Ryuzine Comparison Tables
So, how do Ryuzine Writer and the Ryuzine reader web apps compare to the increasing competition in the self-service e-publishing sector? The following tables show you how our web apps – both technically still in beta – stack up.
Comparison of Ryuzine to Conversion & Aggregation Apps
There are also now numerous online services for converting your existing content (either websites or PDF files – which need to be created with third-party authoring software) into HTML5 digital magazine webapps (or native apps). However, most of the free services only process RSS feeds to which you’ve subscribed, or insert their own advertising into the content. Some of these services are only available to publishers for a fee, and even others only to publishers who “partner” with the conversion service. These restrictions eliminate many of these services as options for small, independent publishers and self-publishers.
| onswipe | Google Currents | Zite | Amazon Kindle | Ryuzine | ||
| Style | Transforms Existing Site | News Aggregator | Original Content /Aggregator | Content Aggregator | Original Content | Original content |
| Access | browser | native app | native app | native app | Kindle App | browser |
| Availability | International | International | US Only | International | International | International |
| Registration Required | yes | yes | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Personal Content | Yes | no | Yes | No? | Yes | Yes |
| Commercial Content | Yes | yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Curated Content | no | yes | No | Yes | No | Yes[6] |
| URL Redirect | no | yes | Yes | Yes | No (self contained) | No |
| Requires Server-side Code | yes | yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No[7] |
| Advertising Revenues | theirs | theirs | shared | theirs | yours | Yours |
| Offline Reading | no | no | yes | No | yes | Yes[8] |
| Editions* | no | no | yes | No | yes | Yes |
| Audio/Video | Yes | no | yes | No | No | Yes |
| RSS Feeds | yes | yes | yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Social/Share | yes | yes | yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Custom Scripts/Widgets | no | no | no | No | No | Yes |
| Touch Interface | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | Yes |
| Keyboard Controls | no | no | no | no | yes | Yes |
| Customize User Iinterface | limited | no | limited | no | no | Yes |
| Orientation Aware | Yes | yes | yes (Android version only) | yes | yes | Yes |
| Alternative View Modes | No | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Animated Page Turns | Yes | Swipe | Swipe | No | Swipe | Yes |
| Custom Layout | limited | no | limited | user configured | yes | Yes |
| Cover Image | no | no | no | no | yes | Yes |
| Custom Homescreen Icon | Yes | no | yes | no | no | Yes |
| Themes | No | no | no | no | no | Yes |
| Load/Splash screen | No | no | no | no | no | Yes |
| Content Source | Existing Site | Feeds | Uploaded/Feeds | Feeds | HTML/XML/EPUB | HTML |
| Authoring Method | WordPress | Blogs | Currents Producer Web App | Blogs | Offline apps | Ryuzine Writer or WordPress |
| iPhone | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| iPad | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Android Phone | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Android Tablet | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Windows Phone 7.5 | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| BlackBerry Playbook | No | No | Yes*** | No | Yes | Yes |
| webOS Tablet | No | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Windows Desktop | No* | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Mac OSX | No* | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | no | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
* “Editions” refers to a version with only the publisher’s branding
** Yes with Safari if spoofing user agent as iPad but is not fully functional
*** BlackBerry Playbook can be configured to run Android Apps
[4] Through Flash web app
[5] You must be an established publisher and partner with them
[6] Content curated from a WordPress blog with Ryuzine Press
[7] Ryuzine Reader & Rack don’t require server-side code, Ryuzine Press does
[8] Ryuzine Reader & Rack support offline reading, Ryuzine Press does not
Comparison to Comic Readers
Ryuzine does not open digital comic archive files. However when you publish a web comic in Ryuzine format it acts a lot like a comic reader running in your browser and publishers can bundle multiple issues together.
