In short
- Tapas ends service on March 31, 2027 at 23:59 PT, per Kakao Entertainment's announcement of September 22, 2026.
- Ink sales stopped on October 1, 2026. Leftover Ink works until the end and is not refunded.
- Unlocked episodes become inaccessible at closing and cannot move to other Kakao services.
- The Mature section, with uncut versions of some premium series, was always web only:
the Mature section is unavailable within the app
.
Tapas is shutting down: what that means for you
Kakao Entertainment said on September 22, 2026 that it would close Tapas, and Tapas posted an end-of-service FAQ on September 30. The last day is March 31, 2027, with service ending at 23:59 Pacific time. From October 1, 2026 Ink, the platform's currency, can no longer be acquired. Ink already in an account still unlocks episodes until the end. After that, unlocked episodes become inaccessible, and they cannot be transferred to other Kakao services. In the FAQ's words, all Ink transactions are final and non-refundable
.
So nobody can buy Ink now, and anyone holding Ink has five months to use it. The sensible plan is to spend the balance on series you will actually finish reading before March 31, 2027, and to expect nothing back for what is left. Owning an episode on Tapas means being allowed to view it on Tapas, and that ends with the service.
We do not recommend starting anything on Tapas. Free reading still works, but any series you get into will vanish mid-story in the spring. The timeline and sources are in our Tapas shutdown story.
What Tapas is
Tapas is a webcomic and web novel platform operated by Tapas Entertainment, Inc. and owned by Kakao Entertainment; the App Store lists Radish Media, Inc. as the seller. It has been helping creators since our origins in 2012
. It carries three kinds of work: premium and licensed series (the store text names Solo Leveling and A Business Proposal), Tapas Originals, and a Community section where anyone can self-publish. The apps run in English and Spanish.
The comics genre tabs are Romance Fantasy, Romance, Action Fantasy, Action, Drama, Thriller/Horror, BL, GL and LGBTQ+. Tapas claims thousands of premium comics and novels
and more than 75,000 creators, with no exact title count. It sits with the other webtoon stores in our platform guide.
The Mature section: Tapas's 18+ catalog
Tapas split its catalog in two. The apps carry all-ages versions. The website has a Mature tab, which Tapas describes like this:
This section is a web-only feature for readers ages 18 and older. Currently, it's solely dedicated to Premium stories that feature explicit content, which cannot otherwise be published on the Tapas mobile apps.
The shelves are titled "Uncensored and wild", "Spicy Romance" and "BL Hot Picks", and the help centre talks about buying an uncensored version of a series available in the Mature section
. Many premium series exist twice, once with "(Mature)" in the title. The two versions are separate series, and purchases do not carry over from one to the other.
The apps never show the Mature tab. Tapas says why: To comply with the Terms of Use for both the iOS and the Android app, the Mature section is unavailable within the app.
The App Store lists the app at 16+; Google Play rates it 13+.
How to see mature content on Tapas
Open tapas.io in a browser, log in, and open a Mature series. Tapas redirects to an age page that reads You must be 18 years or older to continue browsing mature content. Please verify your age.
, with month, day and year fields. The check is a typed birthdate and nothing more. The terms let people from 13 use Tapas, so the birthdate is what keeps the Mature tab adult-only. Tapas does not say whether the Mature section is blocked in any country.
Both sets of purchases, Mature and all-ages, disappear in March. That makes the Mature section the worst place on Tapas to spend leftover Ink on a long series you have not started.
What is still free on Tapas
Most Community series are free, and stay free until closing day. For premium series, Tapas has timed free episodes in the app:
- Wait Until Free and 3-hour WUF:
Users may unlock one episode per series each time the WUF timer completes
, and the episode stays readable for 72 hours. These are app only. - Watch Ad for 1 free ep, up to three ad-unlocked WUF episodes a day, also app only.
- Free Access titles, premium series free "from start to finish".
On the website, logged-out series pages say "Login to unlock free episodes!". Tapas has no reader subscription. How timed free reading works on other stores is on wait-for-free.
Ink: what episodes cost before sales stopped
Ink was bought in the Ink Shop, by card or PayPal on the web or by in-app purchase, and spent per episode. The pack prices were only visible after login, and Google Play gave only a range of $0.99 to $99.99 per item, so there was never a public Ink-to-dollar rate. The last official per-episode figures are from a Tapas post of March 27, 2023, which raised some new series from 375 Ink (300 Ink with 1-Tap) to 450 Ink (360 Ink with 1-Tap)
. Since then the 1-Tap discount dropped to 10%, and bundles of locked episodes get 20% off (10 to 19 episodes) or 25% (20 or more).
