Issuu
Italian-run flipbook platform with a public magazine reader
Summary table
| Company | Bending Spoons Operations S.p.A. |
|---|---|
| Category | Magazine and News Subscription Apps |
| Headquarters | Milan, Italy |
| Founded | Not stated |
| EU Presence | Yes - Italy (EU) |
| Data Location | Not stated on the pages we read |
| Open Source | No |
| GDPR Compliant | Yes |
| Self-Hosting | No |
| Main Features | Flipbooks from PDF, DOCX, PPTX, EPUB and RTF, embed, fullscreen sharing, statistics, digital sales, Issuu Store for publications |
| Pricing | Pricing page exists but its figures were not in the text we read. |
| Best For | Readers of independent and small-publisher magazines; publishers who want their own flipbooks |
| Replaces | Apple News+ |
Full review
The Issuu terms are an agreement with Bending Spoons Operations S.p.A., Via Nino Bonnet 10, 20154 Milan, registered in the Milan Monza Brianza Lodi company register under 13368510965 with capital of 150.000 EUR. The footer says the company is a sole shareholder company under the management and coordination of Bending Spoons S.p.A.
Issuu mostly serves publishers who create flipbooks. Readers can use it to read and buy publications through the Issuu Store.
What Issuu is for
Issuu converts documents into page-turning flipbooks that can be shared by link or embedded. The upload formats named are PDF, DOCX, PPTX, EPUB and RTF.
Issuu also lists statistics, teams, QR codes and a Digital Sales feature for selling publications.
Reading side
The Issuu Store invites visitors to purchase their next favourite publication, and a Read area lets visitors browse.
The pages we read give no subscription bundle for readers comparable to Apple News+.
Contract details to note
The terms say fees may be billed by Bending Spoons US Payflow LLC or other affiliates. The arbitration section is governed by the US Federal Arbitration Act, with hearings in New York for US residents.
The contracting entity is Italian, but the US billing and arbitration terms matter for EU users.
Points against
Issuu is mainly a publisher tool and has no reader bundle like Apple News+. Billing can run through a US affiliate, arbitration terms follow US law for US users, and no prices were read.
Who Issuu fits
Readers of independent magazines who find them on Issuu, and small publishers. For a reader bundle see Readly.
Advantages and drawbacks
Pros
- Italian S.p.A. with register number and capital
- Wide upload format support
- Embed and share by link
- Statistics for publishers
- Issuu Store for buying publications
Cons
- Not a reader bundle
- US affiliate may bill fees
- US arbitration terms in the agreement
- Pricing figures not read
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Milan S.p.A. with register number and share capital
- Accepts many upload formats
- Embedding and link sharing
- Reader statistics for publishers
- Issuu Store sells publications
Cons
- No bundle for readers
- A US affiliate may charge fees
- Agreement contains US arbitration
- No pricing figures read
Alternatives to Issuu
More European magazine and news subscription apps you can weigh against it:
See all European magazine and news subscription apps or compare them directly against Apple News+ on our alternatives page.
Common questions
Bending Spoons Operations S.p.A. in Milan operates Issuu, under the management and coordination of Bending Spoons S.p.A.
No. Issuu is a flipbook publishing platform with a store, and the pages we read show no bundle like Apple News+.
The Issuu site names PDF, DOCX, PPTX, EPUB and RTF files.