Best Webtoons to Read Right Now
The best vertical-scroll webtoons across every genre.
By Web Admin
Somewhere in the last decade, comics moved onto the phone. The vertical-scroll webtoon, born in South Korea and built for a thumb rather than a printing press, now pulls in millions of daily readers who have never set foot in a comic shop. The best webtoons are free to start on apps like WEBTOON and Tapas, and that’s still the best way to find a favorite. This guide is about the next step: the series worth owning in print or giving as a gift, with volume 1 of each, plus where to read them online first.
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How we chose: we picked webtoons we’d recommend across genres, then checked which have official English print editions on Amazon right now, from publishers like Del Rey, WEBTOON Unscrolled and HarperAlley. We chose the comic edition, skipped imports and seller bundles, and left out anything not yet released. Prices and stock change often, so the buttons show Amazon’s current price.
| Pick | Best for | Why | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lore Olympus: Volume One | Best overall |
| $10.48as of Nov 5, 2026 7:08 pm UTC | View on Amazon |
| Tower of God, Vol. 1 | Best epic adventure |
| $10.33as of Nov 6, 2026 12:26 am UTC | View on Amazon |
| unOrdinary, Vol. 1 | Best superhero story |
| $10.50as of Nov 5, 2026 7:08 pm UTC | View on Amazon |
| Let's Play, Vol. 1 | Best cozy rom-com |
| $14.99as of Nov 6, 2026 6:27 am UTC | View on Amazon |
| Cursed Princess Club, Vol. 1 | Best all-ages comedy |
| $16.70as of Nov 6, 2026 7:34 am UTC | View on Amazon |
| Boyfriends., Vol. 1 | Best comfort read |
| $12.91as of Nov 6, 2026 7:34 am UTC | View on Amazon |
Prices and availability change; check Amazon for today’s price. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
How webtoons work (and why print is different)
A webtoon is one long strip you scroll top to bottom, usually in full color, released an episode at a time. Most are free to read on a delay, with the newest chapters behind a small Fast Pass or coin payment. The two giants are WEBTOON (owned by Naver) and Tapas, though creators publish across dozens of apps. For the wider picture, see our look at comics industry trends.
The vertical scroll changes the grammar of comics. A print artist composes a page as a unit, and your eye takes in the whole layout. A webtoon artist controls exactly what you see and when, revealing panels one flick at a time, which makes the format very good at comedic timing and dramatic reveals. Print editions recompose those strips onto book pages. Done well, as in the picks below, you lose a little of the scroll's suspense and gain bigger art, a physical book you can lend, and something to put under a tree.
1. Lore Olympus: Volume One — Best overall
Hades and Persephone retold as a modern drama, in some of the most striking color work in comics.
Check price on Amazon$10.48as of Nov 5, 2026 7:08 pm UTCWhy we like it
- One of the most-read webtoons ever made
- Distinctive, saturated color palette
- Brought huge numbers of new readers to comics
- Handsome print edition that makes a great gift
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Creator | Rachel Smythe |
| Publisher | Del Rey (Penguin Random House) |
| Collects | Opening episodes of the webtoon (range not stated in listing) |
| Pages | 384 |
| Format | Paperback, full color |
| Reader age / content | Not stated in listing; depicts sexual assault and its aftermath, older teens and adults |
Lore Olympus: Volume One — Rachel Smythe, Del Rey, 384 pages, full-color paperback
Rachel Smythe's Lore Olympus retells the myth of Hades and Persephone as a modern workplace-and-family drama. Persephone is a young goddess newly arrived in Olympus; Hades is the lonely, overworked king of the Underworld. The gods text, drive sports cars and gossip at parties, and each is drawn in a single bold color, which gives the comic an instantly recognizable look.
It's our top pick because it's the webtoon that has done the most to bring non-comics readers into comics, and because the print edition is a genuinely nice object. Volume one is a thick, full-color paperback, and Penguin also sells a three-volume boxed set if you know the reader is already hooked. The series is long, so volume one is the right gift for someone new to it.
Content warning: the story deals directly with sexual assault, abuse and trauma. It handles them seriously, but it isn't a light romance. For more mythology in comics, see best comics about mythology.
Pros
- Unmistakable art style
- Strong, emotional romance
- Great first webtoon for non-comics readers
Cons
- Heavy themes for younger readers
- Slow-burn pacing
- Long series to collect
Get Lore Olympus: Volume One on Amazon
2. Tower of God, Vol. 1 — Best epic adventure
The tower-climbing epic that built WEBTOON's international audience, in an official print edition.
