The 4 Best Apps for Reading Manga in 2026
Reading manga legally in English has never been easier: the publisher behind One Piece releases new chapters for free the same day they land in Japan, and Korean vertical comics have taken over the phone. In this guide we compare the 4 best apps for reading manga in 2026, all of them legal, with none of the risks of pirate sites.
Top legal apps for manga and webtoons
Apps for reading Japanese manga and webtoons on your phone legally, with free chapters, same-day releases with Japan and well-built readers.
Top pick
MANGA Plus by SHUEISHA
SHUEISHA · Free (with purchases) · 10M+
Shonen Jump releases
3.6
90K reviews
TopApps analysis
MANGA Plus publishes new chapters of One Piece, Jujutsu Kaisen and the whole Shonen Jump line-up free and in English the same day as Japan. Official from Shueisha.
MANGA Plus is the official app from Shueisha, the publisher behind One Piece, Dragon Ball and Jujutsu Kaisen: it releases new Shonen Jump chapters for free, legally, the same day they come out in Japan. The first and last chapter of every series are always available, and the Spanish catalogue keeps growing.
Pros
- New chapters free on release day
- Official Shueisha app: 100% legal
- Available in Spanish
Cons
- Middle chapters are not always accessible
- Middling rating due to catalogue limits (3.6★)
- The reader could be better
WEBTOON
Free (with purchases) · 100M+
King of the vertical format
4.5
4.6M reviews
TopApps analysis
WEBTOON owns the scrolling comic, with thousands of free series across every genre and a track record of hits that end up on Netflix.
WEBTOON is the leading platform for vertical mobile comics: thousands of original series across every genre — romance, fantasy, horror, action — drawn to be read by scrolling, free with chapters that unlock over time. Hits like Lore Olympus and Tower of God started here, and plenty of series already have anime or live-action adaptations.
Pros
- Thousands of series free to read
- Vertical format made for the phone
- Every genre: romance, horror, action
Cons
- Recent chapters need coins or a wait
- Ads in the free version
- Easy to lose hours without noticing
INKR: Comics y Manga
INKR Global · Free (with purchases) · 500K+
The all-rounder
3.3
9K reviews
TopApps analysis
INKR brings together manga, webtoons and licensed Western comics in a carefully built reader: for omnivorous readers who hop between genres.
INKR gathers licensed manga, webtoons and Western comics in a single app, with a carefully built reader that adapts to each format. Its mixed model combines free titles with a subscription for the full catalogue. A solid legal option for omnivorous readers who jump between Japanese manga and American comics.
Pros
- Manga, webtoons and comics in one app
- Everything licensed and legal
- Carefully built adaptive reader
Cons
- Limited catalogue in Spanish
- The best material needs a subscription
- Small community (3.3★)
Amazon Kindle
Amazon Mobile LLC · Free (with purchases) · 100M+
Best for full volumes
4.7
4.8M reviews
TopApps analysis
Kindle sells complete digital volumes from the big manga publishers: the option for collecting whole series legally.
Kindle is the reading app with the biggest bookstore in the world: millions of ebooks, including Amazon exclusives, with seamless syncing between phone, tablet and Kindle e-reader (you pick up on the exact page you left off on another device). Font and background settings, a built-in dictionary and Kindle Unlimited for unlimited reading by subscription.
Pros
- The largest ebook catalogue in the world
- Seamless syncing across devices
- Built-in dictionary and notes
Cons
- Closed Amazon ecosystem (proprietary format)
- Won't read ePubs bought elsewhere directly
- Kindle Unlimited is a separate subscription
Frequently asked questions
Where can I read manga free and legally in English?
MANGA Plus is the standout answer: publisher Shueisha releases new chapters of its series (One Piece, My Hero Academia, Jujutsu Kaisen...) in English for free the same day they come out in Japan, plus the first and latest stretch of each series. WEBTOON offers thousands of free vertical series. Between the two there is endless reading without paying and without piracy.
What's the difference between manga and webtoon?
Manga is traditional Japanese comics: black-and-white pages read right to left, designed for print. Webtoons were born in Korea for the phone: vertical colour strips you scroll through, with no page turns. Manga rules action and classic shonen; webtoons dominate romance and fantasy, and their hits increasingly jump to anime and live-action series.
Why avoid pirate manga sites and apps?
Beyond the legal side, they are a bad deal all round: pirate sites live off aggressive, deceptive ads (pop-ups that install things, redirects to scams) and fan translators abandon series halfway through. Today's legal options are free or very cheap, with professional translation, and every read supports more series being licensed. There has never been less of an excuse for piracy.
Articles you might like
The 8 Best Video Editing Apps for Mobile (2026): Real Comparison
We compare the best apps for editing videos on mobile in 2026: InShot, CapCut, KineMaster, PowerDirector, Filmora and more with real Google Play data.
The 7 Best Apps to Edit Videos for Instagram Reels (2026)
We compare the best apps for creating Instagram Reels in 2026: automatic 9:16 formats, trending effects, subtitles and watermark-free export.
The 7 Best Apps to Edit TikTok Videos (2026): Sounds, Effects and Virals
Best apps for creating viral TikTok videos in 2026: trending effects, viral sounds, clips under 60 seconds, duets and TikTok-specific formats.
The 6 Best Apps to Edit Videos Without Watermark in 2026 (Free and Paid)
We compare which video editing apps export without watermark in 2026: which are completely free and which require subscription.
The 7 Best Free Video Editing Apps for Android (2026)
The best free video editing apps for Android in 2026. We compare what InShot, CapCut, KineMaster and PowerDirector really let you do without paying.
The 6 Best Video Editing Apps for Beginners (2026): No Learning Curve
Best video editing apps for beginners in 2026: simple interface, built-in tutorials, professional results from first use. No complicated timeline or overwhelming options.