Without a published pack price, no honest dollar figure per episode exists, and with sales closed it no longer matters for new buyers. For anyone with a balance, the bundle discount is the way to stretch it: a completed series can be unlocked in full on the web. Bonus Ink expires on its own schedule, so spend that first. Refunds were always limited (unlocked episodes cannot be returned or exchanged
), and at closing there are none. How coin systems hide prices in general is covered in webtoon coins explained.
Tapas apps and offline reading
- iPhoneYesTapas – Comics and Novels; no Mature section in the app
- AndroidYesGoogle Play, 10M+ downloads; no Mature section in the app
- BrowserYestapas.io; the only place the Mature section is available
The apps carry the all-ages catalog, the timed free episodes and offline downloads of free or unlocked episodes: Downloaded episodes are automatically removed from your device after 30 days, due to copyright restrictions.
After March 31, 2027 downloads stop working with everything else. Google Play marks the app "Contains ads".
Privacy and billing
Google Play's Data safety summary says the app may share location, personal info and four other data types, and may collect personal info and messages among others. Deletion can be requested; with the service closing, readers who want their data gone should ask before March 31, 2027. Tapas does not say whether reading history can be cleared.
For creators: the Tapas creator program until closing
Creators may keep publishing until March 31, 2027, but both ways to earn end with the platform. Until then, per Tapas's help centre:
- Ad Revenue, open to creators 18+ once a series reaches 100 subscribers, with
about 70% of ad revenue
going to creators. - The Support Program, where readers send Ink. A series needs 250 subscribers and staff review each application.
100% of the profit goes to creators after any 3rd party fees (On apps (Apple/Google) 30%, on web (Paypal/Stripe) 15%).
Readers can no longer buy Ink, so new support comes only from existing balances. - Cash-out by PayPal once the balance reaches $25.
Tapas never took explicit work from independent creators. The Content and Community Guidelines allow, on the web only, non-sexual nudity and censored sexual acts
, and say Any and all content intended for sexual gratification is not allowed.
The Mature section is not open for submissions
. Artists moving a series should cash out before the end and look at where to publish adult comics.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Uncut Mature versions of some premium romance and BL titles on the website.
- Free Community series and timed free premium episodes until closing.
- Downloads for offline reading in the app.
Cons
- Closes on March 31, 2027; unlocked episodes go with it.
- Ink can no longer be bought, and leftover Ink is non-refundable.
- Mature section web only, sold separately from the all-ages versions.
- Ink prices were never public, so episode costs were never clear.
Where to read instead of Tapas
The readers Tapas served best wanted premium romance and BL with uncut versions on the web. Manta is the closest replacement: licensed Korean romance and BL, a 300+ series library from $4.99 a month, a daily Free Pass, and 18+ "[Full ver.]" editions in the browser. Tappytoon covers the same genres pay-per-episode and labels its unabridged editions [Uncut], at about 38 cents for a 300-point episode on its $4.99 pack. Readers who liked Wait Until Free will find something similar on Lalatoon, a BL, GL and romance store where a free coupon arrives 72 hours after you finish an episode on eligible series and a paid episode costs 3 clovers. For free community comics, WEBTOON CANVAS is the obvious home, though it bans explicit work outright. The full list is on the best platforms for adult webtoons.
FAQ
Is Tapas shutting down?
Yes. Tapas ends service on March 31, 2027 at 23:59 PT. Kakao Entertainment announced it on September 22, 2026.
What happens to my Tapas Ink?
It still unlocks episodes until closing day. It cannot be refunded, and no new Ink can be bought since October 1, 2026. Unlocked episodes become inaccessible when the service ends.
How do I see mature content on Tapas?
On the website only: log in at tapas.io, open the Mature tab and enter a birthdate showing you are 18 or older. The apps never show the Mature section.
Why is the Mature section not in the Tapas app?
Tapas says it is unavailable in the app "to comply with the Terms of Use for both the iOS and the Android app".
Can I move my Tapas purchases to another app?
No. Tapas says unlocked episodes cannot be transferred to other Kakao services.
Final verdict
Verdict
Tapas had a sensible setup for adult readers, with uncut Mature versions on the web and generous timed free episodes in the app, but it is closing on March 31, 2027 and nothing bought there survives. Use up any Ink on series you can finish in time, read the free Community work while it lasts, and start new series on a store that will still be here next year.