Check price on Amazon$10.33as of Nov 6, 2026 12:26 am UTCWhy we like it
- Arguably the webtoon that launched the platform abroad
- A huge, rewarding world to get lost in
- Clever early tests and rivalries
- Official WEBTOON Unscrolled edition
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Creator | SIU (Lee Jong-hui) |
| Publisher | WEBTOON Unscrolled |
| Collects | Opening chapters of Season 1 (range not stated in listing) |
| Pages | 288 |
| Format | Paperback graphic novel, full color |
| Reader age / content | Not stated in listing; fantasy violence, teens and up |
Tower of God, Vol. 1 — SIU, WEBTOON Unscrolled, 288 pages
A boy called Twenty-Fifth Bam follows his only friend, Rachel, into a mysterious tower where each floor is a deadly test, and anyone who reaches the top is promised whatever they desire. SIU has been telling this story since 2010, and it's the sprawling epic of the format, with a cast, politics and power system that keep expanding.
Start with this if you want a world to live in for months. Volume 1 covers the opening tests, which are some of the best puzzle-and-tournament storytelling in webtoons, and introduces Bam's friends Khun and Rak. Note the early art is rough compared with later seasons, and the print run is a long way behind the online chapters. Fans of the anime will find it an easy gift.
Pros
- Enormous ambition and lore
- Great opening arc
- Memorable central trio
Cons
- Rough early art
- Huge commitment if you're hooked
- Dense in places
Get Tower of God, Vol. 1 on Amazon
3. unOrdinary, Vol. 1 — Best superhero story
A school ranked by superpower, and a 'powerless' boy with a secret. The webtoon we hand to skeptics.
Check price on Amazon$10.50as of Nov 5, 2026 7:08 pm UTCWhy we like it
- Uses superpowers to explore bullying and power
- Morally complicated lead
- Thick first volume
- Strong pick for teen readers
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Creator | uru-chan |
| Publisher | HarperAlley |
| Collects | Opening chapters of the webtoon (range not stated in listing) |
| Pages | 336 |
| Format | Paperback graphic novel, full color (hardcover also listed) |
| Reader age / content | Not stated in listing; bullying and violence, teens and up |
unOrdinary, Vol. 1 — uru-chan, HarperAlley, 336 pages
In uru-chan's world, almost everyone has a superpower, and school social rank is decided by how strong yours is. John is treated as one of the powerless students at the bottom, and seems content to keep his head down, but he's hiding a past the school's elite don't know about.
unOrdinary is the sleeper pick for readers who think webtoons are all flash. It takes the familiar hidden-power setup and uses it to ask how quickly ordinary people justify cruelty when they hold the upper hand. It's uncomfortable and ambitious, and it shows the format isn't just Korean, since uru-chan is an American creator. For more cape stories, see our best superhero comics.
Pros
- Real thematic weight
- Tense school hierarchy
- Good value page count
Cons
- Slow to reach the action
- Bullying scenes are hard reading
- Print far behind online
Get unOrdinary, Vol. 1 on Amazon
4. Let's Play, Vol. 1 — Best cozy rom-com
An indie game developer, and the streamer who trashed her game, just moved in next door.
Check price on Amazon$14.99as of Nov 6, 2026 6:27 am UTCWhy we like it
- Warm, funny and easy to binge
- Thoughtful about anxiety and online life
- Perfect for gamers
- Shortest first volume here
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Creator | Leeanne M. Krecic (Mongie) |
| Publisher | Rocketship Entertainment |
| Collects | Opening episodes of the webtoon (range not stated in listing) |
| Pages | 204 |
| Format | Paperback, full color |
| Reader age / content | Not stated in listing; anxiety and online harassment themes, teens and up |
Let's Play, Vol. 1 — Mongie, Rocketship Entertainment, 204 pages
Sam Young is a game developer who has just released her first indie game, only for a popular streamer to tear it apart online. Then she finds out he's her new neighbor. Mongie's comic plays the setup for comedy and slow-burn romance, but it's also quietly serious about anxiety, work stress and what it's like to make things in public.
It's a natural gift for anyone who games, streams or works in tech, and at 204 pages volume 1 is a light, quick read. It sits between Lore Olympus and Cursed Princess Club in tone: a grown-up romance without the heavy themes. Our best romance webtoons guide has more like it.
Pros
- Relatable, funny lead
- Gaming culture done right
- Easy entry point
Cons
- Thin first volume
- Slow-burn romance takes time
- Smaller publisher, so stock can vary
Get Let's Play, Vol. 1 on Amazon
5. Cursed Princess Club, Vol. 1 — Best all-ages comedy
A princess overhears her fiance call her ugly and finds a secret club of 'cursed' princesses. Funny and kind.
Check price on Amazon$16.70as of Nov 6, 2026 7:34 am UTCWhy we like it
- Genuinely funny fairy-tale subversion
- Warm message about self-worth
- Suits younger readers
- Bright, expressive art
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Creator | LambCat |
| Publisher | WEBTOON Unscrolled |
| Collects | Opening episodes of the webtoon (range not stated in listing) |
| Pages | 288 |
| Format | Paperback graphic novel, full color |
| Reader age / content | Not stated in listing; mild, suits most ages |
Cursed Princess Club, Vol. 1 — LambCat, WEBTOON Unscrolled, 288 pages
Gwendolyn is the youngest princess of the Gray Kingdom, and the only one of her sisters who doesn't look like a fairy-tale heroine. When she overhears her new fiance, a prince from the Pastel Kingdom, describe her as ugly, she runs off and stumbles on a secret club of princesses with curses of their own. What follows is a comedy about found family and self-worth, with a gentle romance threaded through.
