Check out this list of best manga reader app for Android and iOS devices to know what is the best free manga reader app and where to read manga for free.
I’ve been a huge fan of different types of comics and cartoons since my childhood. Manga, aka Japanese comics and anime, has allured me the most. As a kid, I could easily harness my collection of comics to deal with boredom and free time.
As I grew up, all those engaging storylines with graffitied pages don’t play a catalyst anymore to drive me into the fantasy world, but I can’t really decline the long-lasting effect it left on me. Yes, especially after spending such a long time in lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, I got a scope to rekindle my childhood attractions, which led me to my manga collection.
I must say, even after getting into the new-normal life, now I crave to read at least a chapter every day. And what can be better than having an app on my phone to read comics whenever or wherever I want to?
Yes, I scrapped the idea of going into the store to find new comics of my interest and switched to downloading the best manga reading app. If all those intriguing storylines also appeal to your interest, here is the list of the 13 best manga reader app for Android and iOS devices. Have a look.
What is Manga?
Manga is a term used to describe various types of comics and graphic novels published in Japan. If you compare manga with American comics, then you’ll find a difference. American comic books are mostly published in full color. On the other hand, the weekly installments of manga come in black and white printed books.
But that doesn’t mean it won’t have enough materials to take you into the world of bone-tickling comedies or whimsical fantasies. Moreover, while reading manga, you’ll have a solid punch to set on the face of your boredom.
However, some special manga series come into full-color print. There is a rule to read the manga. Yes, you’ve to read it from right to left. If you’re too familiar with the English comics, it may take you some time to get accustomed. But once you start enjoying the book, you’ll hardly feel any difference.
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What is the Difference Between Manga and Anime?
Anime is another term used in Japan to address different types of animations. Anime can be adaptations of popular manga comics or unique creations. If you’re more interested in watching a form of comics rather than reading, then anime is your best trait.
You probably have watched cartoons in your childhood. Anime is the same. The only difference is anime is created and published in Japan, and cartoons are more of an American genre.
However, in the 1990s, anime got the highest popularity when the cartoon adaptation of popular manga series Dragon Ball and Sailor Moon got aired on American tv. Since then, the popularity of Japanese animation has skyrocketed only.
When a manga series becomes famous, it may become anime and vice-versa. The only difference between anime and manga is- Anime is animation, and manga is print.
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13 Best Manga Reader App for Android and iOS Devices
Manga is released weekly on a chapter-by-chapter basis in Japan. You can read those chapters from manga magazines like Weekly Shōnen Jump. When a comic series becomes popular enough, some of its chapters get collected then and published into volumes like tankōbon volumes.
But, getting access to the hard copies may not be possible every time. So, in these cases, you need to have the best manga reader app on your phone.
As you know, the solution to your manga-craving, why waste another minute then? Check out the list of the top 13 best manga reading apps. I have enlisted both the best manga reader app for Android and the best manga reader app for iOS. Dive in!
Crunchyroll Manga (Android | iOS)
When you enjoy watching anime series and manga shows, Crunchyroll is the first thing to try on your mobile phone. Whether you are an Android smartphone user or an iPhone user, Crunchyroll Manga is for all.
There are millions of anime fans just like you, and they are already using this popular app for reading manga for free. But before you go to download Manga by Crunchyroll on your device, here are a few things you should know about this streaming service. Check out its pros and cons:
Pros:
- The best app for anime and manga lovers.
- Here you learn a lot about new conventions of manga and anime shows.
- There is a forum inside the app where you can make new friends who are also anime and manga lovers.
- You can watch awesome Japanese anime at no cost at all.
- Provides original content that you won’t probably find elsewhere unless jailbreaking.
Cons:
- You can use its free service, but you’ll have to deal with videos and apps.
- The user interface is not that elegant looking.
Bottom line:
You can download Crunchyroll on your devices other than Android and iOS as well. If you want to watch it on your laptop or firestick, then head over to the Crunchyroll website to get it on your big screen.
