The six best digital magazine publishing software all offer the ease-of-use and versatility required to create a beautiful magazine. As a digital magazine publisher, you can launch a simple flipbook or a fully monetizable magazine. Monthly software costs range from $0 to $999. Just select the best option for you and start your magazine today.
- Top 6 Digital Magazine Publishing Software
- How We Evaluated Digital Magazine Publishing Platforms
- Joomag: Best Overall Digital Magazine Publishing Platform
- Flipsnack: Best Low-cost Option for Nontechies
- PUB HTML5: Best for New Digital Magazine Publishers
- MagLoft: Best Digital Publishing for Independent App Publishers
- FlippingBook: Best Midlevel Option for Digital Magazine Publishers
- PressPad/Magz: Best for Advanced Digital Magazine Apps
- Bottom Line
Top 6 Digital Magazine Publishing Software
| Digital Magazine Publishing Software | Best for |
|---|---|
| Joomag | (Best overall) Magazine publishers who need an integrated solution for creating, distributing & monetizing their magazine |
| Flipsnack | Nontechies who need great customer support and a low-cost option |
| PUB HTML5 | New magazine publishers who need an affordable, easy-to-use magazine software platform |
| MagLoft | Magazine publishers who need robust magazine web and app publishing functionality |
| FlippingBook | Digital magazine publishers who need to transform magazine PDFs into HTML5 documents |
| PressPad/Magz | Publishers building an app for Google Play, the App Store, or Amazon |
How We Evaluated Digital Magazine Publishing Platforms
Digital magazine publishers have a wide variety of options available to them for creating high-impact online magazines that display beautifully on all types of devices. There are low-cost solutions on the market that meet most beginners’ needs. If you’re looking for a more robust solution, you’ll get access to more features and greater versatility by opting for a solution that costs a bit (or a lot) more. The right digital magazine software choice for you ultimately depends on your magazine publishing needs.
The following criteria were used to evaluate the digital magazine publishing platforms:
- Price: You want to get the most for your money, so this guide offers an in-depth look at the different price options for every platform at every plan level offered.
- Storage: Cloud storage capacity is a key consideration when evaluating the best digital magazine platform for you. You need adequate, secure storage solutions.
- Ease of use: Since most digital magazine publishers want a solution that’s easy to use, every platform examined was reviewed for relative ease or difficulty.
- Customer support: You want your questions answered quickly and thoroughly, so this guide looks at customer contact options and overall service reputation.
- Analytics: Digital magazine publishers need to be able to tell who is reading their magazines, how often, what pages are most popular, and more. That’s why access to analytics is vital.
- Social sharing: Social media channels are important avenues for building and growing digital magazine readership, which is why magazine publishing platforms need to have seamless social-sharing functionality.
- Brandability: Many magazine publishers want full control of their publications, including the ability to publish digital magazines free of platform branding and watermarks.
- Interactive magazine design tools: The beauty of digital magazines is that readers can engage at the moment through interactive quizzes, videos, links to extended content, and more. This review considers the availability and variety of each platform’s design tools.
For those serious about monetizing an online magazine, Joomag is our pick for best overall digital magazine software because it delivers the broad functionality and versatility of top-tier digital magazine platforms that cost thousands more. Joomag offers a 14-day trial so that you can explore whether it’s the right platform for you for free.
| Joomag | Flipsnack | PUB HTML5 | MagLoft | FlippingBook | PressPad/Magz | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price (Monthly) | $79 to $149 | Free to $79 | Free to $999 | Free to $499 | $44 to $224 | $84.99 to $299 |
| Number of Users Allowed | 1 to unlimited | 1 to 3 | 1 to 10 | 1 to Unlimited | 1 to 3+ | N/A |
| Branded to Your Business | Available on business plan | Available on paid plans | Available on paid plans | Available on paid plans | Available on all plans except Starter | Available on Pro plan |
| Format Produced | HTML5 Document | PDF and HTML5; Flipsnack Mobile app for iOS and Android | HTML5 Document | HTML5 and app | HTML5 Document | App |
| Analytics | On all plans | On paid plans | On paid plans | ✔ | Available on all plans except Starter | ✔ |
| Digital Sales (Subscription and Single Issue) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Social Sharing | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Interactive Magazine Editing and Design Tools | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| Customer Service | Excellent | Excellent | Fair | Excellent | Excellent | Very Good |
Joomag: Best Overall Digital Magazine Publishing Platform
Joomag earns the overall best magazine publishing platform for its moderate price relative to the depth and breadth of features offered. You can even start selling on the Joomag newsstand right away. It’s the best choice for anyone who is serious about monetizing their digital magazine.
