# Midtown Comics vs Panels

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Midtown Comics at none against Panels's 5. Midtown Comics also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). Panels's advantage is rating (4.8 vs 4.4) and update cadence (every 8 days vs every 2 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Panels sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month. Midtown Comics asks for nothing beyond the download.

Panels holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Panels has 12K ratings behind it against 1.4K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 52% of Midtown Comics's written reviews are positive against 70% of Panels's.

Midtown Comics ships an update every 2 months, Panels every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Midtown Comics | Panels |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (1.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/midtown-comics/id501127099/reviews) | **[4.8 (12K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/panels-comic-reader/id1236567663/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1.4K | **12K** |
| Positive reviews | 52.3% of reviews | **70.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#196** |
| Size | 108 MB | 165 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Midtown Comics Online Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/501127102) | [Produkt Studio](https://appshunter.io/developer/1236567662) |

## What reviewers say

### Midtown Comics

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/midtown-comics/id501127099)

Shop for comics, graphic novels, collectibles, apparel, and more from a legendary pop culture destination. Manage your pull list, sync your cart, and discover new releases and unique finds from anywhere in the world.

**Highlights:** Shop new releases and back issues, Browse collectibles, apparel, and action figures, Manage pull list subscriptions, Sync cart between app and website, Discover pop culture finds

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Awesome changes
- 👍 Great app
- 👍 Amazing App!
- 👍 Cool updates and easy to use!
- 👍 Awesome update makes shopping smooth and simple

**What reviewers complain about**

- ⚠️ Warning based on my experience
- 🐛 Can't login, just use website I guess
- ⚠️ Scam Coupons
- 🐛 Cannot login on app
- 🤔 I miss the old version already. Why can't I empty the cart?

**Reported bugs**

- Login screen freezes
- Incompatible with older devices
- Cannot choose shipping method
- Cover previews don't load
- Cannot log in

**Requested features**

- Pull list option
- Dark mode option
- Advanced analytics dashboard


### Panels

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/panels-comic-reader/id1236567663)

**Currently charting:** #196 Top Free · Book (US App Store)

Enhance your comic and manga reading with a clean, customizable interface. Enjoy universal file compatibility, cross-device syncing, and advanced reading presets. Organize your library, secure your content, and import from various cloud services and local networks.

**Highlights:** Universal file compatibility (CBR, CBZ, PDF, ePUB), Cross-device reading progress sync, iCloud Drive integration, Customizable reading presets, Right-to-left reading for manga, OPDS server support, Content security with password/Face ID

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Panels+ Monthly | $1.49 | per month |
| Panels+ Yearly | $14.99 | per year |
| Panels 3 Upgrade | $9.99 | one-time |
| Panels 2 | $19.99 | one-time |
| Panels 3 | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth and responsive
- 👍 Clean and modern UI
- 💡 Useful features like panel view and vertical scrolling
- 🔒 No ads in paid version
- 👍 Good import and organization options

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 🔒 Useful features locked behind paywall
- 🔒 Subscription model instead of one-time purchase
- 🐛 Issues with page navigation and zoom
- 🐛 Problems with reading right-to-left content

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when opening large files
- Issues with page order and navigation
- Problems with zooming and scrolling
- Syncing and importing bugs
- Compatibility issues with older devices

**Requested features**

- Ability to create sub-folders and nested collections
- Automatic sorting and organization of comics
- Option to lock reading direction
- Double-tap to zoom functionality
- Progress tracking and bookmarking features


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Midtown Comics free?

Midtown Comics is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Panels free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Midtown Comics or Panels?

Panels is rated higher. Midtown Comics averages 4.4 out of 5 from 1.4K ratings, while Panels averages 4.8 from 12K ratings.

### Do Midtown Comics or Panels have ads?

Neither Midtown Comics nor Panels shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Midtown Comics or Panels?

Midtown Comics ships an update every 2 months, and Panels every 8 days. Most recently, Midtown Comics was updated on September 23, 2026 and Panels on September 25, 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.*