Every Comic Subscription Service And Price, Explained

Since the advent of Netflix, subscription services have been all the rage. Every company from Amazon to NBC is throwing their hat in the ring, trying to get some of that sweet streaming money. While most streaming services are all about TV and Movies, a select few have moved beyond other forms of media. Sony and Microsoft each have a gaming streaming service for their respective platforms, and Crunchyroll is a service that exclusively serves up anime. Kindle Unlimited and Audible serve up books and audiobooks for low monthly prices. Some companies have even started to branch into the exciting world of comic book streaming.

What is a comic streaming service? Much like their TV and movie counterparts, they offer access to a large library of media for a single monthly or annual price. The big difference, naturally, is what is on offer: comic books. These services offer many single issues, runs, and even omnibuses for dedicated comic fans. However, knowing exactly what each has to offer can be difficult. Each has different price points, books on offer, and even avenues for reading that any potential customer deserves to know. However, this guide only focuses on subscription services. While free apps like Libby or Hoopla might have tons of stuff on offer, and IDW and WEBTOON might have slick apps, none are subscription services. Only platforms offering a complete library for a single price will be considered.

DC Universe Infinite Has Everything from Aquaman to Zatanna

The first of the Big Two, at least alphabetically, has a great streaming service. Initially launched as DC Universe in 2018, the platform served up a limited slate of comics, cartoons, movies, and original streaming shows. Eventually, however, most of the programming was folded into HBOMax, and this platform was relaunched as DC Universe Infinite. Now, it focuses exclusively on DC’s vast comic library and has books from its history.

The service highlights certain characters, events, and eras to generate new fans. That means it’s the perfect place to binge-read Superman’s greatest hits or start from the beginning of the Teen Titans formation. Plus, they’ll even let community members recommend certain books on the front page occasionally. Combined with Author and Character Guides, this site is a great jumping-on-point for any reader.

Almost every DC comic a reader could want is available on this site. Signing up for the slightly pricier “Ultra” at $119.99 even gets readers new comic books a month after their print release. There are a couple of big pros for this service. Firstly, it has an app and a website, meaning you can read DC comics on almost any device. Plus, all comics can be downloaded and read online. They even offer collected digital versions and omnibuses, making reading events or downloading certain runs easier to manage.

The big con, of course, is that only DC’s library is on offer. However, this includes the Vertigo imprint, DC Black Label, and more. This is the must-have service for any die-hard DC reader, and the “Ultra” service is a great money-saver for anyone willing to forgo picking up physical copies.

Marvel Unlimited is Perfect for Any MCU Fanatic Getting into Comics

Not one to be outdone, Marvel has its own service called Marvel Unlimited. Surprisingly, the service has existed since 2007, although the modern version is much better. Nowadays, the service is available exclusively on the IOS and Android app stores. Readers can browse the library online but must use the app to read anything. However, this app has just about everything Marvel has published, making it a seriously great investment for anyone who wants to check out any of the publisher’s most popular heroes like Spider-Man, the Avengers, or the X-Men.

One of Marvel Unlimited’s biggest pros is, ironically, the app. While lacking a web service is annoying, the app makes up for its exclusivity. It’s incredibly stable, fast-loading, and easy to navigate. The app has “Event Reading Guides,” which lets readers check out a storyline in order, even across various books. There are even character and author guides that let total novices get to know their favorite characters better. Or, even introduce them to completely new ones!

However, there are definitely cons. The app is limiting, and requires a mobile device or tablet to access. There isn’t a streamlined way to download things for offline reading, and readers can only download single issues, which is cumbersome. Plus, the app keeps trying to push “facsimile” or digitally streamlined versions of comics, which are often not better versions.

Comixology Unlimited Has Books From Every Publisher Imaginable

​​​​​​​ComiXology is one of the oldest comic websites out there, and it’s been doing a pretty good job since it launched in 2007. Granted, the site has had a bit of a fall from grace since being acquired by Amazon, but that’s a fact of life when multi-billion dollar companies are in the mix.

ComiXology boasts a library from a broad range of publishers, which makes it pretty unique amongst the other big subscription services. Whereas the name of the game for streaming seems to be specificity, ComiXology offers breadth rather than depth. It even offers monthly changes to the library, meaning it’s a great way to stay updated with current indie books. While this is definitely a positive, it can also work against the company.

There’s a lot of great stuff on ComiXology, from DC and Marvel to Dark Horse and IDW. However, it hardly has everything. And what ComiXology does have isn’t always what people want to read. The Big Two aren’t going to shell out their biggest money-makers for someone else, after all.

The biggest con, however, is that ComiXology is not primarily a subscription service. ComiXology Unlimited offers a modest collection of books for a low monthly price. However, the company is mostly focused on selling digital comics and offering a platform to digital collectors. Of course, this could be the right choice for the right reader. Someone looking for a great way to collect digital comics should look no further. The Unlimited subscription even offers discounts on select books, meaning this could be a great way to own things… at least digitally.

Global Comix is a Niche but Useful Option

GlobalComix is the place to get indie comics on a subscription basis. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean it is a great service. GlobalComix, like ComiXology, is not primarily a subscription service. Much like WEBTOON, it is a creator-focused site that allows anyone to publish their original work. However, it also plays host to a huge range of indie books. Some books on the site are free; others are behind a paywall, usually overcome by paying for individual pages. The subscription service GlobalComix Gold allows readers to access everything.

The biggest pro of GlobalComix Gold is that a portion of each reader’s payment goes directly to the creators, a fact that the company proudly advertises. However, GlobalComix isn’t the best sell otherwise. It has a modest catalog, but the biggest names are things you could, hypothetically, get on a more established platform like ComiXology. Plus, a lot of what’s on there is self-published.

While this is great for real fans of the medium, it also makes it difficult to recommend. There’s no quality control, meaning the site is inundated with untested, amateur work that can be a bit of a slog. However, if you’re primarily interested in indie books and like knowing your money goes directly to the creators, this is a good service to check out.