A SimpleCirc alternative: run circulation and advertising from one record
SimpleCirc and RunMags start from different places. SimpleCirc describes itself as subscription management software for publishers, built to streamline ordering, maximise renewal rates and support subscribers. Source: SimpleCirc homepage, retrieved 2026-10-05. RunMags is a system for the whole publishing business: advertising sales, contracts, flatplan, billing and subscriptions, with the advertiser and the subscriber on the same customer record. This guide sets out where each one fits better, including where SimpleCirc documents more than RunMags does today. Explore the publishing software comparison hub.
Quick verdict
If circulation is your whole job and you need automatic renewals, a subscriber login, BPA or AAM audit reports and US postage options, SimpleCirc documents all four (sources below), and RunMags does not document them today. If you sell advertising as well as subscriptions and want sales, production and billing to work from one record, RunMags is worth evaluating. Neither choice is right for every publisher, so test the workflow that matters most to you.
Side by side: what each vendor documents
Supported means the capability is documented. Partial means part of it is documented. Not shown means we found no public evidence; it does not mean the product lacks it. SimpleCirc statuses are vendor claims from SimpleCirc's official pages, retrieved 2026-10-05. RunMags statuses come from our own capability review in October 2026. Neither column is an independent test.
| Capability | SimpleCirc (vendor-claimed) | RunMags |
|---|---|---|
| Print and digital subscriber records | Supported. Print only, digital only or combined offers. Postage types page | Supported. Issue-based and time-based terms |
| Renewals | Supported. Automatic renewal charges the saved card after an email notice. Auto-renew page | Partial. Renewals are charged when your staff run the renewal batch; automatic scheduled renewal is not available yet |
| Failed card payment follow-up | Supported. The subscriber is asked to update the card and the charge is tried again. Auto-renew page | Not shown |
| Subscriber self-service login | Supported. Subscribers log in to update their address or renew. How to switch page | Not shown. Card updates, invoice downloads and cancellation by the subscriber are not documented |
| Automated renewal emails and printed renewal letters | Supported on the Pro plan. Pro plan page | Not shown |
| BPA and AAM audit reports | Supported. Qualified circulation by issue and geographical breakout. Audits page | Not shown |
| Postage options and US address validation | Supported. Periodical, First Class and international postage per offer; USPS address validation on Essentials. Postage types page, Essentials plan page | Partial. Per-issue distribution batches for your printer; postal address validation is not documented |
| Digital edition, paywall and Shopify integrations | Supported on the Pro plan. Integrations page | Not shown |
| Accounting sync and EU VAT | Not shown on the pages we checked. State, local and provincial sales tax through TaxJar. Sales tax page | Partial. Advertiser invoices sync to Fortnox, QuickBooks or Xero, with EU VAT; subscription invoices are not part of the sync yet |
| Advertising sales, contracts and orders | Not shown on the pages we checked | Supported |
| Flatplanning and issue production | Not shown on the pages we checked | Supported. The flatplan is built from booked advertising orders |
Published pricing (checked )
SimpleCirc's pricing page lists monthly prices in US dollars by number of active subscribers. Essentials runs from $99 per month for up to 2,000 active subscribers to $649 per month for up to 80,000. Pro runs from $199 per month for up to 2,000 active subscribers to $799 per month for up to 80,000. Above 80,000 active subscribers the page asks you to contact SimpleCirc. The page says only active subscribers are charged and that SimpleCirc is free until you are successfully managing your subscribers and are satisfied. Source: SimpleCirc pricing page, retrieved 2026-10-05. See RunMags pricing.
Who should choose which
Choose or stay with SimpleCirc if
- You want renewals to run on their own. SimpleCirc's auto-renew page describes an email to the subscriber before renewal, a card charge two days later, and a request to update the card if the charge fails. Source: SimpleCirc auto-renew page, retrieved 2026-10-05.
- Your circulation is audited by BPA Worldwide or AAM. SimpleCirc documents reports for qualified circulation by issue and geographical breakout, and online qualification with requalification at renewal. Source: SimpleCirc BPA and AAM audits page, retrieved 2026-10-05.
- You mail in the United States and want postage pricing per offer and USPS address validation. Source: SimpleCirc postage types page, retrieved 2026-10-05. Source: SimpleCirc Essentials plan page, retrieved 2026-10-05.