With Joomag, you can choose from more than 300 templates, upload a PDF, or design your digital magazine from scratch
Joomag Pricing & Features
Joomag plans range from $79 to $149 per month, although higher-priced enterprise plans are also available. There are cheaper options on the market, but none that have the power, features, and versatility that Joomag offers. Joomag’s platform compares favorably with high-end options like MagPlus and Foleon (formerly Instant Magazine), which cost $300 to $699 per month. Joomag offers branded apps (Android and iOS apps) for an additional $149 per month.
Joomag gives you everything you need to create, distribute, and make money from your digital magazine. Nondesigners rave about Joomag’s sleek and simple design tools.
Joomag’s Pricing & Features Chart
| Pro Plan | Business Plan | Enterprise Plans | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price* | $79 | $149 | Varies |
| Selling Commissions | 20% | 10% | Varies |
| Number of Users** | 1 | 2 to 5 | Unlimited |
| Storage | 1GB | 5GB | Customized |
| Custom Fonts | 100 | 200 | Customized |
| Analytics | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Selling Features | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Email Marketing | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Image Editor | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Layout Tools | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Custom Fonts | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| SEO | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Social Sharing | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Branded Checkout | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Priority Support | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Scheduled Publishing | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Custom Branding | ✔ | Multibranding options | |
| Dedicated Account Rep | ✔ | ||
| Subscriber Analytics | ✔ | ||
| Custom Domain | 1 included; purchase others for $9.95/month | 1 included; purchase others for $9.95/month |
*Price per month billed annually.
**Users are members of your team with a unique email address, and each team member should have his or her own license.
Joomag’s Pro Plan
The Pro plan comes with 1GB cloud storage, single-user access, email marketing, the Crater Editor, and competitive selling and distribution features. Most new magazine publishers will find that Joomag’s Pro plan is more than adequate when just starting out.
Joomag’s Business Plan
As your magazine business grows, so will your need for greater storage, more users, and more versatility. Joomag’s Business plan offers all these options, plus collaboration tools, priority support, branded checkout, scheduled publishing, custom branding, and more. Another bonus is that commission fees drop from 20% to 10% for magazine sales through the Joomag newsstand.
Joomag’s Enterprise Plan
Joomag offers Enterprise plans for those wishing to take their digital magazine publishing efforts to the next level. In addition to all the options included in the Pro and Business plans, Joomag offers Enterprise customers a dedicated account representative, a 99.99% guaranteed uptime service level agreement (SLA), and an extended application programming interface (API) to integrate your digital magazine with your website more easily. Enterprise plans are highly customized, which means you’ll need to contact Joomag directly to request a demonstration and a quote for your magazine publishing needs.
Irish Wedding Diary is an example of a digital magazine created on the Joomag platform
What Joomag Is Missing
Joomag does not offer a low-price plan, which means it’s not right for every new digital magazine publisher. Joomag also requires a full year’s fee upfront, which can be a burden on small businesses, many of whom would prefer paying month to month. Finally, while you can order branded Android and iOS apps for your digital magazine through Joomag, the price of $149 per month billed annually is steep.
What Users Think About Joomag
People offer praise for Joomag’s design and style applications, which they say makes it easy for the non-designer to create stunning, modern digital magazines. Nontechies also appreciate Joomag’s easy-to-use, intuitive interface.
Joomag Customer Service
Joomag has an excellent reputation for customer support and service. You can contact Joomag for support through online chat or fill out an online request form to ask any questions you might have. Joomag also has an in-depth online help center that addresses frequently asked questions (FAQs). You can also call Joomag; their telephone service is available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific time Monday through Friday.
Where to Find Joomag
Joomag is a fully integrated digital magazine publishing solution for creating, publishing, and monetizing your online magazine. Joomag plans range from $79 to $149 per month. A 14-day free trial is available so you can explore the platform firsthand. Visit Joomag now.
