Magazine subscriptions that renew on your issue schedule
Subscriptions turn your biggest fans into reliable income. Readers pay up-front, stay with the title issue after issue, and give you a direct line to the people who care most about what you make.
Renewals tied to issues, not a calendar
In Subsail, you decide when to charge. Every subscriber is billed together, and there are no surprise renewals.
There is no rush to publish just because a calendar said so. The charge follows the issue, and fulfilment knows exactly who is owed a copy.
Why issue-based subscriptions work for independent magazines
The distribution cashflow gap
When reports and payments are delayed, you can end up funding printing, shipping and growth before revenue arrives, with no direct contact with readers.
The subscription advantage
Subscriptions bring money before issues are released. Your biggest fans pay directly and early, giving you working capital and clearer visibility for planning. Why subscriptions matter →
Renew on your schedule
Set renewal timing to match how your magazine actually publishes. If print slips, move the charge date. Subscribers are not billed until you say so.
Everyone charged together
Instead of drip-feeding income on random signup anniversaries, every renewing subscriber is charged at the same time — typically just before an issue release.
How magazine subscriptions work in Subsail
You pick the charge date. Subsail bills everyone together. Then you export for fulfilment.
1. You set a charge date
As you get closer to an issue launch, choose the date you want to charge renewing subscribers. Keep changing it if the schedule moves.
2. Renewals are charged
Subsail charges subscribers on the date you set. Failed payments are retried automatically so you capture more renewals.
3. Send the magazines
Export the orders generated by renewals in a few clicks and ship to subscribers who are paid up for that issue.
Read more about issue-based renewals →
Subscriptions or memberships?
They are two ways to sell direct to readers. Many magazines offer both.
Subscriptions
Tied to issues. Charge when you publish. Best when the magazine is the product and your schedule is fluid.
Memberships
Tied to time. Charge monthly, quarterly or yearly. Best when belonging, perks and predictable cashflow matter as much as the next issue date. Magazine memberships →
Everything you need to run subscriptions
Sell on your site or import from your shop. Manage readers, ship issues, and stay in touch from one place.
Sell on your website
Hosted checkout for print, digital, or combined subscriptions — renewing or non-renewing. Sell subscriptions →
Import orders from your shop
Keep selling through Shopify, Big Cartel or Squarespace while managing subscriptions in one place. Importing →
Fulfilment-ready exports
Export clean subscriber data when it is time to ship, with formats for common fulfilment workflows. Fulfilment →
Connect with your readers
Direct sales mean direct contact. Email from Subsail, and sync segments with tools like Mailchimp. Communicate →
Audience segments and integrations
Create subscriber segments and connect with Newsstand, Mailchimp and more. Integrations →
Subscriber self-service
Let subscribers update addresses, and handle cancellations and refunds without messy admin work.
Start selling subscriptions on your schedule
No credit card required for your first 20 subscriptions.
Some of Subsail's lovely customers, past and present...
