On the other hand, Marvel is a well-known superhero comics publisher. In 2007, the publisher launched Marvel Unlimited, its flagship subscription service. This is actually different from Marvel Comics, which sells digital comics à la carte. Now that you know a little bit about them, let’s start this Comixology vs Marvel Unlimited showdown. The choice between Comixology vs Marvel Unlimited is all up to you as it really depends on your reading habits, preferences, and needs. For those who live outside the United States and subscribe to series, it’s also a pain in the neck. Since its integration with Kindle, series subscriptions on Comixology have been unavailable. These are just few among the slew of major changes in Comixology, and they still continue to be a source of grief today. Comixology also offers a one-month free trial, but it’s only available in the U.S. for now. The catalog is definitely expansive if you’re just buying à la carte. However, it’s a different story if you’re a Comixology Unlimited subscriber. The titles you get there depend on the selection they make available every month. I’ve recently noticed that Comixology has been aggressively pushing its Originals titles; in the app and the website, there’s a prominent tab for it. These are comics you’d be getting if you’re subscribed to Comixology Unlimited. You’d see which ones are added to the roster; the trending titles; and the ones featured in TV, film, and more. Meanwhile, though they said that they’ve already addressed reader complaints back in February, reading on the web app is still not recommended. The titles you purchase are accessible via Kindle Cloud Reader, which is worse than the built-in and efficient Comixology web reader they had before. Unlike in the mobile apps, you can’t tap on a comic panel to zoom it. There’s a zoom option but you can’t view a specific panel. What’s worse is that the images are blurry. If the mobile app feels bare-bones, the web app is terrible as there aren’t a lot of reading options. Comixology Unlimited can be misleading. When reading a series, you can access the first ones for free. But if you want to know what happens next, you are forced to buy the next one. Overall, using Comixology can be jarring. There’s lots of external links to visit when accessing content, and synchronization between the website and the apps is confusing. Marvel Unlimited seems to be available outside the U.S., with the exception of Marvel Unlimited Plus. Though Comixology Unlimited also carries titles from Marvel, their catalog pales in comparison to that of Marvel Unlimited. You also don’t get the bells and whistles of Marvel’s ecosystem. At some point, there used to be a limit of 12 issues that users can download at once, but apparently, Marvel has lifted that restriction. There are also trending, backlist, and premiere titles available on the app. What I find impressive is that Marvel Unlimited has issues available that were released decades ago but are now available for the first time in digital. When it comes to content, Marvel has its own Infinity Comics. These are all-new in-universe stories, which are told in vertical format. As for the reading experience, Marvel’s web reader is top-notch. Unlike Comixology, you can tap on the panels, which are not blurry. You can read by panels or by full pages. And you can also do these on the mobile app. Because of Marvel’s massive catalog, you may be wondering if it’s difficult to find which titles are eligible for their subscription service. With Marvel Unlimited, you would know. When you view a series, say for example, Daredevil, you can filter out which titles are available under Marvel Unlimited. Marvel also has a reader program called Marvel Insider. You can earn points by reading comics, which you can redeem for rewards. When it comes to reading, Comixology beats Marvel in the panel tapping feature. Tapping on a comic panel on Marvel feels flat, while it feels smooth on Comixology. It makes a world of difference when you’re reading. If you’re a comic fan in general and don’t have a specific preference, Comixology may be a better fit as it almost has everything from every known publisher; it can fulfill your comic fixes. If you’re a casual Marvel fan and don’t really mind not reading everything from them, then Comixology Unlimited might work for you. If you’re a big Marvel fan, however, you’d better subscribe to their service, even though there’s a significant release delay. Maybe you can try exploring other series (and there are so many!) while waiting for your favorite ones to arrive in-app. Marvel Unlimited’s catalog is simply way better than that of Comixology; you’ll get to read many titles you wouldn’t have thought possible to buy. Plus, you’ll get exclusive benefits you can’t find in Comixology. If you want more options in choosing a comic subscription service, here’s a comparison between Marvel Unlimited and DC Extended Universe.