Flipsnack: Best Low-cost Option for Nontechies
If you’re looking for a simple, free or low-priced digital magazine development solution that requires minimal technical skills, then you should consider going with Flipsnack. This digital flipbook maker allows you to create digital magazines by uploading PDFs and converting them to digital magazines. You can also use Flipbooks’ intuitive drag-and-drop editor to create your online magazine.
Flipsnack lets you create your online magazine by uploading a PDF, using a Flipsnack template, or you can design your magazine from scratch using the Flipsnack editor
Flipsnack Pricing & Features
Flipsnack offers four different plans, ranging from free to $79 per month when paid annually. The free and the $14 per month Starter plan are both adequate for digital magazine publishers who are not looking to monetize their publications. Flipsnack’s Professional plan runs $35 per month while its Business Plan costs $79 per month. These plans are best for digital magazine publishers who intend to make money with their digital magazines.
Month-to-month payment plans are also available. If you decide to pay on a monthly basis, the Starter plan will cost you $32, the Professional plan $48, and the Business plan costs $99 per month.
Flipsnack’s Pricing & Features Chart
| Free | Starter | Professional | Business | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price* | $0 | $14 | $35 | $79 |
| Users | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Magazine Size | 30 pages/100MB | 100 pages/100MB | 200 pages/500MB | 500 pages/500MB |
| 1,000+ Templates | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Social Share | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Custom Fonts | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Remove Flipsnack Branding | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Make Pages Flip From Right to Left | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Design Your Own Template | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Add Video and Audio | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| Download Animated HTML5 Doc for Offline Use or Self-hosting | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| Sell Single Flipbooks and Subscriptions | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| Analytics | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| Priority Support | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| Download Statistics (CSV) | ✔ | |||
| Make Your Profile Private | ✔ | |||
| Lock Magazine Access With Password | ✔ |
*Price per month billed annually; month-by-month plans are available for an additional fee.
Flipsnack’s Free Plan
If you’ve never used digital magazine software, then FlipSnack’s free plan might be a good place for you to start. The free plan limits the size of the magazine you can create and has more limited design features. Digital magazines created with the free plan also contain Flipsnack’s logo. The free plan offers an easy-to-use tool for digital magazine publishers who are just starting out.
Flipsnack’s Starter Plan
The functionality you gain with the low-cost Starter plan mostly revolves around digital magazine design features. With the starter plan, you can create a more attractive, custom magazine, but you still can’t sell your magazine.
Flipsnack’s Business Plan
Flipsnack’s Business plan offers many additional design, analytics, and other upgrades. The number one reason digital magazine publishers chose Flipsnack’s Business plan is that they want to sell their magazines. You can sell directly on the Flipsnack platform without paying a commission fee. You can also download your HTML5 document for self-hosting and sell your digital magazine through your own website or online store, including through Shopify.
Flipsnack’s Professional Plan
The Professional plan includes all the features in the Business plan but allows you to add up to three users on your account instead of one. You can create up to 500 magazines or documents on the Professional plan. You also have access to a few more exclusive features, such as locking your magazine with a password and making your profile private.
With Flipsnack’s Professional and Business plans, you can sell your digital magazines directly on the Flipsnack platform
What Flipsnack Is Missing
For the most part, Flipsnack is a complete digital magazine solution. You cannot create a digital magazine app from the Flipsnack platform, but many users do not require this functionality, so that’s often not a problem.
What Users Think About Flipsnack
Most people find the Flipsnack platform relatively easy to navigate from day one, even if they’ve never had experience with a digital publishing platform. Some starter and professional plan users have cited that they would like to have the ability to change the document URL. That functionality is available with the Business plan.
Flipsnack Customer Service
Flipsnack customers offer rave reviews about Flipsnack’s customer service and support. Users report that Flipsnack representatives go the extra mile to ensure customers get their needs met. Flipsnack also takes user suggestions for improvements to heart. Some customers report that features they suggested including in the platform were added within a short time of submitting their suggestions.
