# DrawnStrips vs ShelfStream

The clearest difference is review sentiment: ShelfStream at 100% against DrawnStrips's 47%. ShelfStream also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.3) and update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks). DrawnStrips's advantage is device support (4 vs 2). On price, ratings volume, 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 ShelfStream sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.49 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ShelfStream holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 2 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 47% of DrawnStrips's written reviews are positive against 100% of ShelfStream's.

DrawnStrips ships an update every 3 weeks, ShelfStream weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 19, 2026 and September 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | DrawnStrips | ShelfStream |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drawnstrips-comic-reader/id473092872/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shelfstream-comic-reader/id6757660174/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **3** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 47.1% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 24 MB | 19 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **17.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Fabrice Leyne](https://appshunter.io/developer/473092875) | [株式会社リモシア](https://appshunter.io/developer/1639657831) |

## 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


### ShelfStream

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shelfstream-comic-reader/id6757660174)

This app is a powerful comic and manga viewer that supports a wide range of file formats and cloud storage services. It offers a premium reading experience with intelligent prefetching and multiple viewing modes, along with easy library management.

**Highlights:** Cloud storage integration (iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive, Box), NAS and server connection (SMB, WebDAV, FTP/SFTP), Zero load time prefetching, Multiple reading modes (single, spread, vertical scroll), Support for ZIP, CBZ, RAR, CBR, PDF, 7z, Library organization and bookmarks

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Plan | $0.49 | per month |
| Yearly Plan | $5.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is DrawnStrips free?

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

### Is ShelfStream free?

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

### Which has better reviews, DrawnStrips or ShelfStream?

ShelfStream is rated higher. DrawnStrips averages 4.3 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while ShelfStream averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do DrawnStrips or ShelfStream have ads?

Neither DrawnStrips nor ShelfStream shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, DrawnStrips or ShelfStream?

DrawnStrips ships an update every 3 weeks, and ShelfStream weekly. Most recently, DrawnStrips was updated on September 19, 2026 and ShelfStream on September 15, 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.*