# Penguin vs MangaLek

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: MangaLek at none against Penguin's 1. MangaLek also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Penguin sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. MangaLek asks for nothing beyond the download.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Penguin | MangaLek |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/penguin-cbz-cbr-comic-reader/id6780071705/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **2** | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 days | Every 3 days |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 120 MB | 22 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [HAEDUN KIM](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896506869) | [Ayoub Oustousse](https://appshunter.io/developer/6806011869) |

## What reviewers say

### Penguin

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/penguin-cbz-cbr-comic-reader/id6780071705)

This app allows you to read your own comic collection in various formats, with on-device translation for Japanese manga. It offers a customizable reading experience and a smart bookshelf, all while prioritizing user privacy and local data processing.

**Highlights:** On-device manga translation for Japanese comics, Supports various file formats (CBZ, CBR, PDF, etc.), SMB and WebDAV network drive support, OPDS catalog compatibility, Smart bookshelf with automatic categorization, Customizable reading gestures and scrolling

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Lifetime — Buy Once | $3.99 | one-time |


### MangaLek

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mangalek/id6806579186)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Penguin free?

Penguin is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is MangaLek free?

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

### Do Penguin or MangaLek have ads?

Neither Penguin nor MangaLek shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Penguin or MangaLek?

Penguin ships an update every 3 days, and MangaLek every 3 days. Most recently, Penguin was updated on October 13, 2026 and MangaLek on October 7, 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.*