RunMags vs Magazine Manager: a fair comparison for magazine publishers
The Magazine Manager, built by Mirabel Technologies, and RunMags both run a magazine's advertising sales, production and billing in one system. If you are comparing RunMags vs Magazine Manager, this page sets out what each documents publicly, where Magazine Manager is the stronger choice today, and where RunMags is different. It does not score either product.
New to the shortlist? Explore the publishing software comparison hub, or read how to evaluate a Magazine Manager alternative with your own workflow.
How this comparison was made
Magazine Manager statements come from its public website on 2026-10-16: the home page, retrieved , pricing page, retrieved , integrations page, retrieved , ad order management page, retrieved and DigitalStudio page, retrieved . They are the vendor's own descriptions; we did not use a Magazine Manager account. Where a cell says “does not document”, the pages we read do not mention it, which is not the same as the product lacking it. RunMags statements describe features available in RunMags today, including the gaps.
RunMags vs Magazine Manager at a glance
| Area | The Magazine Manager (vendor-documented) | RunMags |
|---|---|---|
| Background | Built by Mirabel Technologies since 2003; says it is trusted by 33,000+ media products and shows 4.8/5 from 352 Capterra reviews (home page). | Magazine publishing software and CRM founded in 2014, with Maggie as the built-in AI assistant. |
| Advertising sales | Proposals, contracts and insertion orders; one-click proposal-to-order conversion; print, digital, email and sponsored-content orders; real-time inventory tracking to prevent overbooking (ad order management page). | Advertiser organisations, contacts and activities on one record; contracts hold the order rows sold per issue, including package bundles, with frequency discounts and agency commission on the contract. See advertising sales in RunMags. No inventory holds or double-booking guard yet. |
| Flatplan and production | DigitalStudio: flat plan built from confirmed orders, pagination and layout, proof routing to advertisers, creative upload through a client portal and automatic digital tearsheets. Digital editions and tearsheets are optional add-ons (pricing page). | The flatplan is built from live advertising orders: signed bookings appear as unplaced ads by size to drag onto pages, with artwork reminders that carry an upload link. See the RunMags flatplan. No proof approval or tear sheets. |
| Billing and accounting | Invoicing, payments and A/R; QuickBooks, Xero, Sage, Epicor and Microsoft Dynamics GP; Stripe, CardConnect, Authorize.net and Plug'n Pay (integrations page). | Advertiser invoicing on signing, per issue or in instalments, credit notes and payment reminders; sync to Fortnox, QuickBooks Online or Xero per legal entity, with EU VAT; Stripe card payments. See billing in RunMags. |
| Subscriptions | The home page says it runs subscriber management; Mirabel's subscription management page, retrieved describes subscription billing through ChargeBrite, including dunning and renewal notices. | Issue-based and time-based print and digital subscriptions, renewals, gifts and subscriber imports on the same customer record as advertisers. Renewals run when staff run the renewal batch; no automatic retry of failed card payments yet. See subscription sales. |
| Other integrations | 21 connected applications, including two-way Google Ad Manager sync, Mailchimp, Google Calendar, Outlook Calendar, Gmail and a Chrome extension (integrations page). | Stripe, QuickBooks Online, Xero, Fortnox and WordPress, plus the RunMags API. No Google Ad Manager integration. |
| Pricing model | Per user per month in US dollars, billed annually, from 3 users; no month-to-month option (pricing page). | Monthly plans in euros sized by legal entities and brands; no published per-user price. See RunMags pricing. |
| Getting started | Book a demo; every client receives included training hours (home page). A self-serve trial is not documented on the pages we read. | 14-day free trial without a credit card, or a demo. Four onboarding hours included; extra help EUR 125/hour. |
Where Magazine Manager is stronger today
Several things Magazine Manager documents are not in RunMags yet. If they matter to your team, weigh them first.
- Inventory and overbooking. Magazine Manager describes real-time inventory tracking across issues and platforms to prevent overbooking. RunMags does not hold inventory or block double bookings.
- Proofs and tearsheets. DigitalStudio routes proofs to advertisers and sends digital tearsheets automatically when an issue closes, as optional add-ons. RunMags collects artwork with reminders but has no proof approval or tear sheets.
- Integrations. 21 connected applications, including Google Ad Manager two-way sync with billing reconciled against delivered impressions, and Sage, Epicor and Dynamics GP for accounting.
- Track record and reviews. More than 20 years serving magazine publishers and, on its home page, 4.8/5 from 352 Capterra reviews. The home page also highlights included training hours for every client.
Where RunMags is different
- Advertisers and subscribers on one record. Advertising contracts, the flatplan, subscriptions and invoices sit on the same customer record, so a company that both advertises and subscribes is one customer.
