Solo Leveling: Beyond the System just got a confirmed sequel movie, and the wave that followed the anime is pulling a new cohort into manhwa. Reading it on iPhone or iPad is not the same as reading manga. Manhwa is drawn vertically, coloured panel by panel, and paced for scroll rather than page turns. Reader apps built for manga clip the layout in half. The best manhwa reader apps for iPhone and iPad below are the seven that respect the vertical scroll format the artists drew for.
We picked apps that carry official licences, unlock a meaningful chunk for free, and hold onto the aspect ratio the pages were drawn in. Fan translation aggregators sit outside this list. Every pick is legal to run under a signed-in account without a footnote.
What to look for in a manhwa reader app
Vertical scroll native is the non-negotiable. The rest is comfort.
- The reader should not paginate a manhwa strip into fake pages.
- A weekly release calendar that is honest about which day chapters land.
- A licensing story you can point at: which publisher, which studio, which country.
- Reasonable free reads per day so an unpaid session is more than a paywall preview.
- Landscape and portrait modes on iPad without ugly reflow, and Split View when you want to read while messaging.
- Offline chapters or bookmarks for planes and subways.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Free plan | Starting price | Content |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Webtoon | The largest legally licensed catalogue | Yes | Free with in-app coins | Naver Webtoon originals and licences |
| Tapas | Independent creators and cross-genre novels | Yes | Free with in-app coins | Kakao Entertainment catalogue |
| Lezhin Comics | Mature-rated Korean manhwa done right | Free trial | Coin bundles | Lezhin Entertainment |
| Tappytoon | Official English licences from big Korean studios | Free trial | Coin bundles | Tappytoon licences |
| Manta | Flat monthly subscription, huge catalogue | Free trial | Monthly subscription | Studio catalogue |
| Kakao Webtoon | Kakao’s flagship reader for Kakao Page series | Yes | Free with coins | Kakao Page |
| Toomics | Broad catalogue with a monthly pass | Free previews | Monthly subscription | Toomics licences |
The apps
1. Webtoon
Webtoon is the largest legally licensed catalogue on the App Store and the app most first-time readers install. Its daily-genre calendar makes it easy to find a series to keep up with, the reader honours the vertical scroll strictly, and the free tier is generous enough to read most series on a weekly cadence without buying coins. Fast Pass unlocks chapters ahead of the free rotation for the currently airing series, which is where the coin economy earns its keep.
Where it falls short: the Originals selection is stronger than the licensed one for some Korean series. The reader occasionally re-fetches chapters over spotty connections.
Pricing:
- Free: yes, weekly chapters on the free rotation
- Paid: coin bundles for Fast Pass and premium chapters
Platforms: iOS (iPhone, iPad), iPadOS with Split View
Download: App Store
Bottom line: the first app to install; carries most of what you will want to read.
2. Tapas
Tapas is Kakao Entertainment’s US-facing arm. Alongside manhwa the app hosts a large web-novel catalogue, which matters for the growing readership that started on the anime and wants the source material. The reader is clean, the discovery works, and the price on premium chapters is competitive.
Where it falls short: the manhwa catalogue is smaller than Webtoon’s. The novel-heavy discovery surface can bury the comics for the wrong audience.
Pricing:
- Free: yes
- Paid: coin bundles
Platforms: iOS (iPhone, iPad)
Download: App Store
Bottom line: the pick when comics and web novels sit side by side in your reading list.
3. Lezhin Comics
Lezhin Comics is where the mature-rated Korean catalogue landed, licensed and paid. The reader is polished, the translations are competent, and the app makes no apology for the fact that a chunk of the catalogue is 18+. Discovery is honest about ratings and the coin economy is transparent.
Where it falls short: coin pricing on binge-reads adds up. Some series expect a paid start rather than a free rotation.
Pricing:
- Free: trial with limited chapters
- Paid: coin bundles
Platforms: iOS (iPhone, iPad)
Download: App Store
Bottom line: the pick for the mature-rated Korean catalogue done legally.
4. Tappytoon
Tappytoon licenses English releases from the big Korean studios (Kakao, Naver adjacent) and ships them fast. The reader is snappy, and the app supports both coin purchases per chapter and season passes for the currently airing series. For readers who want simulcast-style timing, it is a strong pick.
