Comixology vs. Marvel Unlimited: Which One Is Better?

2 years ago 129

If you’re a large comics fan, you whitethorn beryllium wondering which work to splurge on. But if you’re a beginner and are unfamiliar with them, you whitethorn beryllium hesitant wherever to enactment your money. Before I contiguous the rundown to spot which is the champion comic subscription service, here’s what you request to cognize astir Comixology vs. Marvel Unlimited:

Comixology is an online marketplace to bargain integer comics, manga, and graphic novels. It was archetypal launched successful 2007, but Amazon acquired it successful 2014. The “Big 3” of comics publishing — DC, Marvel, and Image — merchantability immoderate of their worldly here. Comixology is not conscionable a marketplace of publisher’s titles, though. It has besides enactment retired its ain done Comixology Originals, which is exclusively disposable connected Kindle and Comixology.

On the different hand, Marvel is simply a well-known superhero comics publisher. In 2007, the steadfast launched Marvel Unlimited, its flagship subscription service. This is really antithetic from Marvel Comics, which sells integer comics à la carte.

Now that you cognize a small spot astir them, let’s commencement this Comixology vs Marvel Unlimited showdown.

Changes successful Comixology

Around the mediate of February this year, Amazon implemented melodramatic changes successful Comixology, including a large update rollout. These changes, however, received dense backlash from the community. Since the app was overhauled, readers with ample libraries bemoaned that they had to re-download their erstwhile purchases. Desktop users besides complained that they present person to work via Kindle Cloud Reader arsenic the autochthonal Comixology web scholar has been phased out.

Comixology’s website has besides moved to Amazon, which feels chaotic to navigate. There are galore buttons to click and advertisements to skip earlier getting thing done.

For those who unrecorded extracurricular the United States and subscribe to series, it’s besides a symptom successful the neck. Since its integration with Kindle, bid subscriptions connected Comixology person been unavailable.

These are conscionable fewer among the slew of large changes successful Comixology, and they inactive proceed to beryllium a root of grief today.

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How Much Does Comixology Cost?

You tin bargain a rubric à la carte oregon wage $5.99 per period to entree Comixology Unlimited. Said work is beauteous overmuch similar Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited, but for comics and different image-heavy titles similar manga and graphic novels. Comixology Unlimited offers perks specified arsenic discounts and “unlimited” speechmaking of prime titles from publishers, which they update erstwhile successful a while. Still, arsenic with different services that boast unlimited usage, determination are restrictions. Comixology regulates the among of contented you tin access.

Comixology besides offers a one-month escaped trial, but it’s lone disposable successful the U.S. for now.

Amount of Comics Available and the Quality of Catalog

Almost each American comic publication is disposable connected Comixology, particularly those from the Big 3 of comics publishing. According to their website, determination are 230,000 comics, graphic novels, and manga disposable for purchase. Then determination are besides further thousands of comics successful Kindle Unlimited, which tin beryllium accessed successful Comixology.

The catalog is decidedly expansive if you’re conscionable buying à la carte. However, it’s a antithetic communicative if you’re a Comixology Unlimited subscriber. The titles you get determination beryllium connected the enactment they marque disposable each month.

Comixology: Under the Hood

It’s casual to look for titles successful Comixology. There’s the “New” tab for caller releases, which includes titles that tin beryllium purchased individually and tin beryllium accessed successful Comixology Unlimited. There’s besides a conception for caller Comixology Originals comics, manga, and indie titles. What I find precise adjuvant is that you tin besides spot caller releases by publishers specified arsenic DC, Marvel, Image, and Kodandsha among others.

I’ve precocious noticed that Comixology has been aggressively pushing its Originals titles; successful the app and the website, there’s a salient tab for it. These are comics you’d beryllium getting if you’re subscribed to Comixology Unlimited. You’d spot which ones are added to the roster; the trending titles; and the ones featured successful TV, film, and more.

What Is Less Great About Comixology

The app, portion providing a large speechmaking experience, feels bare-bones. In the room alone, you tin lone spot your downloaded titles. It is imaginable Amazon isn’t yet finished figuring retired the full shebang.

Meanwhile, though they said that they’ve already addressed scholar complaints backmost successful February, speechmaking connected the web app is inactive not recommended. The titles you acquisition are accessible via Kindle Cloud Reader, which is worse than the built-in and businesslike Comixology web scholar they had before. Unlike successful the mobile apps, you can’t pat connected a comic sheet to zoom it. There’s a zoom enactment but you can’t presumption a circumstantial panel. What’s worse is that the images are blurry. If the mobile app feels bare-bones, the web app is unspeakable arsenic determination aren’t a batch of speechmaking options.

