For a truly zero code magazine app development experience, you will need a publishing platform.
Why?
Because the platform will be able to take your magazine layout and design PDFs and convert them into a beautiful digital magazine app for mobile. They all do this. That's the EASY part of porting your magazine to mobile. It's basically drag and drop easy.
So, how do you pick a solution that's affordable, easy to use, can handle subscription management, issue and back issue sales, and help you reach a wider audience?
There are some key factors to consider:
Cost - It can be challenging to compare prices for mobile magazine app creation services and publishing platforms, because there is a LOT of oppacity out there in the rest of the industry. At MagCast, our pricing is linked from every page, so if you want a price comparison, the MagCast part is easy.
Our competitors, not so much.
With app developers, it's going to be custom work, so you'll likely not have a clear idea of price without extensive consultation, and the price will be high. The other publishing platforms, MagLoft, MagPlus, etc. will be able to provide pricing, but it's not public facing on their websites.
Support - MagCast support is 100% US and Canada based. Support with MagCast is not what you'd expect. There are no call centers or scripts of any kind. Most support is handled one-on-one over Zoom with a publishing professional that knows the platform inside and out.
Support at MagCast also involves our taking an active interest in your success as a publisher. Every membership includes live coursework on the business of publishing a magazine app, from sourcing content, to monetization, to marketing, as well as one on one screen time with real publishing professionals.
Growth - At MagCast, any and all growth is baked into the price. If you go from twenty readers, to two-thousand, to twenty-thousand, to twenty-million, we will offer a hearty congrats, and our hundreds of content delivery nodes, spread over six continents, will handle the load without breaking a sweat - and you won't pay one penny more.
That's another reason a proper price comparison is so difficult. The other platforms all charge more as your magazine grows.
Only MagCast makes it easy with flat rate pricing that includes unlimited:
White Label - This is important. A white label magazine app solution for ios and android ensures that you are the publisher of record for your app, that it's your brand your readers see, and that Google and Apple pay you directly.
Some platforms are essentially newstands, aggregating titles under their own app. If you're not being asked to register as a developer with Apple ($99/yr) and Google ($25 one time), it's not a white label solution. MagCast is 100% white label. You own your app, and the stores pay you, not us.
Monetization - What a lovely segue from pay to monetization. As a publisher with an existing magazine, you likely have monetization sorted out, but part of our coursework goes in depth into monetization opportunities unique to digital.
Marketing - MagCast includes a number of proprietary and powerful marketing tools for driving readership and sales.
Still have questions? Let's get on a quick call so we can get them answered, and you can see if we're a good fit.