Where to Find Flipsnack
Flipsnack is a digital flipbook maker that helps you transform your PDFs into stunning magazines. This popular digital publishing platform is ideal for those with small budgets and limited technical skills. Flipsnack offers both free and premium plans that range from $14 to $79 per month. Visit Flipsnack now.
PUB HTML5: Best for New Digital Magazine Publishers
The Pub HTML5 platform is a solid digital magazine publishing option for those who require a simple interface and need to stretch a budget. Digital magazine publishers can embed rich, interactive digital experiences into their digital magazines using the Pub HTML5 software.
The Pub HTML5 Editor lets you create interactive digital magazines
Pub HTML5 Pricing & Features
Pub HTML5’s free plan offers limited features yet is adequate for those who are new to digital magazine publishing and aren’t ready to jump into online magazine sales. Pub HTML5 offers four paid plans, each with more features and functionality than the next.
Paid plans start as low as $15 per month for the Pro plan. The Gold plan starts at $29 a month while the Platinum plan costs $299, or $25 per month, saving you $4 per month but must be paid annually. Pub HTML5’s Enterprise plan can be purchased for a one-time fee of $999.
Pub HTML5’s Pricing & Features Chart
| Free | Pro | Gold | Platinum | Enterprise | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $0 | $15 per month | $29 per month | $25 per month paid annually | $999 set fee |
| Storage | 500G | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Number of Magazines You Can Publish to Your Computer | 0 | 5 per month | 30 per month | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Users Allowed | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 10 |
| Social Sharing | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Pub HTML5 Watermark | ✔ | ||||
| Ads Free | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Custom Logo/Branding | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Custom Templates | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Keyword Searching | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Create WordPress Flipbook Plug-in | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| Access Statistics | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| Animation Editor | ✔ | ✔ | |||
| Page Editor | ✔ | ✔ | |||
| Google AdSense Integration | ✔ | ✔ | |||
| SEO | ✔ | ✔ |
Pub HTML5’s Free Plan
Pub HTML5’s free option is the only plan that retains the Pub HTML5 logo watermark. It is also the only plan that does not allow you to publish your magazine on your own website, meaning that you would not be able to sell your digital magazine.
Pub HTML5’s Pro Plan
The Pro plan costs only $15 per month and allows you to publish up to five digital magazines on your computer. Cloud storage for your digital publications is provided by Pub HTML5 and is unlimited on every paid plan.
Pub HTML5’s Gold Plan
At $29 per month, the Gold Plan offers you the convenience of month-to-month payments. Unfortunately, that convenience comes with fewer design and analytics functions than the Platinum plan, which has a cheaper monthly fee but must be paid annually.
Pub HTML5’s Platinum Plan
Most digital magazine publishers who are interested in selling their magazines online will find the Platinum plan to be the best value. The Platinum plan comes with all the functionality of the Gold plan, plus an animation editor, page editor. Up to three users can access the account, which is helpful if you need to collaborate with others on your digital magazine’s design.
Pub HTML5’s Enterprise Plan
The Enterprise plan is perfect for those with larger teams that need to collaborate with up to 10 people. A big benefit of the plan is that it comes with a one-time payment of $999, which is significant for full access to Pub HTML5 yet could be cheaper in the long run since you don’t face annual charges.
Page layout example from Women’s View Magazine that was created using Pub HTML5
What Pub HTML5 Is Missing
Once you’ve published your digital magazines on Pub HTML5, they will remain stored on the site in perpetuity. If you ever want to cancel your Pub HTML5 service, you will not be able to take your publications with you. Also, Pub HTML5 does not handle magazine sales on its platform. If you want to sell your publications, you must do it on your WordPress site with an ecommerce plug-in like WooCommerce, or through an online store like Shopify.
What Users Think About Pub HTML5
The consensus seems to be that Pub HTML5 has sufficient functions and versatility for most digital magazine publishers’ needs. Users are generally positive about Pub HTML5, though many feel that flipbook pages don’t turn as seamlessly as they should, and some are disappointed that the interface is not as intuitive as other software programs.
Pub HTML5 Customer Service
Customer support for Pub HTML is limited to their online help center and an online request form. Phone and on-screen chat service are not available. For these reasons, Pub HTML5 earns only a fair ranking for customer support.
