Comparison

SideBooks vs ComicShare

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

ComicShare

This app is a versatile e-book reader that supports a wide range of file formats and cloud storage services. It allows users to view scanned comics and images directly from various servers without decompressing files, offering features like iCloud synchronization and image processing.

Highlights
  • Supports ZIP, RAR, EPUB, PDF, and image files
  • Connects to SMB, FTP, Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, Box, WebDAV, OPDS, SFTP, and Web servers
  • View archives without decompressing
  • iCloud synchronization for browsing history and bookmarks
  • Image processing and filters
  • Folder password protection
  • Touch and remote control customization
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

ComicShare is a High-function e-book reader. SMB, FTP, GoogleDrive, Dropbox, OneDrive(Business), Box, webDAV, OPDS, SFTP, Web(HTTP) support. zip(cbz), rar(cbr), 7zip(cb7), lzh(lha), tar(cbt), txt(rtf), epub, pdf support. This application allows you to view scanned comics on iPhone/iPod touch/iPad. You can easily transfer scanned images(ZIP,RAR,7ZIP,TAR,LZH,PDF) from your computer to your iPhone/iPod touch/iPad, and view (ZIP,RAR,7ZIP,TAR,LZH)-files without decompressing on the local FTP, SMB, GoogleDrive, OneDrive, Dropbox, Box, WebDAV, SFTP, Web server. If there is an server function, you can view images directly files stored NAS, Windows, the Mac, etc.. The iCloud feature, synchronization of browsing history, bookmark can be done in iPhone / iPod / iPad between different. ・ZIP(CBZ), RAR(CBR), 7ZIP(CB7), TAR(CBT), LZH(LHA), EPUB, pdf ・Supports image file jpg, png, apng, bmp webp, gif, avif, heic, jxl, tif, ico etc.... ・Supports txt, rtf ・Split view of facing pages ・Graph and ranking display ・History function ・Bookmark function(Number of pages you read to the end) ・Bookmark folder ・Spread view of a single page (width) (Scroll invalid) ・Cache browsing function ・Individual settings ・Cover-image display (thumbnail) ・Save-image (Photos) or copy (clipboard) ・Image processing(Filters, Margin trim, Rotation) ・Server Scan ・webDAV,HTTP server ・Customization of touch Settings ・Folder password function ・Synchronization of browsing history by iCloud ・Archive in archive read (only uncompressed file) ・Slide show ・Start-up path code ・Bookshelf / tile display ・Folder hierarchy display / move ・The page movement by sound ・Operation function by remote connection ・TouchID ・Bluetooth Keyboard ・Bookshelf zoom ・Camera roll ・Double tap swipe zoom ・Page move by the wink and smile ・Server of the file delete, rename, etc ・Web browsing and image download function ・PDF Reflow (This is a simple function, so pages that read vertically, have columns, or use a lot of images will have a disrupted layout.) etc... ※Screenshot  Title:Give My Regards to Black Jack  Author:SHUHO SATO
  Site Name:Manga on Web
  URL:http://mangaonweb.com ※"This product includes software developed by the OpenSSL Project for use in the OpenSSL Toolkit.(http://www.openssl.org/)"  This product includes cryptographic software written by Eric Young(eay@cryptsoft.com) ※Icons8 https://icons8.com

Screenshots

SideBooks4 screens
ComicShare3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: SideBooks at Free against ComicShare's $3.99. SideBooks also leads on update cadence (every 9 days vs every 4 weeks) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 12.0). ComicShare's advantage is review sentiment (85% vs 72%) and chart position (#101 vs unranked). On rating, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases 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

SideBooks is free to download; ComicShare costs $3.99 up front. SideBooks sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and ComicShare sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

SideBooks holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 97 and 47 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 72% of SideBooks's written reviews are positive against 85% of ComicShare'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, ComicShare every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
SideBooks versus ComicShare: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSideBooksComicShare
PriceFree — better$3.99
Rating4.6 (97 ratings) — better4.4 (47 ratings)
Positive reviews72.4% of reviews84.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings97 — better47
Update frequencyEvery 9 days — betterEvery 4 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank—#101 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS9.0 — better12.0
Further details — not scored
Size32 MB85 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperTatsumi-system Co., Ltd.yoshitaka haneda

Customer experience

SideBooks

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

ComicShare

All ratings47 ratings
Positive85.1%
Neutral8.5%
Negative6.4%
Written reviews118 reviews
Positive84.7%
Neutral7.6%
Negative7.6%

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

ComicShare

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

SideBooks

One-time1
  • Thema extension Add-On$0.99
4 purchases

ComicShare

One-time4
  • Donate 3$$2.99
  • Donate 6$$5.99
  • Donate 12$$11.99
Show 1 more
  • Donate 30$$29.99

Questions

Is SideBooks free?
SideBooks is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is ComicShare free?
ComicShare costs $3.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, SideBooks or ComicShare?
SideBooks is rated higher. SideBooks averages 4.6 out of 5 from 97 ratings, while ComicShare averages 4.4 from 47 ratings.
Do SideBooks or ComicShare have ads?
Neither SideBooks nor ComicShare shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SideBooks or ComicShare?
SideBooks ships an update every 9 days, and ComicShare every 4 weeks. Most recently, SideBooks was updated on September 23, 2026 and ComicShare on September 24, 2026.

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