Mihon is the safest all-round Tachiyomi alternative for most readers, Aniyomi is the pick if you also want anime in the same app, and Kotatsu is worth a look if you specifically want an F-Droid-listed option. This guide compares them, explains why the original Tachiyomi app is no longer maintained, and walks through migrating your existing library. TachiyomiDownload.com is an independent information resource, not the original Tachiyomi project or any of the apps discussed below. Explore Tachiyomi Alternatives for reading manga and comics. Compare Mihon and other apps by features, sources, updates, and usability.
Why Do You Need a Tachiyomi Alternative Right Now?
You need an alternative because the original Tachiyomi app is no longer being developed, patched, or updated with new extension sources. Historical builds such as Tachiyomi 0.15.3 still exist and may still open on some devices, but they receive no security fixes and their extension repositories can silently break as source websites change their structure. Anyone relying on Tachiyomi day-to-day should be reading this on a maintained fork, not the frozen original.
What Happened to the Original Tachiyomi App?
Tachiyomi’s core team shut the project down after facing legal pressure from a content-rights holder over how its extensions could be used to access copyrighted manga. Because Tachiyomi was released under the Apache 2.0 open-source license, its code did not disappear when the original team stepped back other developers were legally free to take the codebase and keep building. That is exactly what happened within days of the shutdown announcement, which is why so many “Tachiyomi” forks exist today.
What Is Mihon and Why Is It the Top Tachiyomi Alternative?
Mihon is the direct continuation of Tachiyomi, built from early 2024 by developers who came out of the original Tachiyomi project. It uses the same library-and-extension model, so anyone who used Tachiyomi will recognize the layout immediately. By mid-2026 its GitHub project had grown to more than 20,000 stars and over 1,100 forks, which is a strong signal of an actively developed, community-trusted project rather than an abandoned clone.
- Same extension and source system as original Tachiyomi
- Active security and compatibility updates
- Tracker sync with AniList, MyAnimeList, Kitsu, Shikimori, and Bangumi
- Direct restore from an existing Tachiyomi .tachibk backup file
- Requires Android 8.0 or newer
For most readers coming from Tachiyomi, Mihon is the least disruptive move: same habits, active maintenance, no relearning curve.
Tachiyomi vs Mihon — What’s Actually Different?
Functionally, Mihon and Tachiyomi are close to identical on the surface, because Mihon is built directly on Tachiyomi’s own codebase. The real difference is maintenance status: Tachiyomi is frozen, while Mihon receives ongoing updates, bug fixes, and new extension-repository support.
| Factor | Original Tachiyomi | Mihon |
| Development status | Discontinued, no updates | Actively maintained |
| Extension repositories | Frozen, may break over time | Kept current with source changes |
| Security patches | None since shutdown | Ongoing |
| Backup compatibility | Native .tachibk format | Restores existing .tachibk backups |
| Interface | Original layout | Same core layout, refined over time |
| Best for | Nostalgia / offline archival only | Daily active use |
What Is Aniyomi and How Is It Different From a Manga-Only Reader?
Aniyomi is a Tachiyomi-based fork that adds anime streaming and downloading on top of the standard manga-reading feature set. Instead of installing two separate apps for manga and anime, Aniyomi lets you browse, track, and watch anime from within the same source-and-extension system used for manga. The trade-off is a steeper learning curve than Mihon’s cleaner, single-purpose interface, because there’s simply more configuration surface to manage.
Tachiyomi vs Aniyomi — Which One Should You Pick?
Pick Aniyomi only if you actually want anime alongside manga in one app; pick a manga-focused reader like Mihon if you just want a clean library for reading.
| Factor | Aniyomi | Mihon |
| Content types | Manga + anime | Manga only |
| Interface complexity | More layered | Cleaner, single-purpose |
| Tracker sync | Extensive, anime + manga | Manga-focused |
| Best for | Readers who also stream anime | Readers who want manga only |
What Other Tachiyomi Forks Are Worth Knowing About?
Beyond Mihon and Aniyomi, a handful of specialist forks have built loyal followings for specific needs.
- Kotatsu: an independent, GPL-3.0 open-source reader (not a direct Tachiyomi code fork) with 500+ built-in sources and F-Droid listing, which Mihon and Aniyomi do not have. Good for users who want everything available through F-Droid alone.