Where to Find Pub HTML5
Pub HTML5 is an affordable digital magazine software that’s perfect for new magazine publishers, thanks largely to its easy-to-use interface and budget-friendly plans. You can get started with Pub HTML5 for free and upgrade whenever you’re ready for more features. Paid plans start at just $15 a month. Visit Pub HTML5 today.
MagLoft: Best Digital Publishing for Independent App Publishers
MagLoft is a full-service digital magazine publisher that allows you to design magazine apps that you control through your own developer accounts for Apple, Google, and Amazon. You can also connect MagLoft to your WordPress site via its exclusive plugin. That means you can sell directly from your website using an ecommerce plugin like WooCommerce.
With MagLoft, you create fully responsive, interactive content that views beautifully on any device. Power combined with immense versatility is why MagLoft is the top pick for independent digital magazine publishers who want to develop a digital magazine app.
MagLoft’s responsive content editor, TypeLoft, helps you create stunning digital magazine designs
MagLoft Pricing & Features
MagLoft pricing is steeper than flipbook software options, but other app development plans cost three to 10 times more for what MagLoft delivers. MagLoft offers four different plans.
You can get started with MagLoft for free with its Indie publisher plan that limits you to 200 readers. MagLoft’s Online Publisher plan is $99 per month and allows you to start selling online through your website. The Mobile Publisher plan costs $299 per month and allows you to sell through mobile apps and your website. The Business plan costs $499 per month and comes with all of the features in the lower-priced plans plus a 10,000 reader capacity, white-label branding, and more.
MagLoft Pricing & Features Chart
| Indie Publisher | Online Publisher | Mobile Publisher | Business | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $0 | $99/per month | $299/per month | $499/per month |
| Number of Readers | 200 | 1,000 | 2,000 | 10,000 |
| Publishing Options | Web App | Web App | Web + Mobile App | Web + Mobile App |
| Editing Tools | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Social Sharing | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Remove MagLoft Logo | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Advanced Analytics | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Email List Manager | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Branded URL | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Custom Subscriptions | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| WordPress Plugin | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| RSS Feeds | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| iOS App* | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| Android App* | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| Amazon App* | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| Unlimited User Accounts | ✔ | |||
| White Label Account | ✔ | |||
| Custom Content Hosting | ✔ | |||
| Account Manager |
*You can publish directly using your own developer accounts for each of these platforms. Separate developer fees may be assessed by those platforms, ranging up to $99 per year.
MagLoft Indie Publisher Plan
With the Indie Publisher plan, you get access to the feature-rich TypeLoft editor, the ability to sell subscriptions through your WordPress website, social sharing, and you can support up to 200 readers. The plan is free. If you’re wondering whether MagLoft might be right for you, the Indie plan is a great place to start.
MagLoft Online Publisher Plan
For $99 per month, the Online Publisher plan gives you all the benefits of the Indie plan, plus a branded URL, advanced analytics, an email list manager, and more. You can also support up to 1,000 readers. With this plan, you are still limited to selling via your website. Mobile app development and selling are restricted to the two highest-level plans.
MagLoft Mobile Publisher Plan
When you’re ready to get into magazine app publishing, MagLoft’s Mobile plan is one of the best options on the market today. For $299 per month, you get all the full functionality of the Indie and Online Publisher plans, plus you now can support 2,000 readers and sell from mobile apps, including iOS, Android, and Amazon.
MagLoft Business Plan
MagLoft’s Business Plan costs $499 is a good choice for advanced digital magazine publishers who are ready to expand their reach. With the Business plan, you can have unlimited user accounts, custom content hosting, and you get your own account manager to help you every step of the way. You can also reach an unlimited number of readers, which is vital for magazines that are expanding rapidly.
MagLoft’s reader management dashboard makes it easy to analyze readers habits and information
What MagLoft Is Missing
One thing that would make MagLoft even better would be offering a lower-priced version for mobile apps. Still, at $299 for the Mobile Publisher plan, MagLoft is a good value compared to higher-priced options like Mag+, which can cost $2,099 per issue and basic plans start at $499.
What Users Think About MagLoft
Users offer rave reviews for MagLoft. They confirm that the feature-rich editor makes it easy to create engaging, interactive, responsive designs. Those with higher-level plans note that developing their magazine apps was a lot simpler than they’d imagined.
