The best digital magazine maker - 10+ tools compared cover
Last updated: January 29th, 2025
Choosing the right digital magazine platform can be tricky with so many options available. Each tool offers different features, pricing, and levels of customization, making it hard to know where to start.
We’ve compiled a list of digital magazine makers to help you find the best fit. Whether you’re creating your first digital magazine or looking for better tools to expand your reach, you’ll find all the key details you need here.
A digital magazine, also called an e-magazine or electronic magazine, is the online version of a traditional print magazine. It mirrors the format, design, and purpose of its paper counterpart but is delivered digitally, making it accessible on devices like computers, tablets, and smartphones.
Digital magazines offer multiple advantages in comparison to print ones:
Thanks to these advantages, their popularity has increased recently, becoming a staple in many industries.
A digital magazine publishing platform is an app or a tool that allows you to make your own electronic magazine and share your content online through digital channels.
Usually, you can create an online magazine in three different ways when using this type of platform:
It all depends on the functionalities available on each digital magazine platform.
What these digital magazine publishing platforms have in common is the subscription model. Once users create an account and subscribe to a plan, they can start working on their digital magazines.
When it comes to online magazine platforms, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution, as it often depends on the intent.
One of the most important qualities of a magazine design software is the ability to do the job properly and efficiently. Overall, it should offer the user a solution to their problem.
Some questions to guide your search process:
So, whether you’re looking for magazine software for its security or interactivity, here’s a list of platforms that will help you start a digital magazine.
The following list of online magazine platforms provides information for each tool: a brief description, key features, target audience, notable customers, pricing details, and reviews from three major review platforms—G2, Capterra, and Trustpilot. Why these three? Because these are the most popular review platforms for reviewing software apps.
To compile this list, I created free accounts for each platform and tested the available features. The information here is based on my hands-on experience and details provided by the platforms on their websites. However, since some advanced features require paid subscriptions, I could not test every aspect.
A few platforms I wanted to test did not offer free accounts, so I couldn’t explore them firsthand.
That’s why I decided it would be unfair to include them based on external information alone. I will still mention them, though, since their appearance in multiple search results suggests that they are actually worth using.
Flipsnack is an online flipbook maker that allows you to create, publish, and share a variety of digital publications, including magazines, brochures, booklets, or catalogs.
There are three ways you can create a flipbook in Flipsnack. You can upload a PDF and then make it interactive. You can also design the flipbook from scratch or start with a premade template.
Moreover, Flipsnack offers AI flipbook tool capabilities to streamline the text translation process and enhance interactivity.
I signed up for an account and got access to a 14-day Premium trial, which includes most features from the Enterprise plan, with a few exceptions. With this, I can start creating my digital magazine either by uploading a PDF or building one from scratch.
If I upload a PDF, I can choose a file from my device or directly from my Google Drive. After uploading, I’m taken to the customization page, where I can tweak settings like Appearance, Branding, and Analytics. To make the publication interactive, I can use the Design Editor to add videos, links, slideshows, product tags, and more. This is also where I can preview, download, or publish the final flipbook.
If I choose to create a virtual magazine from scratch, the process starts by selecting the size. There are predefined formats to choose from, or I can set custom sizes. Once that’s done, I’m taken to the Design Editor, which starts with a blank page. If I don’t want to start from zero, I can pick from a variety of templates. When everything’s ready, I have the same options to customize, download, or share my flipbook.
Overall, the process is straightforward and intuitive. The PDF upload is fast, and the multiple interactive options make it suitable for different purposes.
FlipHTML5 is an online digital publishing platform that can create various types of publications, including magazines, catalogs, brochures, and more. Thanks to its intuitive interface, it is a great magazine software for beginners.
Once you log into this online magazine platform, you can upload your file and start customizing it. On the left-hand side, you have different sections: Publications, Digital Sales, Brading, etc. You’ll also find information about your account, such as Billing, Settings, or Support.
To create your virtual magazine, you only need to click on the Upload Now button. This allows you to add local files or drag and drop files from iCloud Link or Dropbox. If you don’t have a file, you can easily download a sample PDF file.
Once you upload the file, you can access the Book info and different settings for Customization, Branding, Sharing, etc., right there on the dashboard.