Where it falls short: the catalogue is narrower than Webtoon. Coin pricing on a heavy binge can outpace a subscription app.
Pricing:
- Free: trial reads
- Paid: coin bundles
Platforms: iOS (iPhone, iPad)
Download: App Store
Bottom line: the pick when a specific licensed series is on Tappytoon before it lands anywhere else.
5. Manta
Manta flipped the manhwa economy: instead of per-chapter coins, it charges a flat monthly subscription and unlocks the full catalogue. That matches how a heavy reader actually consumes the format. The reader is clean, the offline mode works, and the catalogue includes some studio deals not on the other apps.
Where it falls short: the catalogue is smaller than the coin-based apps. A casual reader may not spend enough per month to justify the subscription.
Pricing:
- Free: trial reads
- Paid: monthly subscription
Platforms: iOS (iPhone, iPad)
Download: App Store
Bottom line: the pick for readers who binge multiple series a month and hate coin currencies.
6. Kakao Webtoon
Kakao Webtoon is Kakao’s flagship reader for Kakao Page series and the natural companion to Tapas. The reader is polished and the currently airing lineup includes some of the biggest Kakao-published series with quick English rollout. Country availability varies; check before committing.
Where it falls short: availability restrictions in some markets are frustrating. The coin economy is tighter than Webtoon on free reads.
Pricing:
- Free: yes, on free rotation
- Paid: coin bundles
Platforms: iOS (iPhone, iPad), region-dependent
Download: App Store
Bottom line: the pick for Kakao Page series specifically, where available.
7. Toomics
Toomics is the older subscription-style broad-catalogue app. Wide catalogue, monthly pass, honest reader. The tone leans mature but the catalogue includes plenty of general-audience series.
Where it falls short: UI is older-feeling. Currently airing series often land later than on Tappytoon or Webtoon.
Pricing:
- Free: previews
- Paid: monthly subscription
Platforms: iOS (iPhone, iPad)
Download: App Store
Bottom line: the pick when catalogue breadth on a flat rate matters more than day-of releases.
8. WebComics
WebComics is the discovery-first app for a reader who wants a mix of licensed and platform-original series with a low friction free tier. The daily-check reward loop is generous, the reader honours the vertical scroll, and the catalogue includes titles that sit on WebComics before landing elsewhere.
Where it falls short: the discovery feed can push newer titles heavily. Some translations are rougher than the bigger studio-licensed apps.
Pricing:
- Free: yes
- Paid: coin bundles
Platforms: iOS (iPhone, iPad)
Download: App Store
Bottom line: the pick for a broad free discovery loop on a low commitment.
How to pick the right one
- Install Webtoon first; it carries most of what you will want to read.
- Add Tapas if you also read web novels.
- Use Lezhin Comics for the mature-rated Korean catalogue done legally.
- Use Tappytoon to catch simulcast-style airing series before they land elsewhere.
- Use Manta if you binge and hate coin currencies.
- Use Kakao Webtoon for Kakao Page originals, where available.
- Use Toomics for catalogue breadth on a flat subscription.
- Use WebComics for a low-friction discovery loop.
FAQ
Where can I read Solo Leveling on iPhone officially?
The English simulpub of Solo Leveling lives on Webtoon (Tappytoon has hosted licences in the past). The sequel content and side stories vary by publisher and region. Both apps handle vertical scroll and are legal.
Is there a good manhwa reader that works offline?
Manta and Webtoon both cache chapters for offline read. Lezhin and Tappytoon cache the last-read chapter but not the full catalogue. Simple bookmarking works everywhere for online reads later.
Are fan translation aggregators legal to use?
No. Fan translation aggregators generally distribute copyrighted work without permission. They also carry higher malware and phishing risk than the licensed apps. The apps above are the legal answer.
Do these apps work on iPad in Split View?
Webtoon, Tapas, Lezhin, Tappytoon, and Manta support Split View on iPadOS. Reading a series alongside a chat app or a browser is fine on any current iPad model.
Do any of these apps ship with a Files integration for reading downloaded chapters?
No. The Files-based read-your-own-CBR path is a manga-reader pattern; the licensed manhwa apps keep chapters in the app’s own storage tied to your account. That is a licensing constraint, not a technical one.
