How much does it cost to start a magazine?
It depends on three choices more than anything else: whether you print, how often you publish and how many copies you print. A digital-first magazine published a few times a year can start with little more than people’s time, software and marketing. A monthly print title with a large print run carries printing and postage on every copy, every issue. Below, the cost lines are explained one by one, and the calculator turns your own figures into a first-year budget and a break-even point. No sign-up.
The cost lines explained
Every magazine budget comes down to two kinds of cost: costs that come back with every issue, and costs you pay for the year whatever you publish.
Printing. The printer charges for each copy, and the price per copy depends on the page count, the paper, the binding, the trim size and above all the print run. Set-up costs are spread over the run, so the cost per copy usually falls as the run grows, while the total bill rises. Get printer quotes for two or three print runs before you decide, and ask what changes if you add or remove a section of pages.
Postage and distribution. Copies have to reach readers. Subscriber copies are packed and posted, so weight and destination matter; newsstand copies go through a distributor, who typically takes a share of the cover price and may return unsold copies. Ask a mailing house and a distributor for quotes, and remember that a heavier paper raises the postage as well as the print bill.
Design, editorial and freelance work. Writers, photographers, illustrators, a designer and a proofreader are paid per issue, whether the issue sells well or not. Agree rates before you commission and keep a list per issue, so the cost is known before the issue goes to print.
Staff. Salaries, or what you need to pay yourself, are often the largest line for the year. If you plan to work unpaid at first, put in the figure you would need to stop doing so, so the budget shows what the magazine really costs.
Software and tools. Design and layout software, a website, email, accounting and the system you use to sell ads, manage subscribers and send invoices. These are modest per month but add up over a year.
Marketing. A launch, subscriber acquisition, events and samples for advertisers. A new title has no audience yet, so this line matters more in the first year than later.
Print vs digital-first
Printing and postage are the only lines that grow with every copy. Remove them and the cost per issue drops to content and design, which is why a new magazine can start digital-first and add print once they know their readers. Set the print run to 0 in the calculator to see the digital version of your budget.
Print still has advantages: some readers will pay more for a printed subscription, some advertisers prefer a print page, and a physical magazine is easier to notice. A common middle way is a small print run for subscribers and advertisers, with the full archive online. Compare both budgets before you choose.
The revenue mix: ads and subscriptions
Many magazines are paid for by a mix of subscriptions and advertising. Subscriptions are paid in advance and are easier to predict; renewals then decide how much of that revenue comes back next year. Advertising depends on the audience you can show advertisers, which is why a first issue often sells fewer pages than later ones. Some titles add sponsored content, events, single-copy sales or a newsletter with paid placements, but plan the first year on the two main lines and treat the rest as extra.
Be cautious with both inputs. Enter the subscribers you expect to have paid for by the end of the first year, not the readers you hope to reach, and the ad pages you can realistically sell per issue after discounts and agency commission. To set your ad prices, work through the magazine ad rate card calculator.
Finding your break-even point
Break-even is the point where revenue covers the first-year cost. The calculator shows it two ways. With your advertising revenue fixed, it shows how many paying subscribers you need. With your subscription revenue fixed, it shows how many ad pages per issue you need. If the ad pages needed are more than the pages in the issue, the plan relies too heavily on advertising, and the price, the page count or the costs need another look.
Then test the budget. Halve the ad pages, lower the subscriber count and see whether the magazine still survives the first year. If it does not, you know how much money you need to have in reserve before launch. To see how renewals change the subscriber base after the first year, use the subscription renewal calculator.
A start-lean checklist
- Get written quotes from at least two printers and a distributor for your page count and print run.
- Start with a frequency you can keep up; you can publish more often later.
- Consider a digital-first launch or a small print run for subscribers and advertisers.
- Sell subscriptions before the first issue, so readers help fund it.
- Talk to advertisers early with a media kit and a rate card, and book the first issue before you print.
- Pay freelancers per piece and agree rates in writing.
- Keep advertisers, subscribers, contracts and invoices in one place from the start, not in separate spreadsheets.
- Keep enough cash for the gap between paying the printer and being paid by advertisers.
Starting a new title? See how RunMags supports startup publishers with advertisers, subscribers, contracts and invoicing in one system.
Questions publishers ask
How much does it cost to start a magazine?
There is no single figure. The cost depends mostly on whether you print, how often you publish and how many copies you print and post. Add up the cost per issue (printing, postage and distribution, design, editorial and freelance work) times the number of issues, then add staff, software and marketing for the year. Get quotes from printers and distributors for your page count and print run rather than relying on averages.
Is it cheaper to start a digital magazine than a print magazine?
Usually the cash outlay is lower, because a digital-first magazine has no printing or postage, which are the costs that grow with every copy. Content, design, staff, software and marketing still have to be paid for, so a digital magazine is not free to run. Some publishers start digital and add a print edition once they know their readers and advertisers.
How many subscribers does a magazine need to break even?
Divide the first-year cost that advertising does not cover by the annual subscription price, and round up. If advertising brings in more, you need fewer subscribers; if the price is lower, you need more. The calculator on this page does the sum for your own figures, in both directions.
Should a new magazine rely on advertising or subscriptions?
Many magazines use a mix. Subscriptions are paid up front and are easier to predict, while advertising depends on the audience you can show advertisers. Plan a first year that works with a cautious level of both, and treat any extra advertising as upside.
