# DrawnStrips vs Comic Reader CBR, CBZ & PDF

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Comic Reader CBR, CBZ & PDF at 87% against DrawnStrips's 47%. Comic Reader CBR, CBZ & PDF also leads on rating (4.5 vs 4.3) and ratings volume (36 vs 3). DrawnStrips's advantage is device support (4 vs 2). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. DrawnStrips sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month 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.

Comic Reader CBR, CBZ & PDF holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Comic Reader CBR, CBZ & PDF has 36 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 47% of DrawnStrips's written reviews are positive against 87% of Comic Reader CBR, CBZ & PDF's.

DrawnStrips ships an update every 3 weeks, Comic Reader CBR, CBZ & PDF fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 19, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | DrawnStrips | Comic Reader CBR, CBZ & PDF |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drawnstrips-comic-reader/id473092872/reviews) | **[4.5 (36 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/comic-reader-cbr-cbz-and-pdf/id6504741382/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 3 | **36** |
| Positive reviews | 47.1% of reviews | **87.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 24 MB | 96 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **16.4** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Fabrice Leyne](https://appshunter.io/developer/473092875) | [Alexandre Guidet](https://appshunter.io/developer/1508644490) |

## What reviewers say

### DrawnStrips

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drawnstrips-comic-reader/id473092872)

Experience comics and manga with a fast, elegant reader designed for immersive and customizable reading on iPhone and iPad. Supports a wide range of formats and offers flexible navigation and live image enhancements.

**Highlights:** Universal format support (CBR, CBZ, PDF, EPUB, etc.), OPDS server access, Smooth iOS performance with native gestures, Flexible navigation for various reading styles, Live image enhancements, Built-in conversion tools, Customizable shortcuts and themes

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $1.99 | per month |
| Yearly Subscription | $7.99 | per year |
| Lifetime License | $14.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and clean interface
- 👍 Good for reading comics/manga
- 👍 Supports various formats (CBZ, PDF)
- 👍 Good integration with Apple APIs
- 👍 Polished, minimalistic feel

**What reviewers complain about**

- 😞 Subscription required for basic use
- 😞 App closes if subscription not selected
- 😞 Paywall for settings
- 😞 Crashes frequently
- 😞 Slow performance

**Reported bugs**

- App closes if subscription not selected
- Paywall for settings
- App crashes immediately upon opening
- Cannot download or install on Mac Sequoia
- Incapable of opening some CBR files without crashing

**Requested features**

- Add Apple Vision Pro support
- Continuous vertical scrolling support
- Remember last window size and position
- Left mouse click to forward, right click to backward
- Integration with iBooks


### 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 DrawnStrips free?

DrawnStrips 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, DrawnStrips or Comic Reader CBR, CBZ & PDF?

Comic Reader CBR, CBZ & PDF is rated higher. DrawnStrips averages 4.3 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Comic Reader CBR, CBZ & PDF averages 4.5 from 36 ratings.

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

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

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

DrawnStrips ships an update every 3 weeks, and Comic Reader CBR, CBZ & PDF fortnightly. Most recently, DrawnStrips was updated on September 19, 2026 and Comic Reader CBR, CBZ & PDF on September 22, 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.*