Shonen Jump Manga and Comics (Android | iOS)
The Shonen Jump Manga and Comics app was developed in Japan and has become very popular now. If you are a big comic book lover, then look no more. Shonen Jump Manga and Comics is available for both iOS and Android devices. Not only fun comics, though, but this app also offers you various fantastic anime series.
I didn’t know about the show part before I searched for Dragon Ball Super, and it was right there in my favorite manga reader app. They update their library regularly and also add new chapters to your favorite comic book series. You can use its free trial and then pay 1.99 / month to continue the service. Have a look at some of the pros and cons I have found so far.
Pros:
- It’s a great and safe app to use on your mobile phone.
- Releases regular updates to improve its performance.
- Provides customer support to its customers.
- Can use on Android and iOS.
- Offers offline reading.
- Only one-time purchase.
- Very low price.
Cons:
- The customer support is a bit slow.
Bottom line:
I personally love this app because it’s very easy to use, and you can give it a try if you want loads of comics at a cheap price.
VIZ Manga – Direct from Japan (Android | iOS)
The VIZ Manga comic app is coming directly from Japan that floods your mobile with comics and popular anime shows. They have a huge library to support your entertainment needs, and then it also gets updated regularly. You can also choose to preview the content before purchasing them from the app.
There are so many titles available for comics and anime shows lovers, and you can get whatever you want. No matter what genre you enjoy the most, you can search for and find anything you like on VIZ Manga.
My favorite content on VIZ Manga is Dragon Ball Super and the Shonen Jump series. There is much other stuff you’d like. But before installing it, let’s have a look at its pros and cons.
Pros:
- Offers graphic novels and various anime series.
- Original stuff with excellent quality.
- The English language supported.
- Huge library of comic books and shows.
- Reasonable price.
- Read on any of your devices.
- Includes a 7-day trial.
Cons:
- The user-interface can be frustrating sometimes.
Bottom line:
Check out VIZ Manga from Google Play store (Android) and Apple App Store (iOS) today and see if you like it or not.
MangaToon – Manga Reader (Android | iOS)
MangaToon is all about good comic series and awesome stories that you can enjoy on your smartphone. It supports multiple languages and various genres, including action, romance, comedy, horror, and more.
The finest thing about the MangaToon manga reader app is, it allows mature content, which I find very interesting because they never bore me. They update their database daily, meaning you can expect new stuff every day. Mostly all of these comics are coming from Japan, but they are planning to add Korean comics too, which is going to be more fun.
Subscribe to the comics you are reading, and when they update new chapters, you’ll receive notifications. Also, another reason people install this app is, you can write your own graphic novel and share them with the world! Here, have a look at its pros and cons in a nutshell:
Pros:
- Free stories, no extra charges.
- Download your favorite content online and access them without an internet connection.
- Various languages supported.
- Updates their library daily and adds new chapters to existing comics.
- Create your own fun novels and share them with the readers.
- Various genres supported.
Cons:
- The interface creates hassles sometimes.
- Loading issues can appear.
Bottom line:
Overall, MangaToon is fine if you wish to give it a try. But if you don’t like it after checking it out, there are some other recommendations waiting for you.
Manga Box: Manga App (Android)
Manga Box is another best manga reader app for Android, but unfortunately, it isn’t available for iOS yet. It doesn’t cost you any money to reading manga, that’s why it’s considered to be one of the best free manga reader app.
They offer original manga series that you probably won’t find anywhere else. Also, they update their library daily for their readers. The only downside it has is it doesn’t support the offline reading feature. You can read it from wherever you want as long as you have an internet connection on your mobile.
Every time the Manga Box app gets updated, it adds 15-20 more content to its library. Also, the series in the original Japanese language supports translation to English or any other language of your choice. Here are some of the pros and cons of the best manga reader app for Android, Manga Box-
Pros:
- Free of cost.
- A very lightweight application.
- New content available regularly.
- Easy browsing.
Cons:
- The interface is not that good.
Bottom line:
This is all I knew about Manga Box, and if you want to know more about it, you’ll have to go to Google Play store and install the app on your device.
