It's a quiet Sunday morning. Your phone is in another room. You're sitting somewhere that isn't your desk, with an indie magazine in your hands. One idea, properly explored, in a keepsake object you can return to.
Whatever you’re into, there’s an indie magazine for it. There’s one that takes you to the heart of a place. Another slows current affairs down, giving you time to digest stories. There’s even one made to be taken outside, that fits right in your pocket.
Each one starts with an idea, often from someone who couldn't find a magazine that did what they wanted. They build a small team, find writers, photographers and artists willing to send in their original work. They spend time finding the right paper, the right printer, the right finish. The result? Something that doesn't exist anywhere else. By the time it reaches you it's been through months of work by people who genuinely care about what they're making.
Not sure where to start?
Take a look through our six beginner-friendly picks: the kind of magazines we'd hand to a friend who has never read one.
FAQs
So, what makes indie magazines different?
You notice the difference straight away. Most of our stock is printed in small runs, often in the UK. What we love about indie print is the attention to detail, with many titles using recycled paper, vegetable ink and special binding to give their magazine flare. The pacing is slower, with stories that go deeper.
Indie magazines are not what you might expect, they’re thicker than the kind you'd find on the newsstand and feel weighty in your hands. As you turn the pages, you’ll feel the quality and finish. An indie magazine is something you’ll want to spend time with, keep on a shelf and come back to.
I don't really read magazines, will I still enjoy them?
You don't need to be ‘into magazines’ to enjoy indie; most of our customers aren’t necessarily. They're into something else (like food, running, design, gardening, music) and there's usually a title that fits around it. Start with a mag that’s connected to something you’re already into, then dip into it when you've got a quiet half hour.
Why do they cost more than mags from the newsstand?
Limited print runs organised by small, passionate teams writing and editing the whole thing themselves. It’s closer to treating yourself to a hardback book than picking up a weekly magazine. Once you've spent some time with one, the price tends to make sense.
What is an indie magazine?
Want to learn more? Read our Maglopedia post to find out more about what makes a magazine indie.
