Readbug aggregates and digitizes indie, cult and classic magazine titles into a mobile-first subscription app that offers all-you-can-read access for a monthly fee (currently £9.99 in the U.K.). The product reproduces full magazine issues cover-to-cover, preserves publishers’ fonts and color schemes, and can augment issues with related digital content like embedded video or audio. Readbug splits reader revenue 30:70 with publishing partners and currently offers about 50 titles with plans to expand to 125 within a year. Device usage is heavily skewed to phones (circa 95% of reading), and the app has seen roughly 9,000 downloads and 3,000 registered users without major marketing. The team plans product additions including free channels, a buy-it-now function to drive print sales, more publisher collaboration on enhanced digital content and some original in-house content.

Total raised

$1M

Funding rounds

1

Latest round

Seed

Latest activity

Nov 2015