Surprisingly reading manag can be fairly cheap as long as you don’t want a physical copy. Whether you’re a casual reader or a hardcore fan, these apps make it easy to browse, purchase, and enjoy your favorite manga series on your phone or tablet. Here are some of the best manga apps available today:
1. Shonen Jump (by VIZ Media)
- Best for: Official, licensed Shonen Jump series like Naruto, One Piece, My Hero Academia, Demon Slayer, and more.
- Features: Shonen Jump is one of the best apps for reading popular shonen manga. The app offers a vast collection of current manga series, with new chapters available the same day they’re released in Japan. It has a free tier with limited access, but for full access, there’s an affordable subscription.
- Price: Free for the first few chapters of most series. Full access available with a subscription (~$2/month).
- Available on: iOS, Android
- Link: Shonen Jump App
2. Manga Plus (by Shueisha)
- Best for: Access to the latest Shueisha manga titles, including Jujutsu Kaisen, My Hero Academia, and Black Clover.
- Features: Manga Plus is another fantastic app that offers real-time, free access to the latest chapters of popular manga. It’s the official app from the publisher Shueisha, offering both free and premium content. Manga Plus allows you to read series as soon as they’re published in Japan.
- Price: Free (with some chapters available to purchase individually).
- Available on: iOS, Android
- Link: Manga Plus App
3. BookWalker
- Best for: A vast library of English-translated manga, light novels, and exclusive deals.
- Features: BookWalker offers a massive collection of manga, including many popular titles and exclusive releases. It’s a digital platform with a focus on official, high-quality manga and light novels, with frequent sales and discounts. It’s available in multiple languages, including English, and regularly features exclusive releases.
- Price: Individual manga prices vary, but the app often offers sales and discounts.
- Available on: iOS, Android
- Link: BookWalker App
4. ComiXology
- Best for: Manga and comics in general; an easy way to access a huge variety of genres.
- Features: ComiXology, now owned by Amazon, is a well-known platform for comic books and manga. The app allows you to purchase and read manga, comics, and graphic novels from a wide variety of publishers, including Kodansha, VIZ Media, and Dark Horse. The app has a large selection of manga, including classics, newer releases, and even some indie titles.
- Price: Purchases for individual manga volumes, or access through the ComiXology Unlimited subscription for unlimited reading (with some limitations).
- Available on: iOS, Android
- Link: ComiXology App
5. MangaDex
- Best for: A community-driven platform with a huge variety of fan-translated and official manga.
- Features: MangaDex is a great app for finding a variety of manga, including fan translations of series that might not yet be officially licensed. The app has a massive, user-generated database of manga, with multiple language options and a dedicated fan community. Note that it’s not officially licensed for all manga, so some titles might be fan-translated.
- Price: Free
- Available on: iOS, Android (through unofficial apps or the browser)
- Link: MangaDex Website
6. Crunchyroll Manga
- Best for: Fans who are already subscribed to Crunchyroll for anime and want to access manga as well.
- Features: Crunchyroll Manga is an extension of the popular anime streaming service. It offers a wide variety of manga titles, often with simultaneous publication with the Japanese release. If you already have a Crunchyroll subscription, you can read manga as part of your plan. Otherwise, you can access limited chapters for free.
- Price: Free for limited access or with a Crunchyroll Premium subscription (also includes anime streaming).
- Available on: iOS, Android
- Link: Crunchyroll Manga
7. Kindle (Amazon)
- Best for: Those who prefer reading on a Kindle device or the Kindle app.
- Features: While not a dedicated manga app, Amazon Kindle offers a large selection of manga in digital form. You can buy individual volumes and read them on your Kindle device or through the Kindle app. It’s a great option if you already use Kindle for eBooks and want to add manga to your collection.
- Price: Individual purchases for manga volumes.
- Available on: iOS, Android, Kindle Devices
- Link: Amazon Kindle Manga
8. Webtoon
- Best for: Manga-inspired webcomics (primarily Korean Manhwa, but also includes Japanese-style manga).
- Features: While Webtoon primarily focuses on webcomics, many of the stories are inspired by manga’s art style and storytelling techniques. The app offers a huge variety of comics, including romance, action, fantasy, and horror. Some series are free to read, while others may require in-app purchases for access to premium chapters.
- Price: Free with some paid options for premium content.
- Available on: iOS, Android
- Link: Webtoon App
- Top 10 Webtoons
9. Tappytoon
- Best for: A mix of manga and manhwa (Korean comics) with a focus on romance and fantasy.
- Features: Tappytoon specializes in both manhwa (Korean comics) and manga, offering a broad selection of popular series in genres like romance, fantasy, and action. Many of the comics are available in English, and the app regularly releases new chapters.
- Price: Some chapters are free, while others are part of the in-app purchase model.
- Available on: iOS, Android
- Link: Tappytoon App
Conclusion
There are tons of manga apps out there, each catering to different tastes and preferences. If you’re looking for official, licensed content with access to the latest chapters, Shonen Jump and Manga Plus are great options. For a broader library of manga and exclusive deals, BookWalker is fantastic. Meanwhile, MangaDex offers a community-driven approach to fan translations. Whether you want digital purchases or a subscription-based service, these apps make it easy to enjoy manga anytime, anywhere.