| Comixology | ComicRack | Comical | YACReader | Comic Zeal | Comic Reader Mobi | Comix | Ryuzine | |
| App Cost to Readers | Free | Free/Pay versions | Free | Free | $3.99 – $ 7.99 | $15 – $20 | Free | Free |
| Content Cost to Readers | Pay | Free | Free | Free | Free | Free | Free | Free |
| Actively Developed | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Archive Formats | proprietary | cbz, cbr, rar, zip, pdf, tar, cb7, 7z, cbw, djvu | .cbz, .cbr | cbr, cbz, rar, zip, tar | cbz, cbr, rar, zip, pdf | cbz, cbr, rar, zip, pdf | zip, tar, rar | .htm, .html, .zip |
| Image Formats | proprietary | JPG, PNG, GIF, TIFF | JPG, PNG, GIF, TIFF | JPG, PNG, GIF, TIFF | JPG, PNG, GIF, TIFF | JPG, PNG, GIF, TIFF | JPG, PNG, GIF | JPG, PNG, GIF |
| Touch Navigation | Patented Method | Mobile App | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Keyboard Navigation | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes (desktop version) | Yes | Yes |
| DRM | Yes? | No | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Who Can Publish for it? | Approved print & indie publishers | Anyone | Anyone | Anyone | Anyone | Anyone | Anyone | Anyone |
| Alternative Views | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Social/Share | No | Yes (LAN) | No | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Extendable | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Manga Mode | ? | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fullscreen | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (if browser supports it) |
| Pan/Zoom | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (lens) | Yes | Yes (lens) | Yes (lens) | Yes (mobile) |
| Page Fitting | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Orientation Aware | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Spreads | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Bookmarks | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Page Animations | Patented Method | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Catalogs | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes[2] |
| Platforms | ||||||||
| iPhone | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| iPad | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Android Phone | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Android Tablet | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Windows Phone 7.5 | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| BlackBerry Playbook | Yes[1] | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| webOS Tablet | Yes[1] | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Windows | Yes[1] | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Mac OSX | Yes[1] | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes (X11) | Yes |
| Linux | Yes[1] | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
[1] In browser with Flash plugin
[2] With Ryuzine Rack webapp
Comparison to Publishing Formats
| Plain Text | HTML5 | EPUB | FictionBook | Mobipocket | Multimedia eBook | eReader | Portable Document Format |
Kindle | Ryuzine | |
| Extension | .txt | .htm, .html | .epub | .fb2 | .prc, .mobi | .exe | .pdb | .azw | .htm, .html | |
| DRM | No | No | Yes[1] | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes[1] | Yes | No |
| Images | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Tables | No | Yes | Yes | Yes [1] | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Audio | No | Yes[2] | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes[2] |
| Video | No | Yes[2] | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes[2] |
| Interactivity | No | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Word Wrap | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes [1] | Yes | Yes |
| Open Standard | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes [3] |
| Annotations | No | No | Yes [1] | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes [4] |
| Bookmarks | No | No | Yes [1] | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| iPad | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Android Phone | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Android Tablet | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Windows Phone 7.5 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| BlackBerry PlayBook | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes? | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| webOS Tablet | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes? | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mac OSX | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
[1] If Reader App supports it
[2] Limited formats for HTML5 built-in support. Additional formats via browser plugins.
[3] Based on open web standards
[4] With various Third-Party online service for Annotating web pages if Ryuzine publication is hosted online.
Comparison of Ryuzine Writer to Authoring for Mobile
| Comixology Submit | Apple iBooks Author | Google Currents Producer | Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing | Amazon Kindle Publishing for Periodicals | Ryuzine Writer 1.0 | |
| Price | Free | Free | Free | Free | Free | Free Download |
| Type | Web Service | Native App | Web Service | Web Service | Web Service | Web App |
| Access | Comixology Account | Download from Mac App Store | Google Account | Amazon Account | Amazon Account | Install on localhost |
| Platform(s) | Cross-Platform App | Mac OS X 10.7+ | Cross-Platform Webapp | Cross-Platform Webapp | Cross-Platform Webapp | Cross-Platform Webapp |
| Editor Interface | File upload through website | Drag & Drop WYSIWYG | WYSIWYG | Create/Edit in 3rd Party applications | Create/Edit in 3rd Party applications | WYSIWYG or use 3rd Party applications |
| Free Publications | Not allowed? | Distribute anywhere | Publish to Google Currents | Not allowed | Not allowed | Distribute anywhere |
| Selling Your Publications | Submissions require approval of ComiXology, 50% of gross sales when sold through their site, 50% of net sales when sold through app stores. | Only through iBookstore with approval by Apple, who take 30% of each sale[1] |
No options (yet) | Minimum list price, Amazon gets approval and may “reformat” books, and set sale price from which they take 30% |
Amazon must approve content and sets price, takes 30% |
Sell it anywhere you please at any price. |
| Reader Application | ComiXology App | iBooks 2 on iPad only | Google Currents (iOS and Android only) | Kindle app/device | Kindle app/device | any modern web browser |
| Templates | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Export Options | Proprietary format | iBooks, PDF, text | Currents format | Kindle Format | Kindle Format | HTML, ZIP[2], EPUB[3] |
| Plugins / Widgets | No | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Device Simulation | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Insert Multimedia Content in publication | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
[1] In order to sell through iBookstore you need to have an iBookstore Account, a copy of iTunes Producer, an active contract with iTunes Store, a bank account registered to recieve electronic payments from iTunes, an ISBN for each title, and a US Tax ID. Additionally, any .ibooks file you create with iBooks Author for sale cannot be sold anywhere but the iBookstore (terms apply to the file itself, not the content).
[2] ZIP export requires Ryuzine Writer is running from a localhost server with PHP 5.0+ installed and supporting zip and file operations. If you install XAMPP, as we recommend, you’re development server will meet the requirements.
[3] EPUB export requires PHP 5.0+, running Ryuzine Writer from a localhost web server, enabling file operations and installing the free optional “EPUB Export” add-on.
