Publishers run their business on RunMags
From an owner-run magazine in Florida to international B2B and travel publishers.
I had been looking for a turn key package for over 2 years and yet this was the only sensibly priced one that also seemed to offer everything.
RunMags has not only helped us create a cost competitive company infrastructure but also increase sales and customer satisfaction with all advertising sold in-house…
There is no way a single person could operate a business of my size without it!
What RunMags does for a magazine publisher
RunMags is magazine publishing software for the business side of a magazine: the advertisers you sell to, the issues you plan, the invoices you send and the readers you serve. It is a CRM for magazines and a publishing system in one, so every deal moves from first proposal to paid invoice without anyone typing the same details twice.
Advertising sales and CRM
Every advertiser has one record with its contacts, activities, emails, orders, contracts and invoices. Sales reps build a proposal from your rate card, adding products from your catalogues for print, digital, web banners, newsletters, events and social. The catalogue price is copied onto the order row, where it can be adjusted, and the proposal goes out by email with an eSignature. Once the deal is signed, the booking flows on into production and billing. See magazine advertising sales software.
Contracts, flatplan and production
Signed print bookings arrive on the issue’s flatplan as ads waiting to be placed. Each new issue starts from the publication’s default page count; add or remove spreads, name pages and copy a structure that works to other issues. Plan pages with drag and drop, see sold positions and missing artwork, and send a reminder with an upload link to every advertiser whose artwork is late. The finished plan prints to PDF for your production team. See magazine flatplan software.
Subscriptions and circulation
Print and digital subscribers sit on one record, on issue-based or time-based terms, with renewal reminders and the print distribution list for every issue. Sell print, digital and print-plus-digital bundles on your branded subscription page, export each issue’s list to Excel for your printer or mail house, and let subscribers update their details and renew online. See magazine subscription management.
Invoices and card payments
Advertiser invoices are created from the ad contract, on signing, per issue or in instalments as you choose, so the products, prices and terms are already there and you only approve the invoice before it is emailed. Customers pay by card or bank transfer, with Stripe for payments, and a credit note corrects an invoice instead of editing it. Advertiser invoices sync to QuickBooks Online, Xero or Fortnox. See magazine billing software.
Content and artwork in one place
Keep editorial and advertising material together. Editorial slots on the flatplan link to the story behind them, with an owner, an assignee and a status, and advertiser artwork is collected through an upload link instead of an inbox full of attachments.
Email from the same system
Create emails in RunMags, send them from your own domain and track opens, so your publishing communications stay next to the advertisers and subscribers they are about.
A CRM for magazines, not a generic CRM
A CRM for magazines is customer software built around how a magazine sells. A generic CRM tracks deals; a magazine needs to know which ad runs in which issue of which title, at what size and price, and who gets invoiced for it. Read the full guide to CRM for magazines.
One record for advertisers, agencies and subscribers
RunMags keeps one advertiser record across all your titles and links agencies to the advertisers they book for. A subscriber can be linked to a contact or organisation, so the same organisation keeps its advertising orders and its subscriptions together.
Deals that span several titles
A cross-title deal is one contract with a row for each title and issue. Each title keeps its own issues, ad products and rate card, and advertiser invoices follow the legal entity on the contract.
Straight about what it does not do yet
RunMags has no opportunity pipeline with win probability and no email or calendar sync with Google or Outlook. If you need something it does not do, ask every vendor on your shortlist to show it working with your own data.
What RunMags replaces
Most small publishers start with a patchwork of tools. RunMags brings them into one system, one login and one register of advertisers, agencies and subscribers.
A generic CRM
Track advertisers, contacts, pipeline and ad bookings in a system that understands issues, positions and rate cards. Read about RunMags as a CRM for magazines.
Word proposals and a separate eSign tool
Build the proposal, send it by email and collect the signature in one workflow, then keep the signed contract with the advertiser.
The flatplan spreadsheet
One shared plan for every print issue, showing sold positions, editorial slots and missing artwork, drawn from the bookings your sales team has actually signed.
A subscriber spreadsheet
One subscriber record across print, digital, web and email, with terms, renewals and invoices attached to it.
Invoicing by hand
Bill advertisers and subscribers in a few clicks, and set recurring charges to stop chasing cheques.
An inbox full of advertiser artwork
Send a reminder with an upload link to every advertiser whose artwork is missing, and see on the flatplan which ads are still waiting for material.
