Comparison

Karatu vs Mangora

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

Head to head
About

Karatu

Features
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Karatu is a native iOS reader where you bring your own sources. The app does not ship with a built-in catalog or library. Instead, you install small JavaScript source plug-ins from public repositories โ€” exactly the same model as a media-server client like Plex or Jellyfin. The app is the reader; the content backend is up to you. WHAT KARATU GIVES YOU - A native iOS reader. Vertical (webtoon) and horizontal (paged) modes, pinch-zoom, double-tap to reset, tap-to-toggle full-screen, auto-advance to the next chapter. - Per-page bookmarks, grouped by series. - Offline downloads. Background URLSession keeps fetches running when the app is suspended; per-chapter status lives on the manga detail screen with a one-tap "Download all chapters." - A real library. Sort by recently-read, recently-added, title, or chapters-read. Filter by currently-reading, has-downloads, unread-chapters-available, or by source. - Reading history with per-chapter resume. Pick up exactly where you left off. - Reading-time stats. Daily totals, current streak, longest streak, total time. Stored locally; nothing is sent anywhere. - A clean settings screen with storage usage, per-source breakdown, and one-tap reset. WHAT KARATU DOES NOT DO - Ship sources. You provide them. - Send any data anywhere. Karatu has no accounts, no telemetry, no third-party SDKs, no ads. The privacy manifest declares zero data collection. - Verify, host, distribute, or endorse any source or repository. You are solely responsible for the content you choose to load. FOR DEVELOPERS Karatu's source SDK is a tiny JavaScript runtime: fetch, console.log, and registerSource. Sources implement four async methods (getPopular, search, getMangaDetails, getChapterPages) and return ordinary JSON. Anyone can write a source and host the manifest as a public file. See the project documentation for the full SDK contract. PRIVACY All app state โ€” library, history, bookmarks, downloads, stats โ€” is stored locally on your device. Karatu makes network requests only to URLs you have explicitly configured. There are no analytics, no tracking pixels, no third-party libraries that phone home. Uninstalling the app removes every byte. REQUIREMENTS iOS 17 or later. iPhone only.

About

Mangora

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With Mangora, you can create your own personal library, explore detailed information about each work, and keep all your manga organized in different statuses such as "Read" or "Favorites." Features * Explore thousands of manga with detailed information * Save your favorite mangas * Organize your personal collection * Mark manga as reading or favorites * Fast, clean interface focused on the visual experience * High-quality posters and images * Smooth navigation optimized for iPhone What is Mangora for? Mangora helps you keep your entire manga collection organized in one place. Whether you want to remember what you're reading, discover new mangas, or manage a huge library, Mangora is designed to offer a convenient, modern, and efficient experience for any manga fan. For more legal information: Privacy policy: https://yeraycastro.github.io/mangora-privacy-policy/

Screenshots

Karatu4 screens
Mangora4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Karatu at daily against Mangora's every 10 days. Karatu also leads on iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

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

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Karatu ships an update daily, Mangora every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences ยท 4 level
Karatu versus Mangora: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterKaratuMangora
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyDaily โ€” betterEvery 10 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS17.0 โ€” better26.0
Further details โ€” not scored
Size2 MB14 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperUmar RufaiYeray Castro

In-app purchases

None

Karatu

No in-app purchases

None

Mangora

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Karatu free?
Karatu is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Mangora free?
Mangora is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Karatu or Mangora have ads?
Neither Karatu nor Mangora shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Karatu or Mangora?
Karatu ships an update daily, and Mangora every 10 days. Most recently, Karatu was updated on October 25, 2026 and Mangora on November 5, 2026.

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