Comparison of Ryuzine Reader to Mobile Reading Apps
| iBooks | Google Currents | Kindle | Adobe Acrobat Reader | Ryuzine 1.0 | |
| Price | Free | Free | Free | Free | Free |
| Platform(s) | iOS, Mac OS X | iOS & Android | Cross-Platform | Cross-Platform | Cross-Platform WebApp |
| DRM Restricted | Yes | No | Yes | Some content | No |
| User Adjustable Text | Yes (size, font, background) | Yes (size) | Yes (size, leading, margins, background) | No | Yes (size, text/background colors) |
| Bookmark Your Place | Yes (automatic) | No | Yes (automatic) | Yes | Yes (manual) |
| Multiple Bookmarks | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes (in-app & with browser) |
| Bookmark Syncing | Yes (via iCloud) | No | Yes (via Amazon’s service) | No | Yes (via any sync service) |
| Highlighting Text | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes (via online services) |
| Annotation of Text | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes (via online services) |
| Orientation Aware | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (mobile apps) | Yes |
| Two-Page Spread View | Yes[4] | No | No | Yes | Yes (screens > 1024px wide) |
| Adjusts to screen size | Not all content does | Yes | Yes (reflows text) | Yes | Yes |
| Multimedia Content | Yes | Yes | Yes (Format 8 on Kindle Fire) | Yes | Yes (including Flash[1]) |
| Page Navigation | Swipe Page / Tap Margins / Table of Contents | Swipe Page / Button / Table of Contents Panel | Swipe Page / Tap Margins / Table of Contents (depends on book) |
Swipe Page / Tap Page / Buttons / Table of Contents Sidebar / Keyboard |
Swipe Page / Tap Margins / Button (phones) / Keyboard / Table of Contents Panel / Thumbnails[2] |
| Page Flip Effect | Yes | No | No | No | Yes[3] |
| Social Networking / Share | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (for collaboration) | Yes |
| Theme-able User Interface | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Search Text | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (with browser Find) |
| Alternate Viewing Modes | No | No | No | Yes (Continuous, Spreads, Reflow Text) | Yes (Continuous, HTML-only) |
[1] In browser with Flash plugin
[2],[3] In browsers supporting CSS3 “scale” transforms
[4] Except on iPhone or iPod Touch
During development of Ryuzine a decision was made to not reproduce within the app those features like searching text (which is built into the browser), bookmark syncing (built into some browsers or through third party services), and highlighting or annotation (also available through third party services). Ryuzine readers have the freedom to use any one of many plugins or online services to accomplish those tasks. Even within the web app itself publishers have the option of using any widgets, scripts, or plugins you want to use. No installations, no DRM, no App Stores. This is what the web is supposed to be like.
What About Professional Layout Software?
Quark XPress 9 ($899) can create magazine apps for the iPad and iPad 2. To publish and distribute through Apple’s App Store you also need a License Pack which varies in price from one issue ($349) to 24 issues ($6,799). Templates cost extra for a single issue ($149), multiple issues of one title ($749), and multiple issues of multiple titles ($1,499).
Adobe InDesign CS 6 ($699) users can also purchase the extra Adobe Digital Publishing Suite. The “Single Edition” ($395) can also create magazine apps for the iPad and iPad 2. “Professional Monthly Edition” ($495) creates them for iPad, iPad2, Android Tablets, Amazon Kindle Fire, BlackBerry Playbook, and Desktop. There is also a “Professional Edition Annual” ($5,940) and “Enterprise Edition” ($47,940).
Note: Ryuzine Writer 0.9.6.3 added import and automatic conversion of documents created with Adobe InDesign CS 4 and later which were produced by “Export for Dreamweaver” or with the document structure “Export XML” function. Ryuzine Writer cannot read .indd format files.
Both these digital publishing options deliver content to the devices through the platform’s respective “app stores.” For iPad publications there is also the possibility Apple will reject the publication, and if you can’t distribute it in through their App Store you can’t distribute it for the iPad at all. Google, Amazon, and RIM’s apps stores are more forgiving, but you’re still asking your readers to purchase, download, and install a magazine on devices that often do not have a lot of storage space to spare. In addition to the overhead just to start publishing, for each sale, the app stores will also take a percentage of whatever you charge for the publication.
If your point is to get a digital magazine in the hands of your mobile and desktop readers and not spend a small fortune doing it, Ryuzine is your cost-effective solution. Distribution is via the web just like any other site, which also means Ryuzine targets a wide range of devices and platforms from desktops to tablets to phones.
- No app stores
- Nothing to install – the browser IS the “e-reader”
- No additional, expensive authoring programs
- No service charges to convert your WordPress blog to a digital magazine
- We never insert our own advertising into your content
- Publishing in Ryuzine format is FREE
- The Ryuzine 1.0 webapps are FREE OPEN SOURCE software
As these tables above demonstrate, the Ryuzine Writer and Ryuzine web apps offer publishing and reading experiences on par with (and we’d argue even better than) the other options presently available, but without the restrictions. So if you want to start putting together your own Ryuzine publications DOWNLOAD THE FREE PDK right now!