This is the pick for a younger reader or a mixed-age household. LambCat's comic timing is excellent, and the message lands without being preachy. If you're shopping for a teen, our graphic novels for teens guide has more.
Pros
- Laugh-out-loud funny
- Kind, positive themes
- Safe for most ages
Cons
- Slapstick won't suit everyone
- Romance is secondary
- Long series online
Get Cursed Princess Club, Vol. 1 on Amazon
6. Boyfriends., Vol. 1 — Best comfort read
A shy college student moves in with three very different roommates. Wholesome, funny queer romance.
Check price on Amazon$12.91as of Nov 6, 2026 7:34 am UTCWhy we like it
- Sweet, low-stakes romantic comedy
- Distinctive limited-palette art
- Positive LGBTQ+ representation
- Big first volume
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Creator | Refrainbow |
| Publisher | WEBTOON Unscrolled |
| Collects | Opening episodes of the webtoon (range not stated in listing) |
| Pages | 336 |
| Format | Paperback graphic novel |
| Reader age / content | Not stated in listing; gentle, touches on past abuse, teens and up |
Boyfriends., Vol. 1 — Refrainbow, WEBTOON Unscrolled, 336 pages
Nerd, a shy college student, moves into a dorm with three roommates known only by their stereotypes: Goth, Jock and Prep. Each of them falls for him, and the comic follows a polyamorous relationship built on kindness and a lot of awkward humor. Refrainbow's art uses a limited palette and expressive faces that make it instantly recognizable.
Boyfriends. is the comfort read on this list: it's low on melodrama and high on affection, and it handles heavier backstory gently. For more queer comics, see our LGBTQ+ manga guide.
Pros
- Warm and funny
- Instantly recognizable art
- Thick first volume
Cons
- Episodic, light plot
- Stereotype names are a gag that won't suit all
- Not for readers who want drama
Get Boyfriends., Vol. 1 on Amazon
More great webtoons to read online first
A few of the series we'd recommend most are better found elsewhere on our site or are still digital-only in English:
- Solo Leveling and Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint — the two biggest action webtoons, both with English comic editions. They lead our best manhwa and best action webtoons guides.
- True Beauty (Yaongyi) — the makeup-and-high-school romance behind the K-drama, in print from WEBTOON Unscrolled.
- Sweet Home and Bastard (Kim Carnby and Hwang Youngchan) — two of the best horror thrillers on the platform. No English print edition on Amazon yet. See our best horror webtoons.
- Purple Hyacinth (Ephemerys and Sophism) — a crime-thriller romance with a devoted following.
Free vs. Fast Pass: how reading online works
The most common question from print readers is "wait, is this actually free?" Mostly yes, with a catch.
| Platform | Free model | Paid tier | Best known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| WEBTOON | Older episodes free, ad-supported | Fast Pass / Daily Pass coins | Action, fantasy, romance originals |
| Tapas | Older episodes free | Ink (coin) system | Romance, BL, slice-of-life |
| Tappytoon / Lezhin | Limited free | Coin purchase per episode | Licensed Korean manhwa, mature titles |
You can read almost anything free if you're patient, and pay a little to stay on the newest chapter of a series you love. Our best comic book apps guide covers the apps in more detail.
How to choose a webtoon to buy
Pick by mood, not popularity. For a big, emotional romance, buy Lore Olympus. For an epic to live in, Tower of God. For something with ideas, unOrdinary. For laughs, Let's Play or Cursed Princess Club. For pure comfort, Boyfriends. If you're buying for someone who already reads webtoons, ask which series they follow: print runs years behind online, so the volume 1 they need may be one they've read on their phone but would love to own.
Frequently asked questions
Are webtoons free to read?
Mostly. On WEBTOON and Tapas, older episodes are free and ad-supported, while the newest are behind a small Fast Pass or coin payment. Print editions are a separate purchase.
What's the difference between a webtoon and manga?
Webtoons are vertical-scroll, full-color, phone-first comics that began in South Korea, though creators worldwide now use the format. Manga is the Japanese print tradition, usually black and white and read right to left. Our manga for beginners guide is a good next step.
Can I read webtoons in print?
Yes, increasingly. Every pick here has an official English print edition, from Del Rey, WEBTOON Unscrolled, HarperAlley or Rocketship. Many other series are still digital-only in English.
What is the best webtoon to give as a gift?
Lore Olympus: Volume One for adults and older teens, Cursed Princess Club for younger readers. Both are full-color, substantial books that look good unwrapped.