MagLoft Customer Service
Customers report that MagLoft support is second to none. You can contact MagLoft through online chat, a custom request form, or call MagLoft directly between 1 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Singapore time on Monday through Friday. The online help center is also packed with answers to FAQs.
Where to Find MagLoft
MagLoft is best-known for its robust magazine publishing functions, including web and mobile app development. This makes MagLoft an ideal solution for professional digital magazine professionals ready to monetize their blogs. MagLoft offers a free Indie Publisher plan and paid plans starting at $99 per month. Visit MagLoft today.
FlippingBook: Best Midlevel Option for Digital Magazine Publishers
The FlippingBook platform lets you transform your magazine PDFs into interactive and responsive HTML5 documents. While the platform does not offer magazine subscription management or sales tools, you can host your digital magazine on your website or online store with the FlippingBook Publisher as licenses start at $699 and are separate from digital magazine publishing plans. You can also embed your digital magazine on any digital publishing platform, deliver it through email, or distribute your magazine through your social media outlets.
FlippingBook Pricing & Features
FlippingBook offers three paid options that range from $44 to $179 per month when paid annually. You can pay an additional 25% to purchase any FlippingBook plan on a month-to-month basis. Custom Enterprise plans are also available for large teams that need specialized features and support.
FlippingBook Pricing & Features
| Starter | Optimal | Advanced | Team | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price* | $49 | $89 | $179 | $224 |
| Number of Documents | 10 | 100 | 500 | 1,000 |
| Number of Users | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3+ |
| Number of Individual Links | 0 | 25 | 100 | 500 |
| Analytics Data History | 30 days | 1 year | 2 years | 2 years |
| Online Hosting | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Sharing via Email | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Website Embedding | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Social Sharing | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Smart Zoom | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Custom Branding | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Lead Capture Form | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Video Embedding | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Password Protection | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| Advanced Analytics | ✔ | ✔ |
*Billed annually, you can pay an additional 25% and pay month by month.
FlippingBook’s Starter Plan
For $49 per month, you can join FlippingBook’s Starter plan and have access to core functions and features. While you won’t be able to embed individual links into your digital magazine, which is a huge drawback, you’ll still be able to create an HTML5 flipping book magazine that you can share via email or embed on your website. The Starter plan limits you to 10 documents, and you’ll have access to 30 days of analytics history.
FlippingBook’s Optimal Plan
With the $89-per-month Optimal plan, you have access to more features, including custom branding, video and link adding lead capture forms, and up to 25 individual links. The Optimal plan allows for 100 documents, and you get access to a full year of analytics data.
FlippingBook’s Advanced Plan
The Advanced plan costs $179 per month and comes with many desirable features. You get a custom domain, advanced analytics with two full years of data history, password protection, and priority support. Also, you can have up to 500 documents and 100 individual links.
FlippingBook’s Team Plan
If you are building your digital magazine in a collaborative environment, FlippingBook’s Team plan might be the best fit for you. For $224 per month, you can have up to three users. Additional users are available for an additional fee which varies by team size. With the Team plan, you get up to 1,000 documents, 500 individual links, and two years of analytics data history. You also get custom branding and password protection.
Finolhu magazine is published using FlippingBook
What FlippingBook Is Missing
FlippingBook is a relatively complete platform for serving many digital publishers’ needs. Document editing tools could use an upgrade, and there is not an option to publish an app with FlippingBook.
The lion share of FlippingBook users produce catalogs, guides, operational manuals, and other digital publications with FlippingBook. It may not be the ideal platform for digital magazine publishers who hope to monetize their online magazines, although it could be the right tool for those who don’t plan to charge for their publications.
What Users Think About FlippingBook
Overall, FlippingBook users offer positive reviews for the platform. The fact that the site has more than 35,000 customers attests to its popularity. Customers praise FlippingBook’s publishing features, affordable price, and the regular updates the company makes to keep the platform current. One drawback to FlippingBook that users mention is that uploading documents to FlippingBook can be slow.
FlippingBook Customer Service
Customers report that FlippingBook is quick to answer questions and offer support. The site offers customer service support via online chat, an online help center, a direct contact form, and also through a callback request form.
