Duomanga vs Panels: an honest comparison
Panels is an established manga reader. This page is for people deciding between it and Duomanga, mostly Duo owners and people who run Komga or Kavita.
Checked 1 November 2026, from Panels' own guide, its App Store page and its blog. Prices and features change, so check the App Store before you decide. I haven't tried Panels on a Duo, and I don't own one.
What Panels does better
- More platforms. iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Vision and Android. Duomanga is for iPhone and iPad only.
- More places for your library. iCloud Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive and SMB. Duomanga takes files from the Files app, a Wi-Fi upload page, Share and AirDrop, and Komga or Kavita servers. It has no Dropbox, OneDrive or SMB.
- Panel by panel reading and text detection. Duomanga has neither.
- It supports the Duo now. Its blog (27 October 2026) says Panels "fully supports iPhone Duo": "Open it up and your library and the reader use the whole inner display. Close it and Panels picks up on the outer screen right where you were." I can't tell you which one handles the Duo better. I haven't tried Panels on one.
What Duomanga does
- It's made for the Duo first. The cover sits alone, then pages pair up like a printed volume. Closed, the outer screen shows one page. Book pose and laptop pose are in. Your place stays put when you open, close, fold or rotate. I have only seen this in the Duo simulator so far.
- Komga and Kavita, with progress written back. Browse, download and stream over OPDS 1.2. Panels has OPDS servers too. In Duomanga this is a Pro feature, and it's still being tested against real servers.
- Progress over your own iCloud account, not a server of mine.
Side by side
| Panels | Duomanga | |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Vision, Android | iPhone, iPad |
| Two-page spreads | Free | Free |
| iPhone Duo | Says it fully supports it | Made for it first. Seen only in the simulator |
| Komga, Kavita and other OPDS servers | Paid | Pro. Still being tested against real servers |
| Cloud libraries | iCloud Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, SMB | A folder in iCloud Drive. No Dropbox, OneDrive or SMB |
| Panel by panel, text detection | Yes | No |
| Page curl | Paid | Free |
| Page filters, lock, themes | Paid | Pro |
| Free | Default, double-page and vertical-scroll reading. Import from Files, USB and AirDrop. Local library and search | Reader, spreads, every Duo pose, webtoon scroll, library, search, import from Files, page curl. As many series as you like |
| Paid | Monthly, yearly, or a one-time purchase for the current major version. Trials on the monthly and yearly plans | A yearly plan with a 7-day free trial, or a one-time purchase. Prices announced at launch |
Which one should you pick?
If you need a Mac or Android app, Dropbox, OneDrive, SMB, or panel by panel reading, pick Panels.
If you have a Duo and want spreads and poses built around the fold, or you run Komga or Kavita and want a plain client, try the Duomanga beta. Both apps have a free way to read, so trying both costs nothing.