- You want automated renewal emails, printed renewal letters, or links to digital edition apps such as Zinio, MAZ or BlueToad. SimpleCirc lists these on its Pro plan. Source: SimpleCirc Pro plan page, retrieved 2026-10-05. Source: SimpleCirc integrations page, retrieved 2026-10-05.
If your SimpleCirc setup already does this work well, keeping it is a sensible decision. RunMags does not schedule automatic renewals or retry failed card payments yet, does not document subscriber self-service, and does not document BPA or AAM audit reports.
Consider RunMags if
- You sell advertising and subscriptions, often to the same organisations. In RunMags, an organisation or contact keeps its advertising orders and its subscriptions on one record, in one CRM for magazines.
- Your sales team works from contracts with order rows per channel, and production plans each issue. The flatplan is built from booked advertising orders. See flatplanning.
- You sell print and digital subscriptions with issue-based or time-based terms, including renewals, back issues, gifts and credit notes, and you send per-issue distribution lists to your printer. See subscription sales and circulation management.
- You invoice advertisers through Fortnox, QuickBooks or Xero, with EU VAT, and take payments through Stripe. Subscription invoices are not part of the accounting sync yet.
The SimpleCirc pages we checked describe subscriber management and do not document advertising sales or flatplanning. That is not proof that SimpleCirc lacks them, so ask SimpleCirc directly if you need them. Source: SimpleCirc homepage, retrieved 2026-10-05.
Switching from SimpleCirc: a step-by-step plan
- List what you run on SimpleCirc today: offers and postage types, auto-renewals, renewal emails and letters, audit reports, portal actions and integrations. Mark what you need on the first day.
- Check each need against the table above. If you rely on auto-renewal, audit reports or the subscriber login, decide how you will cover them before you move, or keep SimpleCirc for that part.
- Export a sample with subscribers, payers and gift recipients, issues remaining or end dates, addresses and opt-outs. SimpleCirc's API documentation describes its subscriber, subscription and address records, which helps when you map fields. Source: SimpleCirc API documentation, retrieved 2026-10-05.
- Ask the RunMags team to import the sample into a trial account; subscriber and subscription imports are part of onboarding. Compare issue balances, renewal dates and the next issue's distribution list with SimpleCirc.
- Agree how saved payment cards will move. RunMags does not document card-token continuity today, so plan this with the RunMags team and your payment provider before you set a date.
- Keep SimpleCirc running until the first issue's distribution list and renewals match in RunMags.
Frequently asked questions
Does RunMags automatically renew subscriptions like SimpleCirc?
Not yet. In RunMags, renewals are charged when your staff run the renewal batch. RunMags does not schedule automatic renewals or retry failed card payments yet. SimpleCirc's auto-renew page describes an email notice, a charge two days later and a card-update request if the charge fails (source: simplecirc.com/auto-renew-subscribers-with-simplecirc, retrieved 2026-10-05).
Can RunMags produce BPA or AAM audit reports?
RunMags does not document BPA or AAM audit reports today. SimpleCirc documents reports that support both audits (source: simplecirc.com/simplecirc-bpa-aam-audits, retrieved 2026-10-05). If your circulation is audited, keep SimpleCirc or another audit-ready system for that part.
How is SimpleCirc priced?
SimpleCirc prices by active subscribers. On 2026-10-05 its pricing page (simplecirc.com/pricing) listed Essentials from $99 to $649 per month and Pro from $199 to $799 per month for up to 80,000 active subscribers, in US dollars, with larger publishers asked to contact SimpleCirc. See the RunMags pricing page for RunMags plans, and compare quotes for your own setup.
Can I move my SimpleCirc subscribers into RunMags?
Yes, with help from the team: subscriber and subscription imports are part of RunMags onboarding. Card-token continuity is not documented, so plan with the RunMags team how saved payment methods will move before you switch.
Can I use SimpleCirc and RunMags together?
RunMags has no documented SimpleCirc integration. Using both would mean keeping subscribers and advertisers in separate systems. Ask the RunMags team what that split would mean for your billing and distribution lists.
Evaluate RunMags with your own publishing workflow
Bring one advertiser who also subscribes, one renewal and your next issue. Start a trial or book a walkthrough with the team.
