As more publishers crack down on piracy sites and some of the biggest illegal platforms shut down, legal reading services have a real chance to reach new readers. That’s a good thing, because there are plenty of official options that make it easy to read manga and manhwa without resorting to shady sites.

Below, I’m sharing some of my personal favorites that I’ve been using for many years. And just to be clear: this article is not sponsored (I wish it were).

The best legal sites to read Manhwa – overview

• Manta
• Webtoons
• Tappytoon
• Tapas
• Lezhin

Where can I read Manga and Manhwa legally? – and for free?

The app I use the most is Webtoon. Although the platform has changed significantly over the years, it is still the most convenient way to read manhwa for free. There is no real alternative when it comes to the amount of free content you can consume legally while supporting the author.

That said, platforms like Manta and Tappytoon shouldn’t be underestimated. A monthly subscription of a little over six dollars may seem like a lot at first glance, but the amount of content you get for that price is huge.

Manta has a subscription and some free reads

• Focuses heavily on romance comics.
• Notable titles: “The Accidental Heiress,” “When Fate Finds Us,” “Under the Oak Tree.”
• The first eight or nine episodes are often free; afterward, you can wait 24 hours for new chapters or pay.
• Offers Manta Unlimited for around $4.99/month in the US, allowing unlimited reading.
• Check out Manta

Manta is very popular in Korea but the App is also available in English. Many of the comics focus on romance so as a romance manhwa lover you will have plenty to read. While there are some good lesser-known comics like “The Accidental Heiress” or “When Fate Finds Us” one of the most popular Romance Manhwas “Under the Oak Tree” can also be read on the app. The first eight or nine episodes are often free and after that you will either have to wait 24 hours for a chapter or you have to pay. What I really like though: With Manta Unlimited – the price varies but for the US I think it’s 4,99 per month – you can read everything you want. Considering the cost of single chapters on other apps, I personally think it’s a great deal. I just wish there would be more historical romance manhwas.

Webtoon changed a lot in the recent years but it is still the biggest plattform to read Manhwa

• One of my favorite apps with many free comics updated weekly.
• Older, completed series can be bought with 3 coins per chapter or with watching an ad
• Offers coins for early access to episodes; frequent events provide free coins.
• Explore Webtoons

WEBTOON is one of my favorite apps. Many comics on the platform are free and updated weekly. Some time ago, they introduced the Daily Pass, which meant that you could no longer read all chapters for free, especially completed series. Instead, you were able to unlock one episode per day at no cost.

Since 2025, this system has also been removed, and the platform now relies much more heavily on ads. By watching them, you can unlock completed webtoons, but the ads have been getting longer over time.

If you want to support the creator or simply don’t want to wait, you can buy coins to unlock episodes and read ahead of everyone else. There used to be many events where you could earn free coins by participating, and while these have been significantly reduced, there are still limited ways to get free coins on Webtoon.

Tapas has many historical romance manhwas and very limited free options

• Has a very limited selection of free comics.
• Most popular comics require buying ink, but there are options to earn ink for free (surveys, games).
• Time-consuming to earn ink for free, but events sometimes offer triple ink.
• Discover Tapas

Tapas also has a section with free comics, but the selection is very limited. Most popular titles require you to buy ink, although there are ways to earn it for free. After downloading the app, you can choose from different tasks, such as playing games or taking part in surveys. This method can be quite time-consuming, but Tapas also runs events where you can earn triple the ink in the same amount of time.

Tappytoon has a “time till free” option and a novel-library

• Many historical Manhwa-Titles that are not found anywhere else
• Offers tokens for purchase and occasional events for more value
• Check out Tappytoon

Tappytoon has a strong collection of Korean manhwa, and its library keeps expanding. For around five US dollars, you get 41 tokens. From time to time, there are events that give you more value for your money. They also offer a monthly plan that includes points for additional reading, and it cuts the waiting time for new free chapters in half.

Lehzin often has mature versions of Webtoons

• The most expensive option.
• Some comics update weekly for free, but most require buying coins.
• Learn about Lezhin

Lezhin is probably the most expensive option mentioned above. Some of the listed comics follow the same concept as Webtoon, meaning they are updated weekly for free. However, for most comics, you need to buy coins.

Legal sites for reading Romance Manga I have personally used

• Bookwalker
• Manga UP!
• Comixology

Last but not least, there are two great options for manga. In all the platforms mentioned above, manga is not really a focus, but Comixology and BookWalker mainly offer manga, including shoujo and josei, of course. Both sites have some free titles, although romance fans might feel a bit disappointed. Still, they are worth checking out, you never know what you might find.

On these platforms, you can buy your favorite manga and read it online. BookWalker also offers some free manga chapters, but most content is paid. The selection of free manga changes every month.

Bookwalker is a great option for Romance Manga Fans

• Best ebook store for manga, especially for romance fans.
• Frequent sales and nearly all recommended romance manga available.
• Option to buy individual chapters.
• Browse BookWalker

BookWalker is by far the best ebook store for manga that I know. If you know a better one, feel free to tell me. You will find almost every romance manga I recommend there. They regularly run sales, and in my opinion, it’s the best place for romance fans like me.

For some manga, you even have the option to buy individual chapters instead of a full volume, Yubisaki to Renren, for example. This is a great option if you want to support the creator but don’t have the budget to buy the entire volume.

Manga UP! is very convenient and cheap

• Many romance titles
• offers a monthly subscription

Manga UP! is a good app if you want to read romance manga. It offers a monthly subscription for roughly seven dollars, and you can read almost any title. I think this is a great deal considering the individual cost of a single volume. Of course, you don’t own the content, but with an active subscription you can go back to your favorite titles at any time.

Comixology is owned by Amazon

• Offers a mix of manga you can read on your kindle
• Visit ComiXology

There’s also ComiXology and the library for Romance-Manga got way bigger over the last years. If you are not sure about a certain comic, head over to kodansha.com. They often offer a preview of the Manga (for volume 1 at least), where you can check out if you like the art style before purchasing.