Here, you can also access the Page editor, which allows you to edit your publication with various interactivity options such as links, videos, shapes, or forms. This page also lets you preview the publication, save the progress, and choose a thumbnail.
In the Dashboard, you can unlock additional options for your publication, such as Download, Statistics, or Visibility.
Overall, the process of using this magazine creator is simple, making it ideal for a beginner.
Publuu is another great magazine layout software that allows you to convert PDF files into interactive flipbooks and customize them to be on-brand by adding logos and background colors. You can make your publications SEO-friendly and share them with your readers, either by embedding them on your website or distributing them through email or social media. Users can also display and sell their publications on the “Web Kiosks.”
Once I have created my account, I am greeted by the login page. Its straightforward design allows me to understand the entire process and the platform’s functionalities: upload, customize, publish, and track document statistics.
I can upload a PDF or try a sample. There is no design-from-scratch option.
I used the sample PDF version, and once the file has been uploaded, I can proceed with customizing it.
The page has different options neatly placed on the left. I can change the publication’s name and description, the background, the security options, or show or hide flipbook settings, just to name a few.
I can also access the editing part by clicking on the Add hotspots button. On this page, I can make my flipbook interactive through links, photos, videos, sounds, gifs, and product buttons.
Once I finish editing, I can share my flipbook in multiple ways. Accessing the flipbooks page reveals additional options, such as access to statistics, duplicate, delete, and tracking links.
I found the process very intuitive and enjoyed the initial page, which presents the entire process.
Overall, this magazine creator provides quite a smooth workflow when it comes to editing and sharing digital publications.
Marq (former Lucidpress) is a tool that makes design and branding easier for businesses. It helps creative teams by letting anyone in the company—designer or not—create and share marketing materials that stay on brand. In short, it’s all about making life simpler for both designers and marketers.
The process of creating a flipbook in Marq differs from many of the other magazine makers in this article. You can upload a PDF and convert it, but you cannot edit it.
If you want to customize your flipbook, you can either import it from InDesign from the templates section, which you can find on the left-hand side, start from scratch, or start with a predefined template.
If you start with a template, you can easily use the search function to find what you need. The magazine selection is varied, so you will have no problem finding something that you can use.
Starting from scratch allows you to control the process from start to finish. You can add these elements to the page: images, text, shapes, tables, smart fields, and formulas and functions.
Once shared, you can use Marq’s analytics feature, which gives you insights into how your publications perform.
Marq is a complex digital magazine platform that offers a wide range of tools for creating, customizing, and sharing visually engaging publications.
FlippingBook is a magazine-making software that allows you to create professional-looking magazines and documents with a fun twist. You can add videos, pop-up images, and GIFs to bring your pages to life. Plus, it comes with handy tools to help you step up your marketing and sales game.
To create a publication in FlippingBook, you must upload a PDF or work on a demo PDF. You cannot start from scratch or use a template.
I started with a demo PDF.
Once created, I was redirected to the dashboard, where I had different options for the flipbook: Customize, Share, Embed, View Stats. I decided to access the Editor, which allows me to add videos, links, inline images, pop-up images, and GIFs.
Interactivity-wise, the options are limited, but I like that you can add images, GIFs, and videos either by using a local file or an online link. Based on the element you choose, there are different edit options available. I also tested the different customization options, such as changing the skin, setting the privacy to password-protected, and adding a lead form.
The entire process is easy to understand. Once you create your account, you are ready to go.
Issuu is an online magazine publishing tool that makes it easy to create, share, host, and even sell your magazines or publications. You can add your work to their content library to reach a wider audience. Whether you want to showcase your work, promote your business, or sell your publications, Issuu provides the tools and resources to help you succeed.
The process of creating a flipbook in Issuu starts by uploading a PDF or a multitude of other files, including epub, mubi, or .pptx just to name a few.
I downloaded a magazine template and then uploaded it to Issuu. Once uploaded, I can set a title and description, and then I can make my magazine interactive with links (go to page, shopping, web) and videos.
Once I finished editing, I published it and had several sharing options—share a link, post it on social media as a QR code, or embed it.
I could also download it as a PNG or JPEG. Issuu offers some great extras, like access to stats and selling settings. One feature I really liked is the ability to repurpose your flipbook into an article or social media post, making it super versatile.
