In short
- Tapas stops on March 31, 2027 at 23:59 PT; Ink could no longer be bought or earned after October 1, 2026.
- Unlocked episodes cannot be read after that date and cannot move to Kakao Page, Kakao Webtoon or any other service.
- Tappytoon is the nearest copy of the Mature section: [Steamy] and [Uncut] editions, web only, bought separately from the all-ages version.
- Manta copies the free-timer habit, MangaPlaza has the biggest adult romance shelf, and Bookwalker sells volumes you keep.
Why readers look for a Tapas alternative
Tapas is closing. Kakao Entertainment announced the shutdown on September 22, 2026, and the end-of-service FAQ (posted September 30, updated October 1) gives March 31, 2027 at 23:59 PT as the last day to use Ink, unlock episodes and read anything. That leaves about five months.
- Ink sales and free Ink stopped on October 1, 2026. Leftover Ink still unlocks episodes until the last day, at unchanged prices, with no sales planned.
- Unlocked episodes are not kept: "you will no longer be able to access Tapas, including any previously unlocked content." They cannot be transferred to another Kakao service.
- All Ink transactions are final and non-refundable under Tapas' refund policy.
- Creators can keep publishing for now. Artists who want a new home can start with our page on platforms for NSFW webtoon creators.
The Mature section is the hard part to replace. It is a web-only area for readers 18 and older, behind login and a birthdate check, with explicit premium titles the apps cannot carry, and Mature and all-ages versions of a series are separate purchases. A new service needs the same split: a browser for the adult edition and a clear label. Our report on the Tapas closure and the Tapas review have the rest.
Tapas never published what Ink costs in dollars (its last figures, from March 2023, were 375 or 450 Ink an episode), so every dollar figure below comes from the replacement service's own pages.
The best Tapas alternatives
Manta
Best for the Wait Until Free habit
- Price
- Free tier · $4.99/mo
- Type
- licensed webtoon store
- Formats
- webtoons, manhwa, manga
- Free reading
- Yes
Manta, RIDI's English app, is the nearest match to reading on Tapas timers. A Free Pass opens an episode for 72 hours and resets after 24, and Manta says it covers 400+ titles, though it may skip the newest episodes. Tapas gives one Wait Until Free episode per timer, readable for 72 hours, in its app only.
Standard membership is $4.99 a month in the US App Store ($49.90 for 12 months). Single episodes run on Gems, typically 30 to 60; 1,250 Gems cost $9.99, so a 40-Gem episode is about $0.32. The 18+ "[Full ver.]" editions are web only, like the Tapas Mature section, and the age typed at sign-up cannot be changed later. Manta also has a Novel section and offline downloads for every reader.
Tappytoon
Closest to the Mature section
- Price
- Free tier · $4.99/mo
- Type
- licensed webtoon store
- Formats
- webtoons, manhwa
- Free reading
- Yes
Tappytoon, a licensed English manhwa store, labels its adult editions much as Tapas splits its catalog. [Steamy] means partially censored and [Uncut] means unabridged. Both are on the website only, after login and an 18+ confirmation, and each is bought separately from the all-ages edition.
A typical episode costs 300 points: about $0.38 at 3,900 points for $4.99, or $0.43 from the 1,400-point pack. Club Standard is $4.99 a month or $47.99 a year and adds 4,400 points a cycle. Free routes are free first episodes, a Time Till Free episode every 24 hours on marked titles, and weekly 48-hour Free Tickets. Purchases are final.
MangaPlaza
Biggest adult romance shelf in a browser
- Price
- Free tier · $6.99/mo
- Type
- Licensed manga store with a Mature (18+) shelf
- Formats
- manga
- Free reading
- Yes
MangaPlaza suits readers who came to Tapas for adult romance and care less about the webtoon format. It is a manga store with an Adult Romance shelf of 1,564 titles, plus BL and Harlequin adaptations, behind an 18+ toggle. The first chapter of most titles is free.
Points are one cent each and Premium costs $6.99 a month with a 7-day trial. Listings showed items at $1.99 and $2.00, steep next to a $0.32 Manta episode, so Premium pays off after a few. It is browser only, with no downloads, limited to the US by its terms, and chapters and points are not refunded.
Lezhin Comics
Best for BL and GL by the episode
- Price
- Free tier · from $2.99 (120 + 40 coins)
- Type
- adult webtoon platform
- Formats
- webtoons, manhwa
- Free reading
- Yes
Lezhin has no subscription, which fits readers who followed one or two series on Tapas. Episodes cost coins shown per title, usually 20 or more. The US App Store lists 400 coins plus 45 bonus for $9.99, so a 20-coin episode is about $0.50.