- TachiyomiJ2K: one of the oldest active forks, rebuilt with Jetpack Compose and Kotlin for smoother animations and better memory handling on high-resolution pages.
- TachiyomiSY: existed as a feature-extended fork before the shutdown and now branches from Mihon, adding deeper library management, tracking, and metadata options for readers managing large collections.
- Komikku : a Mihon-based fork favored by users who prioritize interface design and OLED-friendly theming for daily reading comfort.
None of these are official Tachiyomi releases, and none should be confused with the original discontinued app or with Tachiyomi 0.15.3.
How Do You Download Mihon Safely?
Mihon is not distributed through the Google Play Store, so it has to be installed as an APK from its official GitHub releases page.
- Download the latest Mihon APK from Mihon’s official GitHub releases page — never from a random third-party mirror.
- When Android shows the “Install from unknown sources” warning, allow it for this one install; this is standard for any app distributed outside the Play Store, not a sign of malware.
- Open Mihon once installed and complete the first-run setup.
- Add a trusted extension repository (see the extensions and sources pages on this site) before browsing for sources.
If you’re installing for the first time rather than migrating, see our full How to Install Tachiyomi guide for the equivalent walkthrough.
How Do You Migrate Your Tachiyomi Library to Mihon?
Migrating preserves your reading history, library, and categories by restoring your existing Tachiyomi backup file inside Mihon.
- Open your existing Tachiyomi (or old fork) app and create a fresh backup before doing anything else.
- Locate the resulting .tachibk backup file, usually in your device’s downloads or Tachiyomi backup folder.
- Install Mihon following the download steps above.
- In Mihon, go to Settings > Data and Storage > Backup and Restore, then choose Restore Backup.
- Select your .tachibk file; your library, categories, and reading progress restore automatically.
- Re-add your extension sources through a trusted repository, since installed extensions themselves are not part of the backup.
For a deeper walkthrough, including troubleshooting a failed restore, see our dedicated Backup and Restore and Migration pages.
Which Tachiyomi Alternative Is Right for You?
| If you want… | Choose |
| The closest possible match to original Tachiyomi | Mihon |
| Manga and anime in one app | Aniyomi |
| An F-Droid-only, independent open-source option | Kotatsu |
| The smoothest animations and modern UI polish | TachiyomiJ2K |
| Advanced library management for large collections | TachiyomiSY |
| Best-in-class design and OLED theming | Komikku |
What Are the Most Common Questions About Tachiyomi Alternatives?
Is Tachiyomi still safe to use in 2026?
Old Tachiyomi builds like 0.15.3 may still launch, but they no longer receive security updates, and their extension sources can break without warning. For daily use, a maintained fork such as Mihon is the safer choice.
What replaced Tachiyomi?
There is no single official replacement, but Mihon is the closest continuation, built by developers from the original Tachiyomi project on the same open-source codebase.
Is Mihon safe and legal to use?
Mihon is open-source software distributed on GitHub. The app itself does not host copyrighted content; legality depends on which third-party extension sources a user chooses to add, the same as it did with original Tachiyomi.
Can I use my old Tachiyomi backup on Mihon?
Yes. Mihon can restore a standard .tachibk backup file exported from Tachiyomi or most of its forks, bringing back your library, categories, and reading progress.
What is the difference between Mihon and Aniyomi?
Mihon is manga-only with a simpler interface; Aniyomi adds anime streaming and downloading on top of the same manga-reading foundation, at the cost of extra configuration.
Do I need to uninstall Tachiyomi before installing Mihon?
No. Mihon installs as a separate app, so you can keep the old Tachiyomi APK installed temporarily while you confirm your backup restored correctly, then remove it.
Final Thoughts: Choosing a Tachiyomi Alternative
The original Tachiyomi app is discontinued, but its open-source foundation lives on through Mihon, Aniyomi, Kotatsu, and several smaller forks — each suited to a slightly different kind of reader. Start with Mihon if you want the least disruptive switch, restore your backup, and explore the specialist forks only once your core library is safely migrated. For the next step, see our Migration guide or Mihon page for full setup detail.
