Karatu vs Klibri
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Karatu
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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 — 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 — library, history, bookmarks, downloads, stats — 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.
Klibri
Access and read your personal digital library of comics, manga, and ebooks from your self-hosted server. Enjoy offline reading, customizable viewing options, and seamless progress syncing across devices.
- Reads manga, comics (CBZ, CBR), ebooks (EPUB), and PDFs
- Offline reading of downloaded content
- Syncs reading progress with Kavita server
- Customizable ebook reader with themes and fonts
- Supports multiple Kavita servers
- Webtoon continuous scroll mode
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Klibri is a reader for your own Kavita library. It connects to your self-hosted Kavita server and lets you read your whole collection of manga, comics and books — on your iPhone and iPad. Your library stays on your server. Klibri just reads it. Klibri needs a Kavita server you already run. It doesn't host or sell content of its own. READ EVERY FORMAT Manga and comics (CBZ, CBR), e-books (EPUB) and documents (PDF) — one app for your entire library. BUILT FOR COMICS AND MANGA Pinch to zoom, double-tap, swipe or tap the edges to turn pages. Read left-to-right or right-to-left. Read long strips in continuous webtoon mode. Adjust screen brightness without leaving the page. A REAL BOOK READER The EPUB reader gives you four themes (including a true-black mode for OLED), six fonts, and fine control over size, spacing and margins. Read in scrolling or paged mode, and search the full text of any book. READ OFFLINE Download chapters and read them anywhere — no connection needed. PDFs render fully offline. PICK UP WHERE YOU LEFT OFF Klibri syncs your reading progress with your Kavita server in real time. Move from iPhone to iPad, or to Kavita in a browser, and carry on at the exact page. Klibri won't overwrite progress you've made elsewhere. YOUR WHOLE LIBRARY Browse series, collections and reading lists. Search your entire library, even a large one. Mark chapters or whole series as read. ALL YOUR KAVITA SERVERS Add more than one Kavita server and switch between them in a tap. Each server keeps its own libraries and its own reading progress. Your logins sync across your Apple devices through iCloud Keychain, so you set up once. Free. In English and French. iPhone and iPad, iOS 16 and later.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Karatu at daily against Klibri's every 4 days. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Karatu ships an update daily, Klibri every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Karatu | Klibri |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | 4.8 (4 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | — | 4 — better |
| Update frequency | Daily — better | Every 4 days |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPad — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 16.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 2 MB | 5 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Umar Rufai | Benjamin Chianese |
In-app purchases
Karatu
No in-app purchases
Klibri
No in-app purchases