Manga Dogs – Webtoon Reader (Android | iOS)
Though Manga Dogs is not as great as the rest of the best android manga reader apps on my list, it is still worth it. It offers a huge variety of manga series to the users, and they are from many popular categories. You will get notifications on your phone every time the series gets updated so that you don’t miss out on anything.
You can use the A-Z option to find your favorite content and also find other people to discuss your interest online. It’s a free app for all, and unlike Manga Box that I listed above, Manga Dogs is available for both Android and iOS. Another thing that I like about Manga Dogs is, it saves my reading history every time I read something new.
Before going to install this on your phone, though, check out the pros and cons, I listed below:
Pros:
- Has a bookshelf where you can add your favorite comic books.
- No losing track of your reading.
- Find any content by using the A-Z results.
- Get notifications on regular updates.
- Backup and restore data on multiple devices.
- A reading history feature where you can find all the ongoing and finished books.
Cons:
- Not as best as the other best manga reader apps for iPhone.
- Does not have a great interface.
- Low user-ratings.
Bottom line:
If you are looking for a lightweight and free ebook reader app, then this one might be something for you to try. Otherwise, there are some other apps available that I have listed below.
Manga Reader – Free Manga App (Android | iOS)
This is another manga reader app available for both Android and iOS devices. It does not contain any charges, and you can enjoy anything for free. Manga Reader collects comic books from various sources and adds them to their library so that we can access them more conveniently.
You can find your favorite graphic novels from their library with ease and also access two libraries at the same time. Moreover, you can create or delete a library anytime as you wish. There are various genres to choose your comics from; apart from categories, you can search by the author names, ratings, and titles. Also, get notifications every time something new is added to your library.
Manga Reader is one of my favorite free manga apps for Android, and you can check out its pros and cons below.
Pros:
- The history feature lets you find your searches with ease.
- You can sync your readings with iCloud.
- You can bookmark your favorite pages.
- Also, download chapters on whatever devices you are reading.
- Fast and limitless download.
Cons:
- Links don’t become available sometimes.
- Longer loading time.
Bottom line:
Overall, Manga Reader is a good app if you are looking to read comic books for free. Moreover, not only on your smartphones, you can install this on your tablet or iPad as well.
MANGA Plus by SHUEISHA (Android | iOS)
MANGA Plus by SHUEISHA is a popular manga app you probably heard of; the thing is, it’s available for free. Though made in Japan, this famous manga app is available throughout the world. Here I have seen so many popular mangas, including Dragon Ball, Bleach, Naruto, etc. and they all are available for free.
All you need to do is install the app on your Android or iOS device, and then you can read multiple comics at once. This app comes with tons of features to get you hooked for a whole day in front of your device.
The manga comic books have a comment section where you can discuss your interests with other manga lovers globally. What else? You can add your favorite content to your bookshelf, as many as you want. Here are some of its advantages and disadvantages-
Pros:
- Translate comics to your preferred language.
- Save books to your custom library.
- Read legendary manga comics for free.
- Daily updates to keep you around.
- All books are free.
Cons:
- They do not update their library as much as they used to do before.
- The interface might not be that great for everyone.
Bottom line:
Manga Plus still has enough collection of manga comics that other similar apps lack. So, you can give it a try to find out how it works.
comiXology – Comics and Manga (Android | iOS)
comiXology is another popular comics and manga book available for both smartphone platforms. It includes all my favorite comics, including DC, Marvel, and also includes fantastic images. This digital comic has become many people’s favorite since the day it got released first, and people are still downloading it from Google and App stores.
The app is not free, but the initial 30-days will be free for the new users. After the trial is over, you’ll have to buy it for $5.99 per month. Though the cost is a little high, the features and library it offers make it up for that. There are so many advantages that comiXology offers, and here are some of them that I have come across:
Pros:
- Unlimited reading with no extra cost.
- You can sync your books across various devices.
- New books available every day.
- A huge list of categories and content.
Cons:
- You can let anyone borrow the library books.
- Too costly for some.