BL and GL have their own genre tabs. The R-rated catalogue sits on the website or in the Android PLUS app, an APK from lezhinus.com with offline downloads; the iPhone app has none. Coins can be refunded within 7 days if none were spent.
BookWalker
Best for novels and volumes you keep
- Price
- Free tier · from $0.99 (99 Coins)
- Type
- Licensed manga, light novel and webtoon ebook store
- Formats
- manga, webtoons
- Free reading
- Yes
Bookwalker is KADOKAWA's English store for manga, light novels and webtoons, with a claimed 76,000+ licensed titles. A coin is one cent, purchased coins do not expire (promotional ones do), and a purchase leaves a DRM file that opens in LCP reader apps. After Tapas, that matters.
It is not an adult service. Mature and ecchi series from Seven Seas, Yen Press and Kodansha stay hidden until you switch them on in account settings, and no hentai section turned up. Its own app has no offline reading yet, and nothing is refunded.
Webnovel (comics)
Best for novel adaptations without adult content
- Price
- Free tier · $4.99/mo
- Type
- web novel platform with a licensed comics section
- Formats
- webtoons, manhwa
- Free reading
- Yes
Webnovel's comics section carries licensed manhua and manhwa adapted from web novels, such as Solo Leveling. Its terms ban pornographic content and it has no adult shelf, so this is for the romance fantasy and action side of Tapas only.
Coins sell at about $0.02 each (50 for $0.99 on the US App Store), Fast Passes from missions unlock chapters for free, and Elite Membership is listed at $4.99. A chapter's coin cost shows only on the unlock page.
Tapas and the alternatives side by side
yesnonot confirmed
- Subscription
- Offline reading
- iPhone app
Uncensored editions Web only: Mature versions of some premium series
Explicit content Web only, in the Mature section of premium titles
Age check login plus self-declared birthdate on the web
- Subscription
- Uncensored editions
- Offline reading
- iPhone app
Explicit content 18+ full versions on the website only, for age-verified adults
Age check Age entered at account creation (self-declared), cannot be changed afterwards
- Subscription
- Uncensored editions: Uncut editions only
- Offline reading
- iPhone app
Explicit content Licensed Uncut and Steamy editions on the website only, for age-confirmed adults
Age check Log in, confirm age 18+, then switch to mature mode
- Subscription
- Uncensored editions
- Explicit content
- Offline reading
- iPhone app
Age check Self-declared 18+ toggle
- Subscription
- Uncensored editions
- Offline reading
- iPhone app
Explicit content Website and Android PLUS APK only; not in the App Store or Play Store builds
Age check Login required to switch on mature content; verification method behind login
- Subscription
- Uncensored editions
- Explicit content
- Offline reading
- iPhone app
Age check Terms say 18+; mature titles need a signed-in settings toggle
- Subscription
- Uncensored editions
- Explicit content
- Offline reading
- iPhone app
- Age check: none
Data is from each service's own pages and US store listings.
How to choose
Decide first whether you need the adult editions. If you do, Tappytoon, Manta and Lezhin keep them on the web and MangaPlaza has a full adult shelf. If you read the all-ages versions in the Tapas app, Manta and Webnovel feel closest and both are free to start.
Then time. Finish the series you are halfway through on Tapas with leftover Ink before paying again elsewhere. For anything you want to keep, Bookwalker's files outlast a closure better than an account does. The Wait For Free rules differ by service.
We found no list that maps Tapas series to other services, so search each store for your titles. More choice is in the best adult webtoon platforms ranking and the free adult webtoons list. WEBTOON vs Tapas covers the big free reader, Manta vs Tappytoon the two closest picks, and how pay-per-chapter platforms work explains coins before you buy. See all alternatives.
FAQ
When does Tapas shut down?
March 31, 2027 at 23:59 PT. It is the last day to use Ink, unlock episodes and read content.
What happens to the episodes I unlocked on Tapas?
They stop working. After the end date you cannot access Tapas or any previously unlocked content, and Tapas says content cannot be transferred to another Kakao service.
Can I still buy Ink, and will I get a refund?
No to both. Ink could not be bought or earned from October 1, 2026, and the FAQ repeats that all Ink transactions are final. Remaining Ink still unlocks episodes until March 31, 2027.
Can I read Tapas Mature comics in the app?
No. The Mature section was web only, and Mature versions were separate purchases. Tappytoon, Manta and Lezhin keep their 18+ editions on the web too.
Is there a free replacement for Tapas?
Partly. WEBTOON is free to start with mature-rated series, but its rules ban nudity and explicit sex. Manta and Tappytoon give free first episodes and timed free reads.
Where can Tapas creators go?
Tapas says creators can keep publishing until the end of service and can ask for early takedown through its Creator Inquiry Form. Our guide to publishing adult comics covers other platforms.