Additionally, Android users can’t bargain titles straight in-app due to the fact that of a caller Google argumentation update. They’d person to bargain titles connected Amazon and person them synced to mobile devices.

Comixology Unlimited tin beryllium misleading. When speechmaking a series, you tin entree the archetypal ones for free. But if you privation to cognize what happens next, you are forced to bargain the adjacent one. Overall, utilizing Comixology tin beryllium jarring. There’s tons of outer links to sojourn erstwhile accessing content, and synchronization betwixt the website and the apps is confusing.

Marvel astatine Marvel Unlimited

Marvel Unlimited is simply a spot pricier astatine $9.99 per month, but you tin effort it for escaped for 7 days. The work has galore classical titles, but the steadfast delays the merchandise of newer comics for astatine slightest 3 months. At $99 per year, there’s a subscription tier called Annual Plus that comes with a rank kit, further discounts astatine ShopDisney.com merchandise store, and invites to events.

Marvel Unlimited seems to beryllium disposable extracurricular the U.S., with the objection of Marvel Unlimited Plus.

How Many Titles Are Available successful Marvel Unlimited?

According to their website, determination are 30,000 comics spanning the full Marvel Universe. The catalog is astir complete, but galore Marvel fans study that immoderate issues are inactive missing.

Though Comixology Unlimited besides carries titles from Marvel, their catalog pales successful examination to that of Marvel Unlimited. You besides don’t get the bells and whistles of Marvel’s ecosystem.

At immoderate point, determination utilized to beryllium a bounds of 12 issues that users tin download astatine once, but apparently, Marvel has lifted that restriction.

What Makes Marvel Unlimited Special

Marvel Unlimited’s app is overmuch much grand. You’ll spot recommended series, play caller releases, fashionable series, speechmaking guides, fashionable characters, and prime contented creators. The speechmaking guides are adjuvant particularly if you don’t cognize wherever to commencement oregon if you’re a newbie to the comic world.

There are besides trending, backlist, and premiere titles disposable connected the app. What I find awesome is that Marvel Unlimited has issues disposable that were released decades agone but are present disposable for the archetypal clip successful digital.

When it comes to content, Marvel has its ain Infinity Comics. These are all-new in-universe stories, which are told successful vertical format.

As for the speechmaking experience, Marvel’s web scholar is top-notch. Unlike Comixology, you tin pat connected the panels, which are not blurry. You tin work by panels oregon by afloat pages. And you tin besides bash these connected the mobile app.

Because of Marvel’s monolithic catalog, you whitethorn beryllium wondering if it’s hard to find which titles are eligible for their subscription service. With Marvel Unlimited, you would know. When you presumption a series, accidental for example, Daredevil, you tin filter retired which titles are disposable nether Marvel Unlimited.

Marvel besides has a scholar programme called Marvel Insider. You tin gain points by speechmaking comics, which you tin redeem for rewards.

What’s Lacking successful Marvel Unlimited

Unlike Comixology wherein you get immoderate escaped titles without signing up, you person to really go a subordinate successful Marvel Unlimited to entree content.

When it comes to reading, Comixology beats Marvel successful the sheet tapping feature. Tapping connected a comic sheet connected Marvel feels flat, portion it feels creaseless connected Comixology. It makes a satellite of quality erstwhile you’re reading.

Comixology vs Marvel Unlimited: So Which One Should You Choose?

Comixology vs Marvel Unlimited? It depends. Comixology Unlimited is decent if you privation to effort the archetypal issues of a series. It’s besides a large spot to look for obscure titles oregon ones you mightiness not person heard of.

If you’re a comic instrumentality successful wide and don’t person a circumstantial preference, Comixology whitethorn beryllium a amended acceptable arsenic it astir has everything from each known publisher; it tin fulfill your comic fixes. If you’re a casual Marvel instrumentality and don’t truly caput not speechmaking everything from them, past Comixology Unlimited mightiness enactment for you.

If you’re a large Marvel fan, however, you’d amended subscribe to their service, adjacent though there’s a important merchandise delay. Maybe you tin effort exploring different bid (and determination are truthful many!) portion waiting for your favourite ones to get in-app. Marvel Unlimited’s catalog is simply mode amended than that of Comixology; you’ll get to work galore titles you wouldn’t person thought imaginable to buy. Plus, you’ll get exclusive benefits you can’t find successful Comixology.


The prime betwixt Comixology vs Marvel Unlimited is each up to you arsenic it truly depends connected your speechmaking habits, preferences, and needs.

If you privation much options successful choosing a comic subscription service, here’s a examination betwixt Marvel Unlimited and DC Extended Universe.

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