Excelsior! If you're looking for the best comic book apps, those services that take your beloved paperbacks and story arcs and display them in all their digital finery, you've come to the right place. While there's a lot to be said for traditional purist paperbacks, reading comics in the digital age makes them more accessible than ever. With entire library catalogs at your fingertips, curated playlists, and easy-to-find rare copies, comics apps offer everyone, whether you're a seasoned reader or a newcomer, a great way to read classic stories through the pages. decades. From all-you-can-eat subscription services to apps that let you organize your personal libraries, here are our top picks.
Devices for reading comics in
Usually anything with a screen and web connectivity these days has some sort of comic book reading app on it, but for the best experience, you'll want a portable mobile device, whether it's a tablet or a smartphone. While the apps listed below will work on most Android and iOS devices, here are our top tablets for both operating systems that we recommend reading if you're looking for the best big-screen experience. And if you want to carry your comics in your pocket, we've also listed our favorite smartphone below: The Best Devices for Reading Comics. Apple iPad Pro 11" (256GB,...Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 10.5",...Samsung Galaxy S20 + More...
The best comic apps:
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(Image credit: Future) Marvel Unlimited ($9.99 / $7.99 per month) (iOS, Android) If you're looking for the adventures of the Avengers, X-Men, and many other most famous superheroes in comics, look no further than Marvel Unlimited. For a monthly subscription, you get access to over 13,000 Marvel comics, dating back to its earliest days and titles as recent as 12 months. It's a fantastic reading experience, allowing you to save up to 12 problems for offline reading on each device you use it with, and you'll get a discount if you subscribe for a year too. It's perfect for gulping down entire series, and its selection is particularly well thought out, with often timely introductions to the characters as they debut or return to the big screen. You'll also appreciate the ability to scroll through the stories panel by panel, ideal for reading on smaller smartphone screens, helping to show why these stories translate into the movies so easily. Read our full review of Marvel Unlimited
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(Image credit: Future) DC Universe ($7.99 per month) (iOS, Android) Another all-you-can-eat service, but this one is for fans of the DC Universe, so it's heroes like Batman, Wonder Woman, Superman and friends. Slightly cheaper than Marvel Unlimited, it also has a more diverse offering than just comics. Along with your readings, DC Universe is also giving its subscribers access to a rotating selection of DC movies and TV shows. It's for good reason, though: its comic book collection pales in comparison to its Marvel competition. But as a reading experience, it's just as good, with well-rendered illustrations and an easily navigable user interface. DC Universe is currently only available in the United States.
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(Image credit: Future) ComiXology (Free, with subscription option) (iOS, Android) ComiXology, owned by Amazon, is a great option if you want to read beyond the boundaries of the Marvel and DC universes, with manga , independent publishers and graphic novels from all kinds of creators. Comics can be purchased by issue or you can subscribe to individual titles. It also has a panel-by-panel display option which makes it easier to read on smaller screens, and it also has a good selection of free comics to try - you'll be hooked and pay more. Now is the time. If you prefer an all-you-can-eat experience, ComiXology also offers a subscription service for US readers, priced at €5.99 per month. Unfortunately, this feature is not available worldwide.
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(Image credit: Future) Chunky Comic Reader (Free) (iPad iOS) If you have your own library of digital comics out of the box, own an iPad, and aren't looking to subscribe or buy more, you owe it to yourself to get Chunky Comic Reader. An amazing free app, supporting CBR, CBZ, and PDF formats, supports cloud imports from services like Dropbox and Google Drive, and even has smart AI features that can improve poor scans and adjust for faded contrast and washed out pages. It feels like the work of a super villain to have this offered for free, so enjoy.
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(Image Credit: Future) Amazing Comic Reader (Free) (Android) This is Android's answer to Chunky, and unlike the rival iPad, it can be found on Android smartphones and tablets. It's also free, it also automatically organizes your CBR, CBZ, and PDF files, and it has built-in support for retrieving your libraries stored on cloud services like Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive. It's perhaps the most customizable of all the readers on this list thanks to the open nature of Android, which allows you to set up hardware controls for page turns, as well as other welcome options for browsing. the screen. The fact that it's free only sweetens the deal.