Comparison

ChibiManga vs Longbox

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

ChibiManga

Features
Read full description

ChibiManga is a native iPhone reader for self-hosted comic and manga libraries. Use ChibiManga to: - Connect to Komga and Kavita servers - Import local files such as CBZ and EPUB - Read in horizontal or vertical modes - Keep track of chapter progress - Customize reading settings for a comfortable experience ChibiManga is designed for people who manage their own libraries and want a simple, fast, native reading experience on iPhone.

About

Longbox

This app allows you to read your existing comic book files, including CBZ, CBR, and PDF formats, directly on your device. It offers various reading modes, library management, and offline access to your collection. Premium features unlock server connections, cloud browsing, and advanced reading tools.

Highlights
  • Reads CBZ, CBR, and PDF files
  • Offline reading support
  • Customizable reading modes (fit to width/height, two-page view)
  • Right-to-left reading for manga
  • Library management with search and favorites
  • Optional cloud server integration
  • EPUB novel support
Features
Read full description

Longbox is a comic reader for people who already have the comics. Point it at your CBZ, CBR and PDF files and it opens them. No account, no upload, no waiting for a library to sync before you can read anything. READING • Fit to width, height or whole page — whichever suits the book • Turn your phone or iPad sideways to read two pages at once, and art drawn across a spread still gets the screen to itself • Pinch to zoom anywhere, double-tap to snap • Right-to-left for manga, set per series and remembered • Night and sepia filters, plus in-app brightness that leaves your system setting alone • Opens on the page you left, every time • Entirely offline — nothing is streamed unless you ask for it YOUR LIBRARY • Import from the Files app — anything on your iPhone or in iCloud Drive • However many comics you own — a hundred or ten thousand, there's no limit • Issues group into series on their own • Search, favourites and reading history • Up to eight libraries, any of them behind a passcode • Reading streaks and a leaderboard, if you want to be on it ALL OF THAT IS FREE The reader is never behind a paywall. Not the filters, not the fit modes, not the reading direction, not reading offline. There's no cap on how many comics you keep, either. If it opens a comic, it costs nothing. LONGBOX PREMIUM • Connect a Komga, Kavita or OPDS server — browse it, read from it, download for offline • Hide comics you'd rather not see, without touching the server • Browse your Dropbox from inside Longbox: a single issue or a whole folder, without leaving the app • Sharpening and upscaling for scans that need it • Beta features first – Panel by panel (alpha) — splash pages and complicated layouts often won't detect • Automatic metadata — publisher, year, creators and characters • EPUB novels — contents, adjustable type, themes and highlighting • Unlimited libraries • Smart Lists that keep themselves current • Your place follows you — across your devices, and in step with your server both ways • Your own picture as the app background • Seven accent colours, each with its own app icon Comics you have already downloaded from a server stay readable forever, even if Premium lapses. Paying us was never what made them yours. PREMIUM PRICING Longbox Premium is available as a one-time purchase, or as a subscription billed monthly or yearly with a 7 day free trial. Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase. A subscription renews automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period, and can be managed in Settings › Apple Account › Subscriptions. Privacy Policy: https://getlongbox.app/privacy.html Terms of Use: https://getlongbox.app/terms.html

Screenshots

ChibiManga4 screens
Longbox4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ChibiManga at none against Longbox's 3. Longbox's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs every 2 weeks) and device support (3 vs 1). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Longbox sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. ChibiManga asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ChibiManga ships an update every 2 weeks, Longbox every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
ChibiManga versus Longbox: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterChibiMangaLongbox
PriceFreeFree
Rating—4.0 (4 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—4 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Freemium
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS18.015.5 — better
Further details — not scored
Size7 MB74 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperAryakumar JhaNOAH REILLEY BEARUP

In-app purchases

None

ChibiManga

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Longbox

Subscriptions2
  • Longbox Premium Monthly$1.991 Month
  • Longbox Premium Yearly$14.991 Year
One-time1
  • Longbox Premium Lifetime$24.99

Questions

Is ChibiManga free?
ChibiManga is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Longbox free?
Longbox is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do ChibiManga or Longbox have ads?
Neither ChibiManga nor Longbox shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ChibiManga or Longbox?
ChibiManga ships an update every 2 weeks, and Longbox every 3 days. Most recently, ChibiManga was updated on October 15, 2026 and Longbox on October 20, 2026.

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