- Plans sized by brands and companies. Plans are sized by legal entities and brands, with monthly prices shown on the pricing page and no published per-user rate.
- European accounting. Fortnox, QuickBooks Online or Xero per legal entity, with EU VAT handled on invoices. Magazine Manager does not document Fortnox or EU VAT on the pages we read.
- Try it first. A 14-day free trial without a credit card, so your team can enter a real issue before talking to sales.
- Maggie built in. Maggie, the built-in publishing assistant, checks what needs attention, such as renewals due, unpaid invoices or missing ad material, and suggests the next step.
Pricing compared (checked )
Magazine Manager publishes these rates as “Introductory Pricing”, per user per month in US dollars, billed annually. Every band has the same platform; add-ons, integrations and services can change the final price. Source: The Magazine Manager pricing page, retrieved .
| Users | Rate per user per month |
|---|---|
| 3–5 | $92 |
| 6–10 | $87 |
| 11–15 | $81 |
| 16–20 | $76 |
| 21–50 | $71 |
| 51+ | $66 |
RunMags plans, per month excluding VAT: Pro €399 (1 legal entity, 1 brand), Team €699 (1 legal entity, 5 brands), Publisher €1,299 (2 legal entities, 10 brands), Enterprise on quote. Source: RunMags pricing.
The models differ, so compare totals rather than headline rates. A five-person team at Magazine Manager's published rate is 5 × $92 × 12 = $5,520 a year before add-ons and services. RunMags Pro is €399 × 12 = €4,788 a year excluding VAT for one legal entity and one brand. Currencies, scope and services differ, so neither figure is a saving claim; ask both vendors for a written first-year total for the same team. Our guide to magazine software pricing shows how.
When Magazine Manager is the better fit
- You sell digital campaigns through Google Ad Manager and want order and billing sync with delivered impressions.
- You need proof approval, automatic tearsheets or inventory checks that stop overbooking, inside the same system.
- Your accounts run on Sage, Epicor or Microsoft Dynamics GP.
- Your team already uses Magazine Manager well. Reports, configuration and staff experience have value, and a move costs time.
- You are a large sales team where per-user bands fall to $66, and an annual contract suits you.
When RunMags is the better fit
- You sell both advertising and subscriptions and want them on one customer record, with the flatplan built from bookings.
- You invoice in Europe and need EU VAT and Fortnox, QuickBooks Online or Xero per legal entity.
- You run several brands with a small team and prefer plans sized by brands and legal entities.
- You want to try the system with your own issue before a sales conversation.
How to decide
Give both vendors the same brief: one multi-issue advertising contract, one issue close with a late artwork and a changed booking, and one subscriber renewal, followed through to the invoice. Have your own sales, production and finance people do the work rather than watch a demo. For Magazine Manager compared with other systems, see Ad Orbit (MagHub) vs Mirabel and Mirabel vs Lineup Adpoint. Moving data? Read about data migration to RunMags.
Frequently asked questions
What is the main difference between RunMags and Magazine Manager?
Both run magazine advertising sales, production and billing in one system. Magazine Manager documents more advertising-side depth, such as inventory checks against overbooking, proof routing, automatic tearsheets and Google Ad Manager sync. RunMags keeps advertisers and subscribers on one customer record, prices plans by legal entities and brands rather than users, handles EU VAT with Fortnox, QuickBooks Online or Xero, and offers a 14-day free trial without a credit card.
How much does Magazine Manager cost compared with RunMags?
On 2026-10-16 Magazine Manager's pricing page listed $92 per user per month for 3 to 5 users, falling to $66 for 51 or more, billed annually with no month-to-month option; add-ons and services can change the final price. RunMags plans are €399, €699 or €1,299 per month excluding VAT, sized by legal entities and brands, with Enterprise on quote. Compare written first-year totals for the same team.
Does RunMags prevent overbooking or send tear sheets like Magazine Manager?
Not yet. RunMags does not hold advertising inventory or block double bookings, and it has no proof approval or tear sheets. Magazine Manager documents real-time inventory tracking and, in its DigitalStudio add-on, proof routing and automatic digital tearsheets.
Is there a free trial of RunMags or Magazine Manager?
RunMags has a 14-day free trial without a credit card. Magazine Manager's pages that we read on 2026-10-16 offer a demo and included training hours; they do not describe a self-serve trial, so ask Mirabel directly.
Can I move from Magazine Manager to RunMags?
Yes. Migration from Magazine Manager is a free import, scoped with the RunMags team first. Subscriber and subscription imports are part of onboarding, and advertiser organisations and contacts start from a sample that your team checks. Historical ad orders, attachments, production history and accounting records need a separate decision, and some may stay in an archive. Onboarding includes four hours of help.
Try RunMags with your own titles
Enter your next issue, a real advertiser and a subscriber, and see how far your team gets in 14 days.
