# SideBooks vs Chunky Comic Reader

The clearest difference is rating: SideBooks at 4.6 against Chunky Comic Reader's 4.2. SideBooks also leads on update cadence (every 9 days vs every 2 months) and review sentiment (74% vs 64%). Chunky Comic Reader's advantage is ratings volume (485 vs 97). On price, ads, 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 Chunky Comic Reader sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

SideBooks holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chunky Comic Reader has 485 ratings behind it against 97, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 74% of SideBooks's written reviews are positive against 64% of Chunky Comic Reader's.

SideBooks ships an update every 9 days, Chunky Comic Reader every 2 months. Both last shipped on October 10, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | SideBooks | Chunky Comic Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (97 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sidebooks/id409777225/reviews)** | [4.2 (485 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chunky-comic-reader/id663567628/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 97 | **485** |
| Positive reviews | **73.7% of reviews** | 64.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 32 MB | 26 MB |
| Requires iOS | 9.0 | 9.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Tatsumi-system Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/409777230) | [Michael Ferenduros](https://appshunter.io/developer/650613081) |

## 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


### Chunky Comic Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chunky-comic-reader/id663567628)

Effortlessly manage and read your digital comic collection with smart upscaling and auto-enhancement features. Organize your library, download comics from various cloud services, and enjoy a seamless reading experience.

**Highlights:** Smart upscaling for low-res comics, Auto contrast/tint correction, Self-organizing library, Background downloading from cloud, Parental controls, Single/two-up page view, Right-to-left reading mode

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Generous Tip | $0.99 | one-time |
| Super-Generous Tip | $2.99 | one-time |
| Pro Upgrade | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Fast and smooth performance
- 💡 Great organization and sorting options
- 🔒 Secure and ad-free
- 👍 Excellent comic reading experience

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and crashes
- 🐛 Syncing and connectivity issues
- 🐛 Compatibility problems with newer devices
- 🐛 Lost reading progress
- 🐛 Unreliable file management

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when opening large files
- Inability to import comics
- Dropbox and OneDrive integration broken
- Deleted comics not freeing up storage
- Slow performance on newer iPads

**Requested features**

- Vertical scrolling for webtoons
- Metadata editing capabilities
- Nested folder organization
- Keyboard controls
- Night mode/dark theme


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SideBooks free?

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

### Is Chunky Comic Reader free?

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

### Which has better reviews, SideBooks or Chunky Comic Reader?

SideBooks is rated higher. SideBooks averages 4.6 out of 5 from 97 ratings, while Chunky Comic Reader averages 4.2 from 485 ratings.

### Do SideBooks or Chunky Comic Reader have ads?

Neither SideBooks nor Chunky Comic Reader shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SideBooks or Chunky Comic Reader?

SideBooks ships an update every 9 days, and Chunky Comic Reader every 2 months. Most recently, SideBooks was updated on October 10, 2026 and Chunky Comic Reader on October 10, 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.*