Bottom line:
If you are able to spend that much money on an app, then go for it. Otherwise, check out other items that I have listed here below.
Manga Geek – Free Manga Reader App (Android)
There are various manga apps on the web, but this one won’t disappoint you unless you are an iPhone user. It’s a user-friendly app that offers more than 40000 free comics right on your mobile screen. The best thing about this app is that you can read the comics in any of your preferable languages.
The app collects comic books from various resources and presents them in front of you. Also, they offer unlimited downloads so that you can read books offline without the internet. There is one downside though, due to copyright purposes, you can’t read all mangas from various locations. Still, you can give it a chance.
Pros:
- A huge library is available.
- It supports multiple languages.
- Auto-updates are available for content.
- You can download books for offline.
Cons:
- Not all mangas are available in all countries.
- Not an iOS app.
Bottom line:
If you love to have options, this app will be the best manga reader app for you. The huge collection of different comics makes it stand out from its peers. You can definitely install the Manga Geek on your Android device.
Anime Amino (Android | iOS)
Unlike Manga Greek, Anime Amino is available both on Android and iOS devices. This is one of the coolest manga apps I have ever seen, and with it, you can create costumes, collaborate with other manga and anime lovers from all over the world, share interests, and so on.
It lets you discuss your favorite comic with other users from all around the globe and make new friends who are also anime lovers. You can do cosplay, ask, and answer questions, talk about relevant topics, etc. Though this is not specially designed for watching or reading anime, you can do more fun stuff here.
Pros:
- Nice and modern-looking interface.
- Created for anime and comic book lovers.
- Various content is available.
- Totally free.
Cons:
- Not that much of content available.
Bottom line:
When we get to communicate with people like us, it becomes an added advantage. This app lets you connect with other manga lovers. So undoubtedly, this is one of the best manga reader apps for Android and iOS.
Manga Bird – Best manga reader (iOS)
Manga Bird is only for iOS users, but it supports tons of features that you will be happy to get. This app features more than 10000 in various languages, and all are available for free.
You can enjoy its cool interface on your iPhone and iPad, and from anywhere you want. Moreover, you can download the comics on your phone and read them while you are away from the internet.
Also, with the bookmark feature, you can bookmark the pages you read on your phone. Here are some of the most popular features you get on Manga Bird for iOS.
Pros:
- A huge library for the users.
- Multiple languages supported.
- Brightness control feature.
- Bookmark feature.
- Offline download.
Cons:
- Not available for Android.
Bottom line:
Though the app is not available for android phones, you can install it on iPhones and iPad devices from the Apple App Store only.
Manga Storm (iOS)
Manga Storm is another app that is available for the iOS platform only, but you can give it a go if you are an Apple phone user. It comes with a variety of useful features and a great functioning interface.
You can add mangas from various websites to the app and bookmark them to remember. Manga Storm lets you read online and from any browser of your choice, and it also syncs your reading progress to your cloud storage so that you don’t lose track of anything.
It backups your data so that you can enjoy the content on a different iOS device. Initially, the app is available for free, but you can also upgrade it to avail of various other features.
Pros:
- Auto back up to your email address.
- A huge library of comic and manga available.
- Compatible with popular web browsers.
- Saves your reading progress automatically.
- Add a bookmark to save your reading progress.
- Easy integration and user-interface.
Cons:
- The free version comes with lots of ads.
- Only lets you download 10 chapters.
- Not available for Android devices.
Bottom line:
This app is also not available for Android. But its amazing specs and features have made me give it a place on my list of the best manga reader for iPhone and Android.
What is the Best Manga Reader App for Android and iPhone?
After considering all the aspects like a collection of content, user experience, and paid or non-paid, I think the Crunchyroll Manga is the best manga app for iPhone and Android.
If you think another app from the list can suffice your interest in manga reading, obviously you can go for it. But make sure you check the pros and cons of the one before signing up for it.
For further queries regarding the best manga reading app for Android and iOS devices, drop a comment in the below comment section. Stay connected for more tech guides.
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