# iComix vs Paperback

The clearest difference is rating: Paperback at 4.3 against iComix's 3.2. Paperback also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (569 vs 57). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Paperback holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Paperback has 569 ratings behind it against 57, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 54% and 54% positive.

iComix ships an update every 2 months, Paperback every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | iComix | Paperback |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.2 (57 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/icomix/id524751752/reviews) | **[4.3 (569 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paperback-comicmanga-reader/id1626613373/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 57 | **569** |
| Positive reviews | **54.5% of reviews** | 53.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 11 MB | 33 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.1 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [SteveZ](https://appshunter.io/developer/339749328) | [Faizan Durrani](https://appshunter.io/developer/1626613375) |

## What reviewers say

### iComix

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/icomix/id524751752)

Read your digital comic collection in CBR and CBZ formats. Seamlessly access comics stored in cloud services like Dropbox, Google Drive, and OneDrive directly within the app. Import comics from other applications or via iTunes if you prefer.

**Highlights:** CBR/CBZ comic reader, Cloud support (Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, Box), In-app comic downloading, Import from other apps, iTunes file sharing

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 🚀 Great cloud integration
- 👍 Smooth reading experience
- 👍 Intuitive interface
- 👍 Minimal UI

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes frequently
- 🐛 Unreliable cloud sync
- 🐛 Buggy file management
- 🔒 Google Drive integration issues
- 🔒 OneDrive integration issues

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when opening certain comics
- Incorrect page order rendering
- Inconsistent cloud sync behavior
- Compatibility issues with iOS updates

**Requested features**

- Add iCloud Drive support
- Implement bookmarking/resume reading
- Allow renaming/reorganizing of comics
- Add manga/right-to-left reading mode
- Improve PDF support


### Paperback

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paperback-comicmanga-reader/id1626613373)

This app provides an ad-free reading experience for comics and manga from a Komga server. It offers extensive customization through a scripting API, allowing users to extend its functionality with TypeScript or JavaScript.

**Highlights:** Ad-free reading, Komga server support, TypeScript/JavaScript scripting API, Extensible functionality

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fantastic app with great features
- 👍 Clean and efficient UI
- 🔒 No ads or in-app purchases
- 🎨 Customizable themes and settings
- 📚 Wide range of manga/comics sources

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and stability issues
- 🔍 Confusing setup and onboarding process
- 🔄 Unreliable library sync and update features
- 🕰️ Slow download and loading speeds
- 📱 Compatibility problems on some devices

**Reported bugs**

- JSON token errors when interacting with server
- Inability to add/remove manga from library
- Disappearing navigation UI elements

**Requested features**

- Bookmark/resume reading feature
- Panel-by-panel/smart panel reading mode
- Sync reading progress across devices
- Better documentation and support resources


## Frequently asked questions

### Is iComix free?

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

### Is Paperback free?

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

### Which has better reviews, iComix or Paperback?

Paperback is rated higher. iComix averages 3.2 out of 5 from 57 ratings, while Paperback averages 4.3 from 569 ratings.

### Do iComix or Paperback have ads?

Neither iComix nor Paperback shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, iComix or Paperback?

iComix ships an update every 2 months, and Paperback every 2 weeks. Most recently, iComix was updated on October 15, 2026 and Paperback on October 16, 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.*