Other features include privacy controls, removing banner ads from your links, or allowing downloads, but those are only available with a paid plan.
PubHTML5 is yet another great magazine creator software that offers professional HTML5 publishing solutions. It allows users to create professionally-looking digital publications such as magazines, brochures, catalogs, newsletters, and more. Its intuitive interface makes it ideal for anyone, from beginners to more experienced users.
The process starts with a file upload. Besides PDF, PubHTML5 also supports converting MS Office files. With the PDF uploaded, I can set keywords, choose a category, set a label, and choose whether to allow my readers to download the magazine or not.
Then, I can choose a template and a theme, and on the next page, I can access all sorts of settings for the player, toolbar, and so on. Interactivity-wise, you can embed videos, insert links, or image slides.
Madmagz is an online magazine editing software that makes it easy for individuals, schools, and businesses to create professional-quality magazines in both digital and print formats. With user-friendly tools and templates, it’s perfect for anyone looking to tell their stories in a visually striking and collaborative way.
After you create the account, you need to start with a template. With the template selected, I need to set a title, an issue number, and a subject for my digital magazine.
The next step allows me to browse different template sections and choose the pages I want to include in the magazine. With the pages selected, I can now access different sections: see an overview of the magazine, add interactions, download it as a PDF, or see a web preview.
It allows you to upload visuals from your device and add links for different elements: audio, video, slideshows, GIFs, Google forms, and internal links. Once the magazine is done, I can now share it as an embed, on social media, or as a direct link.
Overall, creating a digital magazine is intuitive. However, there’s one free template that is easy to miss since it is not at the top of the page. There are 44 templates in total, including the free one, so you will have plenty to choose from.
Individual offers
Collective offers
No reviews on the three platforms
YUMPU is a digital publishing platform designed to turn static PDFs into interactive, SEO-friendly ePapers. It helps businesses, publishers, and creators attract more readers and customers by transforming their content into dynamic flipbooks, brochures, catalogs, or magazines with ease. With award-winning technology, YUMPU ensures your publications achieve top rankings on Google and gain visibility among millions of readers worldwide.
When you create your account, you’ll also be asked to set your username and URL. Since the URL becomes part of your publication, it cannot be changed later.
Similar to the other magazine making software programs, the process starts with uploading a PDF. Once uploaded, you have multiple settings on the page: basic information, visibility, player settings, embed, analytics, and QR code. Here is where you can also add interactivity through the Hotspot editor.
The interactivity features are internal and external links, go to page links, video and audio embed, and a slideshow. Once you place an element on the page, you can customize it in different ways. You can also import or export page elements as CSV, which could be useful.
Sharing-wise, there are multiple options you can choose from: direct link, email, social media, embed. There are also different privacy options: share as a secret link (users will receive a specific link, different than the original one), password protection, or embed restriction. Other features worth mentioning include Google Analytics integration or creating magazine collections.
Overall, YUMPU is an online magazine software that allows you to easily add interactivity to your digital magazine, but the options are limited.
Canva is an online platform that empowers any individual or team, regardless of experience, to create impressive designs. Users can choose between thousands of professionally made templates and then customize and share them with a few clicks. Additionally, you can create a Canva flipbook using Flipsnack for an engaging, interactive design experience.
The process of creating a magazine in Canva is easy.
I start by clicking on Create a Design and start with a magazine template. I choose a cover and add it to the blank page.
Next, I want to make it interactive, and the Elements tab gives me many options: stickers, shapes, frames, tables, and even AI-generated images and videos. I added an AI-generated image and chose my sharing option. I chose to share it with anyone with the link and to give editing rights.
I also checked the dashboard, which gives me access to projects, templates, brand settings, and apps, and its Magic Studio, which is all about AI tools.
Canva is one of the best online magazine platforms, with a great focus on collaboration.
Simplebooklet transforms your static PDFs, presentations, and documents into interactive, engaging flipbooks. It’s designed to make sharing content easy, professional, and impactful, whether you’re promoting marketing materials, sales collateral, or support documents. With Simplebooklet, you can upload, customize, share, and track your flipbooks—all from a single, branded link.
Once you created your account, you can start working on your flipbook. In the free trial, you have one simplebooklet available.
Upload your PDF, and then start editing. Once uploaded, you can choose the page flip style, click on Convert, and start working on your interactive PDF.
