Readers comparing manga and webtoon are really comparing two different approaches to comic storytelling: manga’s traditional page-based Japanese format versus the vertical-scroll digital format popularized by Korean webtoons. The differences go far beyond just black and white versus color, format, art style, and reading habits all change too.
Manga Format Explained
Manga is built around printed pages and panels. Each page is composed as a complete unit, with panel size, shape, and placement working together to control pacing. Manga is read right to left, and the physical page-turn is part of how tension and big reveals are timed. New readers who aren’t sure how to follow the panels should see our step-by-step guide on how to read manga panels in the correct order.
Webtoon Format Explained
Webtoons are designed for scrolling rather than page turns. Instead of fitting content onto a fixed page, artists arrange panels in one long vertical strip. Pacing is controlled by how much blank space appears between panels and how far the reader has to scroll before the next reveal, a technique that’s become a signature of Korean manhwa.
Art Style Comparison
Manga typically relies on black-and-white line art with screentones for shading and texture. Webtoons are almost always in full color, often with softer digital shading, gradients, and cinematic close-ups that take advantage of a bigger, more flexible vertical canvas.
Reading Style: Page-Turning vs Scrolling
Reading manga means flipping through pages right to left, following panels in a set zig-zag order. Reading a webtoon means scrolling straight down on a phone or browser, with no need to think about panel order since everything flows in a single vertical line. For a broader look at how manga also compares to manhwa and manhua, see manga vs manhwa vs manhua.
Color Usage
Color is one of the fastest ways to tell the two apart. Original manga is printed mostly in black and white, with color reserved for covers or special chapters. Webtoons are made for color screens from the start, so full color is the default rather than the exception.
Which Is Better for New Readers?
Neither format is objectively better, but webtoons tend to be more approachable for readers who are new to comics, since scrolling feels natural on a phone and there’s no reading-direction learning curve. Manga rewards readers who enjoy traditional panel composition and don’t mind the right-to-left format.
FAQ: Manga vs Webtoon
Is a webtoon a type of manga?
No. Webtoon is a format most closely associated with Korean manhwa, not Japanese manga. Manga is printed and read right to left; webtoons scroll vertically.
Are webtoons easier to read than manga?
Many readers find them easier to start with, since there’s no reading-direction adjustment and everything scrolls in one direction.
Can manga be published in a webtoon format?
It’s uncommon, but some Japanese publishers have experimented with vertical, color, mobile-first releases inspired by the webtoon format.
Looking for your next series in either format? Discover more titles on Manytoon.
Eiichiro Oda is the creator of the legendary manga series One Piece, one of the most popular comic books in the world. Born in 1975 in Japan, he is known for his ability to build vast worlds, emotional characters and inspiring stories about dreams, friendship and freedom.