More Ways to Read Comics On the Go
With the release of the Comikey mobile app, as well as the new series from SQUARE ENIX, we thought it would be helpful to explain some updates we’ve made to our payment model.
Why We Launched the “Free-Paid-Free” Model
When Comikey first launched, we came up with the “Free-Paid-Free” payment model, where the latest chapter of a series was first free for 2 hours, paid for 12, and then free again until the next chapter came out.
We thought this would be a great way to...
- Encourage avid manga readers to test out new manga they might not have otherwise purchased.
- Attract new readers who might have doubts about purchasing this type of content.
- Build support for official releases.
And while it has been helpful for our first phase as a company, it wasn’t an option that could scale long term.
Why We’re Updating
For starters, as Comikey’s catalog of new publishers expands, it has been increasingly difficult to get support for this experimental model, when not even competing platforms use it. This model also makes content completely free, which is a hard sell when the original creators need to earn a living.
Secondly, things are just much easier for everyone when they’re less complicated, aren’t they? The Free-Paid-Free model has always been confusing for new users, and even now, our biggest fans have difficulty adjusting to it. So, we are simplifying the model to something that satisfies publishers while also still giving our readers six free chapters per day (per series!), which is, in fact, more than we have previously offered, but this time in a way more beneficial to Comikey and the original creators.
Therefore, as the app was being developed, we created a model that ensures we can continue to expand our catalog of publishers and series moving forward and still give you six free chapters of your favorite comics every day (for every series!).
Comics This Change WON’T Affect
Some of our most popular series will continue to be available using the Free-Paid-Free model moving forward. This includes:
Comics This Change WILL Affect
Aside from the two mentioned above, almost all of our series (including all series from SQUARE ENIX) will be moving to the new payment model. Details of the new model are outlined in the FAQ below.
And Last But Not Least, A New Promo
Another change we will be implementing is phasing out one sign-up promo and replacing it with a similar promo in an effort to move our audience to the new mobile app:
- Phasing out → Get 5 Xtra Keys for signing up for an account on our website.
- Introducing → Get 5 Xtra Keys when you first log into the Comikey app on your phone.
We hope that you continue to support Comikey—the bigger we grow, the more potential we will have to reshape the future of the manga industry!
Without further ado, here are the new FAQs.
How to unlock content on Comikey?
The Comikey platform uses a currency called “Keys” to unlock content. To unlock a chapter, simply click on the chapter that has the “unlock with key” prompt. A modal will pop up showing the number of keys you’ll need to unlock the chapter. Simply click unlock to continue reading the chapter. For any comic not using the Free-Paid-Free method, latest chapters cost double the Keys for any given series. The price goes back to normal once a new chapter is released.
- Daily Pass: Unlock one chapter (per series, except for the latest one) every 23 hours for free. You can read in any order, with no ads. Chapters that are unlocked through this method will stay unlocked for 72 hours. 📲
- Free with Ads: Unlock any chapter (except for the latest ones) every 23 hours by watching an ad—no Keys required. Chapters that are unlocked through this method will stay unlocked for 72 hours. 📲
- Unlock with Keys: Unlock any chapter permanently using Keys you paid for, or with Xtra Keys. Latest chapters cost double the Keys for any given series. The price goes back to normal once a new chapter is released. 📲 💻
- Free-Paid-Free: A new chapter will be available to read for free within the first few hours of its release. Then, the chapter will lock for 12 hours. After that, the chapter will be free to read again for one week, or until the next chapter is released! *Note that this is a legacy method currently being phased out.*📲 💻
These options will be available via the following methods:
| Website | Mobile App | |
| Daily Pass | ❌ | ✅ |
| Free with Ads | ❌ | ✅ |
| Unlock with Keys | ✅ | ✅ |
| Free-Paid-Free | ✅ | ✅ |
What are Keys?
Keys are the Comikey platform currency. They are used to unlock chapters, chapter packs, and more.
There are two different types of Keys: one known as Xtra Keys, and then a regular Key.
What are Xtra Keys?
Xtra Keys are Keys that you earn by doing different tasks (buying key packs, bulk purchasing chapters, campaigns, events, reading specific series’, reading a specific number of chapters, sharing invite links, etc.). These keys are time-limited, free (Xtra) keys that you can use instead of Keys.
- Our current promo, which is being phased out: get 5 Xtra Keys when you register for a Comikey account.
- Our next promo, coming soon: get 5 Xtra Keys when you first log into the Comikey app on your phone!
How do I buy more Keys?
You can buy more Keys here.
How do I get more Xtra Keys?
You can earn Xtra Keys during campaigns, events, seasonal promotions, bulk purchasing chapters, or by buying an extra-large Key pack!
What form of payment does Comikey accept?
We accept credit cards, PayPal, Google Pay, and Apple Pay, and any additional payments available through the App Store or Google Play store.
Are my payments secure?
Of course! Here's how payments are made through both our website and our mobile app.
- Via website: your payments are processed using Braintree; a PayPal service that’s widely used across the internet. Comikey and Braintree do not store any credit card or other information beyond what is strictly necessary to validate your purchases.
- Via mobile app: your payments are processed via the App Store or Google Play store and the options available within those platforms.
Am I supporting the creator of the content by purchasing/unlocking chapters?
Profits from all of our markets are shared with the original publishers, so they can continue to bring us great stories! Your support ensures their comics’ success and encourages the continuation of serialization.
How can I report bugs on the platform?
You can report bugs on our Discord in the “Issue-Report” channel, or email us at support@comikey.com.
How can I suggest new features for the platform?
You can suggest features on our Discord in the “Suggestions” channel, or email us at support@comikey.com.
Remember, you can download the Comikey mobile app via the App Store, or through the Google Play store. Thanks as always, and happy reading!