# SideBooks vs Comic Reader CBR, CBZ & PDF

SideBooks and Comic Reader CBR, CBZ & PDF both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 87% of Comic Reader CBR, CBZ & PDF's written reviews are positive against 74% of SideBooks's. SideBooks's advantage is iOS requirement (9.0 vs 16.4). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SideBooks sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Comic Reader CBR, CBZ & PDF sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for SideBooks against 4.5 for Comic Reader CBR, CBZ & PDF. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 97 and 36 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 74% of SideBooks's written reviews are positive against 87% of Comic Reader CBR, CBZ & PDF's.

SideBooks ships an update every 9 days, Comic Reader CBR, CBZ & PDF fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SideBooks | Comic Reader CBR, CBZ & PDF |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (97 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sidebooks/id409777225/reviews)** | [4.5 (36 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/comic-reader-cbr-cbz-and-pdf/id6504741382/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **97** | 36 |
| Positive reviews | 73.7% of reviews | **87.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 32 MB | 96 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Tatsumi-system Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/409777230) | [Alexandre Guidet](https://appshunter.io/developer/1508644490) |

## 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


### Comic Reader CBR, CBZ & PDF

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/comic-reader-cbr-cbz-and-pdf/id6504741382)

This app allows users to read comic books in CBR, CBZ, and PDF formats. It offers features like smart library organization, automatic progress saving, and an ad-free experience. Premium features include unlimited imports and custom collections.

**Highlights:** Supports CBR, CBZ, and PDF formats, Import from local storage/USB, Automatic reading progress saving, Customizable comic collections, Ad-free reading experience, Eye comfort mode (blue light filter)

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

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly subscription | $1.99 | per month |
| Monthly Subscription | $2.99 | per month |
| Monthly subscription sale | $4.99 | per month |
| Monthly subscription | $4.99 | per month |
| Yearly subscription | $12.99 | per year |
| Lifetime | $17.99 | per year |
| Yearly subscription | $29.99 | per year |
| Yearly subscription sale | $29.99 | per year |
| Lifetime | $22.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime | $34.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Premium | $69.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SideBooks free?

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

### Is Comic Reader CBR, CBZ & PDF free?

Comic Reader CBR, CBZ & PDF is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, SideBooks or Comic Reader CBR, CBZ & PDF?

SideBooks is rated higher. SideBooks averages 4.6 out of 5 from 97 ratings, while Comic Reader CBR, CBZ & PDF averages 4.5 from 36 ratings.

### Do SideBooks or Comic Reader CBR, CBZ & PDF have ads?

Neither SideBooks nor Comic Reader CBR, CBZ & PDF shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SideBooks or Comic Reader CBR, CBZ & PDF?

SideBooks ships an update every 9 days, and Comic Reader CBR, CBZ & PDF fortnightly. Most recently, SideBooks was updated on October 15, 2026 and Comic Reader CBR, CBZ & PDF on October 13, 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.*