In short
- There is no shared standard: each platform decides what its Mature label covers.
- App Store ratings have been 4+, 9+, 13+, 16+ and 18+ since July 2025, and an app's rating says little about the website behind it.
- Korean adult webtoons say 19+, because Korean law draws the line at 19.
- Most age checks on comic sites are a click or a birthdate. A few use ID checks where local law requires them.
What Mature means on different platforms
WEBTOON describes a Mature series as one that Contains graphic imagery, violence, profanity, nudity, or sexual themes. Though explicit sexual content may not be present...
, and its content guidelines still ban explicit sex. Mature series are locked for accounts under 18. On Tapas, by contrast, the Mature section holds uncut versions of premium series, kept to the website and reached after login through a birthdate page.
Other labels vary again. MangaPlaza hides titles until a reader switches on an 18+ setting. Lezhin's 18+ switch sends logged-out visitors to the login page. Patreon puts explicit pages in an Adult/18+ category, and Newgrounds rates every post E, T, M or A.
App store ratings
Apple added 13+, 16+ and 18+ in July 2025 and dropped 12+ and 17+, so older listings may still be quoted at 17+. Google Play uses a questionnaire that maps to IARC and ESRB ratings, where Mature means 17 and up and Adults Only means 18 and up.
A store rating describes the app build, not the service. Lezhin's iPhone app is rated 12+ because its R-rated titles are not in it. The Tapas app is rated 16+ and has no Mature section. GlobalComix is rated 17+ even though it does not accept explicitly sexual comics. Explicit catalogs stay off the stores because Apple bans pornographic material in apps.
Why Korean sites say 19+
Korea's Youth Protection Act defines a juvenile as a person under 19 and requires sellers of material classed as harmful to juveniles to check age and identity. Korean adult manhwa are labelled 19+ for this reason (see manhwa). English sites of Korean publishers usually ask for 18+ instead.
How age checks work
Mostly by self-declaration. FAKKU has a checkbox at sign-up, itch.io a date-of-birth gate on its NSFW browse pages, and TOPTOON Plus a yes-or-no prompt. Honeytoon uses a click-through and switches to an ID check by Yoti where local law requires it. Since July 25, 2025, itch.io has blocked adult pages for visitors in the UK under the Online Safety Act.
Safety questions are covered in are adult comic sites safe. For the content itself, see adult comics, adult webtoons and the softer end under ecchi. More terms are in the glossary.
FAQ
What does Mature mean on WEBTOON?
Violence, profanity, nudity or sexual themes, with explicit sex still banned. Mature series are hidden from accounts under 18.
Why is an adult comic app rated 12+?
Because the explicit titles are not in the app. Lezhin, for example, keeps its R-rated catalog on its website and an Android APK, so the store build carries only all-ages material.
Do adult comic sites check ID?
Rarely. Most rely on a birthdate or a click. Patreon checks ID for adult creators, not for fans, and Honeytoon uses Yoti only where local law requires it.