FAQ’s
What are the differences between native apps, web apps and hybrid apps?
Native apps: Built on Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android, the world’s two biggest mobile operating systems. Users need to install each native app on their mobile device. Native apps offer the fastest, most reliable and responsive user experience and help publishers increase visibility and readership.
Web apps: Are enhanced digital flipbooks. Users don’t need to install these on their devices as they’re accessed via a web browser as a web page. Web apps don’t offer the same high performance as native apps.
Hybrid apps: Users install hybrid apps like a native app, but it operates as a web app on the inside meaning it will never reach native app performance.
The differences: Native iOS and Android apps don’t require an internet connection once the apps are downloaded into the user’s mobile devices. All of our magazine titles are registered with Apple and Google and are therefore searchable in the app stores. Web apps require an internet connection and are not searchable in the Apple Store and Google Play.
Read more technical information on native, web and hybrid apps.
How does Media Blender's full-service paid plan compare to self-publishing services?
We take care of all your digital publishing needs, saving you time and hassle. We manage app production, hosting, registration, submission, approval and delivery into the Apple App Store and Google Play. You’ll get two native apps (iOS and Android), plus one web app per magazine edition.
Free self-publishing services are basic plans that don’t meet most publisher’s needs.
Premium self-publishing paid plans offered by our competitors generally cost as much as Media Blender’s full-service plan, but only come with one web app or in hybrid platform per magazine edition.
Do I have to pay ongoing fees to the app stores?
If your magazine is a free-to-read publication title (trade, corporate, association or community magazine), there are no ongoing fees to publish your native apps on the Apple App Store and Google Play. We will distribute your magazines into the app stores free of charge.
If your publication is a paid title, you have the option of charging readers via the Apple App Store and Google Play i.e. In-app purchase.
How can readers access my native apps (iOS and Android) and web apps?
For native apps, readers must download the magazine title’s app onto their mobile device, then they can download each edition.
There are two ways readers can access the web version of your publication.
1.Via Media Blender’s Magazine Hub housed on our website.
2.By copying the publication’s Magazine Hub URL and adding it to your website.
How does Media Blender's 2-month free trial offer work?
Our 2-month trial offer enables publishing companies to sign up for three free editions of one magazine title.
We ask you to supply three print-ready editions (PDF, brand name, logo and graphics) to be uploaded into our dashboard and our team will transform them into Apple’s iOS apps, Google’s Android apps and web apps.
At the end of the two months period, you may choose to pay $68 for us to build your next magazine edition or you may leave at any time. There is no obligation.
What types of businesses does Media Blender work with?
Media Blender focuses on the business-to-business (B2B) magazine market segment, which makes up more than 90% of all magazine titles. This market includes corporate, trade and community publications i.e. free-to-read titles.
As a small and medium-sized magazine publisher, am I subject to a 30% fee by Apple and Google?
There’s no fee for publishing ‘free-to-read’ magazine editions on the Apple App Store and Google Play.
Apple charges a 30% fee commission for paid subscription magazines since 2010. i.e., in-app purchases, and Google charges a 40% fee.
As from 1st January 2021, Apple has reduced its 30% fee commission down to 15% for all paid subscription magazines.
About 85% of Apps from the Apple App Store are ‘Free’ with 98% of Google Play. Source – Statista.com June 2016.