Company	type	Method	Cost
Toomics	comic	Coins or Subscription	$9/Month or $1/5 coins (Most work seem to require a subscription to read at length)
<3Renta! / eBookRenta!	comic	Coins	$1/100 coins (about 150 – 300 coins per chapter)
Coolmic	comic	Coins	$10/month for 115 Tickets $5/50 tickets
Crunchyroll	streaming	Subscription	$8, $10, or $16/month
Tapas	comic	Coins (“ink”)	$2/1,600 (300 inks per chapter, though cost may vary)
Manta	comic	Subscription	$5/month
INKR Comics	comic	Subscription	$5/month
Lezhin Comics	comic	Coins	$6/240 coins (about 30 coins per chapter)
Webtoon	comic	Coins	$1/10 coins (cost may vary per series, though I’ve rarely had to buy coins for a series)
WebComics	comic	Coins (“GEMS”)	$3/30 coins (2-5 Gems, though cost may vary, though I’ve never had to buy gems for a series)
HIDIVE	streaming	Subscription	$5/month
Tappytoon	comic	Coins	$5/3,900 (300 coins per chapter)
Netflix	streaming	Subscription	$7, $16, or $23/month
Hulu	streaming	Subscription	$10 or $19/month
Mangamo	comic	Subscription	$5/month
YouTube	streaming (official titles for free!)	Subscription	$0+/month
Azuki	comic/ebook	Subscription	$5/month

By: Peggy Sue Wood | @pswediting + Special thanks to Krow Smith, @coffeewithkrow, for helping me fill-in costs on the graph above!

There’s no shortage of platforms offering anime streaming and digital manga libraries. Crunchyroll and Netflix are really popular and they are great for anime lovers, while apps like ComiXology and Mangamo cater to manga fans. If physical collections are your thing, local comic shops or bookstores, online retailers, and subscription boxes are likely your thing. Still, what about all the other services out there? Like, what about Coolmit, Manta, Azuki, and INKR? Are these apps worth the investment? That’s what I want to discuss here.

Prices vary widely for this medium, which I think is something important to recognize. This year I invested a lot of money into exploring the different apps and cost, and I have found that depending on your preferences and habits you can either spend very little or a lot. For example, streaming subscriptions range from $5–$15 per month (if not more to block ads and such), while manga, comics, and webtoon volumes typically cost $10–$15 each when getting a print version. However, if you get it chapter by chapter, the price can sometimes be more or less depending on the platform. Digital libraries often offer subscription options or individual purchases, with some apps providing free chapters to get you started.

The above graph provides a breakdown of popular platforms, their costs, and what they offer to help you decide where to invest your money in the new year. Since each platform features an extensive library of titles, I’ll focus on recommending my top three platforms and why, rather than simply listing a bunch of titles.

Streaming

My top recommendations for picking a streaming platform are going to be very mainstream. Top of the list is, surprisingly, YouTube. YouTube, mostly because I’ve been getting into a lot of Donghua (Chinese anime) this year while researching panel ideas. I’ve found that many copyright holders are beginning to upload copies of their content on YouTube for viewers to access and that was how I found one of my favorite anime titles this season, How Dare You?!. So, you can find legal and free to watch copies of anime from Japan, China, and so much more simply by taking the time to search it out. My second choice would be Netflix. Netflix offered a lot of incredible projects this year that I felt made the cost worth it, especially given that a subscription also allows you access to a lot of other content. My third choice would be Crunchyroll. Crunchyroll has a significant body of work to choose from in addition to new titles. Crunchyroll has really become not just a powerhouse but a near monopoly in this industry and is therefore hard to leave completely off the list.

Comics

I’ve broadened this category to include webcomics, webtoons, and other sequential art media. My top platform picks for this genre are” (1) Webtoons, (2) WebComics, and (3) Manta.

Webtoons has earned its reputation with a mix of indie publications and major mainstream titles, making it hard not to recommend. Many titles are free to access, which also makes it incredibly cost-effective for new and seasoned readers alike.

WebComics as a platform is probably less known by comparison (maybe even close to unheard of based on my friend circle). It is a platform I discovered years ago and has since become one of my go-to favorites for checking out new and innovative stories. It seems to feature many works originating from China with official English translations. Its library has grown significantly over time, and the app rewards readers with tokens to unlock chapters, so I’ve never had to purchase gems despite that feature being available for some titles. While its user interface includes many menus and it isn’t as streamlined as it could be, this design seems to encourages users to stay on the app (likely for ad-related reasons). Fortunately, this clunkier interface still works well enough not to detract from the overall reading experience.

Finally, Manta is a subscription-based platform that might seem pricey at first glance, but when compared to coin-based options, it offers excellent value for the number of titles available and the time you can spend reading. It’s a more straightforward and affordable model for those who want a good deal of access without worrying about individual chapter purchases.

All three platforms provide a wide variety of genres—romance, fantasy, action, slice-of-life, and more—making them an excellent gateway for exploring serialized storytelling beyond traditional print media.

So, as we start the new year, if you’re thinking about treating yourself, I hope this breakdown has helped guide your decision. Wishing you a fantastic start to the year with something you love!