In the dashboard, you’ll find options to Edit, Design, or Record your PDF. In the Edit tab, you can add interactive elements, but also text, which you can animate after.
When you finish your design, you can preview it or share it. If you click on share, you’ll be able to change the URL, send it in an email, post it on social media, share it on messaging apps, embed it on a page, or add it to your Google My Business page.
Paperturn is a magazine software platform that turns your PDFs into engaging online flipbooks with a realistic page-turning effect. Whether you’re working with magazines, brochures, catalogs, or eBooks, Paperturn helps you make your content more interactive and accessible.
You can upload a PDF file or download and use a demo PDF they provide. Once the PDF is uploaded, you can start editing its design, add links and videos, or determine how your digital magazine will look when embedded in a website. This digital magazine software is more limited in customization than others from this list, but it does have basic interactivity features.
Other magazine creators did not make the list since I could not actually test the platform. I will still mention them since they are known, and they also show up in search results for relevant queries: Turtl.co, Joomag, Blurb, Magloft, Foleon, and Mag+.
As I already mentioned, what is suitable for one use case might not be suitable for another. It depends on the needs and the situation.
However, to summarize this article and to differentiate the digital magazine platforms analyzed, I will group them based on different categories and mention the top platforms for each category.
These platforms cost the least for a monthly subscription. So, if pricing is an issue, they are the ones to choose.
When it comes to interactivity, these are the top three digital magazine software programs. Besides the regular links, videos, or audio embeds, in Flipsnack, you can also add product tags, popup frames, shopping buttons, overlays, or slideshows, which are useful elements for any magazine. Canva offers even more options, with the possibility of adding shapes, forms, and even AI-generated content.
A good magazine maker needs to give its users the possibility of reaching its customers with ease, and these three tools offer the most options: direct link, social media sharing, email, QR, and download in different formats. However, Canva stands out from the rest. You can easily share your Canva publications on multiple social media or messaging platforms. You can also download samples of your publication, present and record the publication, and more.
Privacy-wise, these digital magazine creators stand out from the crowd. They all offer privacy options such as password protection, private links, embed restrictions, and SSO login. Flipsnack also offers 2FA, which is always a plus, but if you are interested in ensuring the privacy of your publications, these are your best choices.
These are the three online magazine makers that excel when it comes to branding. Flipsnack offers the option of customizing your profile, uploading brand kits, or using custom domains, just to name a few. Marq has smart field options that allow you to apply your branding to smart templates easily. You can also include a brand kit in Canva, with the option of setting a brand voice, icons, or branded photos.
Here are the three platforms that excel when it comes to statistics. All three of them offer similar statistics, which can help you see how well your digital magazines perform: views, downloads, engagement, devices used, and more. Besides that, each online magazine creator allows you to export the data and integrate Google Analytics to access more in-depth statistics.
It’s time to wrap things up. This was my list of magazine makers, and I hope it provided useful information. I have included useful links on each entry: homepage, pricing, and features, so you can easily access what you are interested in. The data I provided might not be enough, so I encourage you to test the tools yourself and see which one is right for you.
Yes, digital magazines are thriving. They offer instant access, interactive features, and eco-friendly alternatives to print. Readers enjoy them for their convenience and engaging content, especially on mobile devices. In fact, there are millions of readers access online magazines daily.
HTML5 is the preferred format for digital magazines due to its interactivity, speed, and responsiveness across devices. PDFs are also popular but lack advanced features.
Absolutely! Common ways include:
Subscriptions: Offer monthly or annual plans.
Ads: Partner with brands for in-magazine advertising.
Affiliate links: Earn through product promotions.
Sponsored content: Collaborate with businesses to feature articles or content.
Yes. Many platforms come with built-in analytics to track views, clicks, and shares. Some even integrate with tools like Google Analytics for deeper insights.
No. Digital magazine platforms like Canva or Flipsnack allow you to create professional magazines without any coding knowledge.
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View Comments
You never mentioned Folean. Any reason why?
They David, thanks for your comment! You're right—Foleon wasn't mentioned because, when the article was originally published in 2023, they weren't as prominent in the space. Since then, they’ve grown significantly, and we'll consider including them in future updates. We appreciate you pointing this out!