Comparison

Comix Reader vs Halftone

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

Head to head
About

Comix Reader

This app provides a streamlined way to read CBZ comics, manga, and webtoons on your iPhone and iPad. It organizes your files into a library, offers continuous scrolling for immersive reading, and syncs progress across devices without requiring an account. A hidden section allows for private storage of selected series.

Highlights
  • CBZ, manga, webtoon reading
  • Organized library with cover thumbnails
  • Continuous scroll for immersive reading
  • Cross-device sync via cloud folders
  • Remote library access via web server
  • Passcode-protected hidden section
  • Auto-saved bookmarks and progress
Features
Read full description

Comix Reader is a fast, focused way to read CBZ comics, manga, and webtoons on iPhone and iPad. Point it at a folder of CBZ files — on your device, in any cloud-synced folder, or on your own server — and it organizes everything into a clean library with cover thumbnails and per-series progress. CONTINUOUS SCROLL Read a whole chapter — or a whole series — without ever tapping "next page." When you reach the bottom of one chapter, the next one appends automatically. Perfect for webtoons and long-form manga. YOUR LIBRARY, YOUR FILES Comix Reader doesn't host or sell content. You bring your own CBZ files. Drop them into a folder and Comix indexes the series and chapters automatically. SYNC ACROSS DEVICES Store your library in a cloud-synced folder — including iCloud Drive — and your reading progress, favorites, and completed series stay in sync across your devices. No account required. REMOTE LIBRARY Run the included web server on your home machine and read your full library over your network or VPN — no need to copy files to every device. PRIVATE BY DEFAULT A passcode-protected Hidden section keeps selected series off the main library view, unlockable with Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode. THOUGHTFUL READING EXPERIENCE - Crisp width-capped image decode for high-resolution webtoon pages - Lazy loading — only nearby pages stay in memory - Auto-saved bookmarks per chapter (page and scroll position) - Native edge-swipe to dismiss the reader - Continue Reading card that picks up exactly where you left off NO ADS. NO ACCOUNTS. NO TRACKING. Comix Reader collects no personal data and requires no sign-in.

About

Halftone

This app provides a seamless reading experience for comics and manga from various sources like Komga, Kavita, and cloud storage. It features unique zoom controls for comfortable one-handed reading and supports multiple file formats.

Highlights
  • Connects to Komga, Kavita, and other OPDS catalogs
  • Hold Zoom for one-handed reading
  • Page-level progress sync
  • Supports various file formats (CBZ, CBR, PDF)
  • Webtoon mode for long-strip scrolling
  • Privacy features like Incognito reading
Read full description

The reader your comic and manga server deserves — and the comfiest way to read on a phone. Halftone connects straight to the places you already keep comics: Komga and Kavita (native, not just OPDS), Audiobookshelf, any OPDS catalog, SMB shares on your NAS, WebDAV, Dropbox, OneDrive, and the files on your device. No account with us. No middleman server. No ads. PANEL VIEW Read one panel at a time, in the right order — manga's right-to-left included. Tap or swipe to step through the page, hold to peek at the whole thing, and pick Overlay or Fade to dim everything but the panel you're on. HOLD ZOOM Press and hold anywhere and the page magnifies; pan with the same finger — one-handed, made for dense pages and small lettering. Rest your thumb at a screen edge and the page keeps moving. Free for everyone — no unlock, no trial, no asterisk. YOUR SERVER, FIRST-CLASS • Komga and Kavita: native API clients — series, collections, page-by-page streaming • Audiobookshelf: your server's comics, with its covers and progress • Two-way, page-level progress sync — stop on your iPhone, and the server's web reader opens on the same page • OPDS for everything else: Codex, Ubooquity, Calibre-Web, Stump, and more • SMB and WebDAV — your NAS, found automatically • Dropbox, OneDrive, iCloud Drive, and any Files-app folder • Stream page by page without importing (CBZ and most CBR/RAR), or pin chapters for offline with one tap • Synced folders: point Halftone at a folder on your NAS or cloud drive and it mirrors the whole tree, subfolders and all • iCloud sync carries your place to your other devices through your own iCloud — for imported comics and every source with no sync of its own A READER BUILT FOR COMICS • Apple Books–style page curl that folds at the spine — or a classic slide • Double-page spreads with one-tap pairing fixes, spine shadow, and paper margins • True right-to-left for manga: page order, tap zones, curl, and scrubber all follow • A proper webtoon mode: smooth long-strip scrolling, detected automatically • Crop Borders trims scanned margins so the art fills the screen, and can drop credit strips • Tap zones your way: Left-Right, L-Shaped, Top-Bottom, or off • Match Page backgrounds: margins take the page's own color — or Backdrop, a soft blur of the page itself A LIBRARY THAT KEEPS UP • Built for thousands of files: search down to the single comic, collections, merge and move • Folders for loose comics — one-shots and odd issues, no fake series required • Reads ComicInfo.xml on import: real series names, correct chapter order, right-to-left detected • Wi-Fi transfer from any computer's browser • One-tap backup to a folder you pick; export as standard CBZ with ComicInfo.xml • Privacy tools: Incognito reading, Face ID app lock, hidden comics READS EVERYTHING CBZ/ZIP, CBR/RAR, CB7/7z, PDF, image-based ePub (DRM-free), and plain folders of images. FAIR PRICING, NO DARK PATTERNS Free is genuinely free: your whole local library, no series limit, full quality, spreads, right-to-left, webtoon scrolling, Hold Zoom, and the Panel View preview — and it never expires. Premium adds the connected half — servers, cloud drives, streaming, synced folders, iCloud sync, backup, privacy tools — plus the full reader: Panel View, page curl, Crop Borders, spine shadow, and Match Page. Lifetime unlock, or a small subscription. Nothing you imported or downloaded is ever deleted if you stop paying. SAMPLE ARTWORK IN SCREENSHOTS "Pepper&Carrot" by David Revoy (CC-BY 4.0, peppercarrot.com) · "Give My Regards to Black Jack" by Shuho Sato (author's free-use declaration) · US public-domain Golden Age comics. Privacy Policy: https://halftonereader.app/privacy.html Terms of Use: https://halftonereader.app/terms.html

Screenshots

Comix Reader3 screens
Halftone4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Halftone at 5.0 against Comix Reader's 1.0. Halftone also leads on ratings volume (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (16.4 vs 26.0). Comix Reader's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks). On price, ads 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Halftone sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month. Comix Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Halftone holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 1.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 3 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Comix Reader ships an update weekly, Halftone every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 15, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Comix Reader versus Halftone: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterComix ReaderHalftone
PriceFreeFree
Rating1.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings13 — better
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS26.016.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size5 MB60 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRam SteenhautBony Yousuf

In-app purchases

None

Comix Reader

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Halftone

Subscriptions2
  • Premium Monthly3 Days trial$1.491 Month
  • Premium Yearly3 Days trial$14.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Unlock$19.99

Questions

Is Comix Reader free?
Comix Reader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Halftone free?
Halftone is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Comix Reader or Halftone?
Halftone is rated higher. Comix Reader averages 1.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Halftone averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.
Do Comix Reader or Halftone have ads?
Neither Comix Reader nor Halftone shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Comix Reader or Halftone?
Comix Reader ships an update weekly, and Halftone every 3 weeks. Most recently, Comix Reader was updated on September 15, 2026 and Halftone on September 30, 2026.

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