics averages 4.0 from 1 ratings.
Do SideBooks or ColourComics have ads?
Neither SideBooks nor ColourComics shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SideBooks or ColourComics?
SideBooks ships an update every 9 days, and ColourComics every 9 months. Most recently, SideBooks was updated on September 25, 2026 and ColourComics on June 5, 2026.

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