Where to Find FlippingBook
With FlippingBook, magazine publishers can transform plain PDF documents into stunning, interactive HTML5 magazines that can be sold anywhere online. Monthly plans range from $49 to $224, although you can test this software solution using its 14-day free trial. Visit FlippingBook now.
PressPad/Magz: Best for Advanced Digital Magazine Apps
PressPad/Magz lets you create and market apps for your digital magazine. Unlike MagLoft, which helps you design your digital magazine and turn it into an app, PressPad/Magz focuses on converting your existing digital magazine into mobile magazine apps for iOS, Android, and Amazon. You give PressPad/Magz a PDF of each issue, and they take care of app development from there.
PressPad has other publishing options worth exploring as well. PressPad/Store lets you sell your PDF digital magazines from the PressPad store. PressPad News allows you to develop native mobile apps for your WordPress blogs and online magazines.
PressPad/Magz creates a magazine app for you that that you can post on popular app stores
PressPad/Magz Pricing & Features
You have three different plan choices with PressPad/Magz; the one that’s right for you depends on the number of apps you want to be developed. You can have apps developed for iOS, Android, or Amazon.
PressPad/Magz Pricing & Features Chart
| Basic | Basic Plus | Pro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price* | $84.99 | $144 | $299 |
| Number of Apps Included | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Promo Codes | 0 | 10 | Unlimited |
| Subscription Sales | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Social Sharing | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Unlimited Storage | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Interactive PDF | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Sales Analytics | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Publish From Your Own Developer Accounts** | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Video and Audio Support | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Remove PressPad Branding | ✔ | ||
| App Store Optimization | ✔ | ||
| Custom App Theme | ✔ |
*Prices are per month.
**Google Pay, App Store, and Amazon developer account fees are not included; these can run from $0 to $99 per year.
PressPad/Magz Basic Plan
The Basic plan costs $84.99 per month. As with all PressPad/Magz plans, you pay only after your apps are delivered to you and you are happy with the results. With the Basic plan, you decide which app you’d like developed based on the three choices available: Google Play, Apple’s App Store, or Amazon. Your magazine app comes with important features for digital magazine publishers, such as subscription sales functionality, unlimited storage, and sales analytics.
PressPad/Magz Basic Plus Plan
The Basic Plus plan costs $144 per month. With the Basic Plus Plan, you can have two apps developed. You also get video and audio support for your digital magazine, which makes for a more engaging publication.
PressPad/Magz Pro Plan
The Pro plan costs $299 per month. With the Pro Plan, you can have three apps developed. You also get unlimited promo codes, app store optimization, and you can publish your apps without PressPad/Magz branding.
Examples of apps created with PressPad/Magz
What PressPad/Magz Is Missing
PressPad/Magz is an app creator, so unlike other alternatives, it does not help you design your magazine. That is why it’s recommended for advanced magazine publishers who do not need a digital magazine design editor. Also, with PressPad/Magz, you do not have the option to sell your magazine on your website or online store, although other PressPad products offer options for those purposes.
What Users Think About PressPad/Magz
Most users report that PressPad/Magz offers an excellent product along with solid customer support. Many customers emphasize that PressPad/Magz developers are knowledgeable and helpful, and these users are glad they chose the platform for their app development needs.
PressPad/Magz Customer Service
Customer feedback about PressPad/Magz often mentions the responsive and thorough support received through the platform’s employees. PressPad/Magz offers support through online messaging and telephone.
Where to Find PressPad/Magz
PressPad/Magz is the perfect solution for digital magazine publishers who need a magazine app developed for Google Play, Apple’s App Store, or Amazon. App development prices range from $84.99 to $299 per month, depending on how many apps you need to be published. Visit PressPad/Magz today.
Bottom Line
The best digital magazine publishing platform for you will depend on a variety of factors. You must consider your need for magazine design support, your budget, and whether you intend to sell your digital magazine through an app or your website or online store.
Joomag wins the top spot for digital magazine publishing software because it is a fully integrated solution for creating, publishing, distributing, and monetizing your magazine. Joomag’s interface is user-friendly, and their customer service is excellent. More than 500,000 businesses already use Joomag. Plans start at $79 per month. Visit Joomag today.