Who RunMags is for
RunMags is built for independent and growing publishers, from an owner-run magazine to multi-title publishing houses with more than one company. Plans differ by the number of legal entities and brands, so you start with the capacity you need.
Startup publishers
Track your bookings, close deals faster and send polished proposals with eSign from your first issue. See what it costs to start a magazine and plan your first-year budget.
Growing teams
Keep sales, production and billing in one place so the whole team works from the same plan, from pitch to payment, without handing spreadsheets around.
Publishers with several titles
Add each legal entity and brand, then set up every title with its own issues, ad products and rate card. Advertisers and subscribers stay in one register across your titles. Explore RunMags products.
Free tools for magazine publishers
Not ready to try the software yet? These free tools are on the RunMags site for any magazine publisher to use.
Ad rate card calculator
Turn circulation and a target CPM into prices per page size and frequency, with discounts and premiums. Open the magazine ad rate card calculator.
Insertion order template
A fillable insertion order with issues, sizes, rates, discount and commission, saved as PDF or CSV. Open the insertion order template.
Media kit generator
Enter your title, audience, circulation and ad sizes and prices, then print a clean PDF or download HTML. Open the media kit generator.
Flatplan template
Mark each page as editorial, ad, house ad or blank, see the spreads and the ad ratio, then print it or download a CSV for Excel. Open the flatplan template.
Production schedule template
Enter the print date and frequency, adjust each stage and get dated deadlines to print or open in Excel. Open the production schedule template.
Editorial calendar template
Plan up to 12 issues with themes, features, owners, special sections and copy and ad deadlines, ready to print. Open the editorial calendar template.
Advertising invoice template
Print and digital ad lines, discount, agency commission and VAT worked out as you type, saved as PDF or CSV. Open the advertising invoice template.
Ad sales commission calculator
Flat, tiered or new versus renewal rates, with quota, accelerator and agency commission, paid on booking or on payment. Open the commission calculator.
Subscription renewal calculator
Project subscribers and revenue over 12 and 24 months, and see what churn costs and what better renewals are worth. Open the renewal calculator.
How to get started with RunMags
Try it free for 14 days
The free trial includes all features and needs no credit card, and there is no plan to choose before it starts. Start your free trial or book a demo to talk through your workflow.
Onboarding help is included
Four hours of onboarding are included, with guidance on setup, brands, ad products and subscriptions, and help importing advertiser organisations, contacts, subscribers and subscriptions. Additional assistance is EUR 125 per hour. Read about onboarding.
Works with the tools you use
RunMags connects with Stripe for payments, QuickBooks Online, Xero and Fortnox for accounting, and WordPress for your website. Compare plans and integrations.
Moving from another system
RunMags offers a free import from Magazine Manager. Discuss your source files, records and migration scope with the team before you move, and read how moving your data to RunMags works.
Frequently asked questions
Get to know RunMags and how it fits your publishing business.
Talk it through with usWhat is RunMags?
RunMags is magazine publishing software and CRM that brings advertising sales, customer relationships, subscriptions, production planning, billing and payments into one platform. Maggie, the built-in assistant, checks what needs attention and suggests your next step. Plans start at €399 per month excluding VAT, with a 14-day free trial.
Explore RunMags productsWho is RunMags designed for?
RunMags is magazine management software designed for magazine publishers, from teams running their first title to publishers managing multiple brands. Plans offer different capacities for legal entities and brands.
Compare publishing plansCan I manage advertising sales and magazine production together?
Yes. RunMags includes advertising sales and CRM, proposals and electronic signatures, contract management, and a flatplanning tool. These tools help your team coordinate sales commitments and magazine production.
Explore production planningCan I bring my existing contacts and subscribers into RunMags?
The onboarding service includes assistance with importing advertiser organizations and contacts, as well as subscribers and subscriptions. Four hours of onboarding are included; additional assistance is EUR 125/hour. Discuss your source data and import requirements with the team when planning your setup.
Read about onboarding and importsDoes RunMags connect with the tools I already use?
RunMags offers integrations with Stripe, QuickBooks Online, Xero, Fortnox and WordPress, connecting payments, accounting and your website with your publishing workflow.
Explore plans and integrationsHow can I try RunMags?
Start a 14-day free trial with all features, no credit card and no plan to choose before the trial. Create your account to explore the publishing tools with your team.
Start your free trial