MagLoft vs MobiLoud: Side-by-Side Comparison
MobiLoud and MagLoft are very different - find out how in this breakdown.
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Choosing the right vendor to help you build your mobile app can be complex. Building one with a traditional app development agency often takes months and can cost between $50,000 and $100,000.
In recent years, several solutions have emerged that help you build mobile apps at a fraction of the time and cost compared to traditional development. Two options designed specifically for digital publishers are MagLoft and MobiLoud.
In this article, we'll provide a straightforward comparison between these two services to help you make an informed decision about which is best for your needs.
Let’s start by taking a look at MagLoft.
Based in Bali and Singapore, MagLoft supports edition-based digital publishers. It’s well suited for those publishing digital, edition-based magazines. Their offerings include different solutions depending on your needs, such as:
The KROMA app - built with MagLoft
Let’s explore some key features of MagLoft and how it works:
MagLoft is designed for publishers delivering content in weekly or monthly editions, similar to traditional magazines, but accessed via PDFs within an app. If your publishing process is PDF-based, MagLoft may be a suitable fit.
MagLoft’s content editor is responsive, adapting content automatically to any screen size, and offers a variety of themes. It allows you to drag and drop interactive widgets like YouTube, SoundCloud, and others onto your InDesign templates. The editor provides convenient and intuitive features for content creation.
MagLoft allows you to test the system and preview how your app will look before committing to a plan.
The KROMA app demonstrates various ways to present content to readers. When adding content, you can upload it in PDF, EPUB, or Adobe format, or use one of their HTML5 templates. The visual editor lets you make content interactive. For example, Kroma Magazine uses a format called HPUB, which packages HTML, JS, and CSS files into a zip. This approach offers flexibility but may require web design expertise.
The next step is customization. MagLoft supports adding analytics, subscriptions, and push notifications, crucial for growing, retaining, and monetizing your readership.
MagLoft also enables management of reader subscriptions, as shown in the Entrepreneurial Chef app. Higher-tier plans include in-app pages for sending personalized messages through the app. Additional features include their articles feature, and a WordPress plugin that syncs reader purchases and subscriptions between your website and the app. For a full list of features, see here. Once you're satisfied, MagLoft’s team builds the app and ensures it meets App Store and Google Play requirements.
MagLoft offers a free 'Indie' plan providing a web app for up to 200 readers with basic features and analytics.
Their paid plans include: Online Publisher $99/month — web app for up to 1,000 readers, white label, advanced analytics, and some monetization options. Mobile Publisher $299/month — web and mobile apps for up to 2,000 readers, plus features like push notifications, in-app purchases, and enhanced analytics. Business: starting from $499/month — includes all prior features plus advanced analytics, customization, monetization options, and integrations with RSS feeds, SDKs, and e-commerce tools.
Check full details about MagLoft's pricing on their website here.
Many MagLoft customers note how straightforward the process was to set up their digital magazines.
Nathan March, founder of Follow Magazine, said, “MagLoft made launching my magazine straightforward. I had little knowledge before meeting the team, who were always available and made the process easy.”
Bucky Olaley, owner of ReAfrica Magazine, appreciated MagLoft’s support in guiding them through publishing details and answering questions.
Shawn Wenner, founder of Entrepreneurial Chef magazine, shared that despite having no prior experience in publishing or website building, “today, there are close to 5,000 subscribers, and we feature successful chefs and restaurateurs across America.”
Building an app from scratch can be costly and complex compared to solutions like MagLoft or MobiLoud.
Andrew Maresco, founder of BestRecipes magazine, shared his experience: “We initially tried developing and maintaining our own app, which wasn’t effective for us as a small publisher. MagLoft made digital publishing easy and expanded our platform reach.”
Some users, like Christin Armstrong of Mocha Kid Magazine, value MagLoft’s service and look forward to new features such as linking a magazine’s blog or Shopify store to the app.
Overall, MagLoft offers a strong solution tailored to digital magazine publishers. You can read more reviews and details on the MagLoft website here.
What if you're a digital publisher serving readers with a dynamic, continuously updating stream of content? In that case, MobiLoud could be the best fit. Let’s explore why.
MobiLoud converts your existing WordPress news site or established blog into custom mobile apps for iOS and Android.
MobiLoud offers a done-for-you service. Our experienced team handles everything—from app development and publishing on App Stores to ongoing maintenance and updates. The process starts with an initial consultation to identify your needs. Then we build the app. When you’re satisfied, we publish it to Google Play and the iOS App Store on your behalf.
With MobiLoud, you won’t need to manage app creation yourself. We discuss your requirements, build the app, provide test versions for feedback, and handle publishing. Your app will be ready within weeks, at a fraction of traditional development costs.
Your app can be tailored to your preferences. You can sell subscriptions or offer an ad-free experience with in-app purchases, allow users to subscribe to specific content categories with push notifications, include your website’s comments section, and integrate with ad platforms like AdMob and MoPub.
Thanks to integration with the world's most popular CMS, WordPress, all your existing content is available in your app. New content publishes automatically, so you don’t need to spend extra time managing mobile updates.
This tested solution has worked for hundreds of clients.
You’ll get a fully custom mobile app that both you and your readers will appreciate. Use mobile push notifications to engage readers—alerting them when new content is published or to send other messages. Many publishers have seen increased traffic, engagement, and reader retention through their apps. MobiLoud is ideal if you:
This section references publicly available reviews from Capterra and the MobiLoud and MagLoft websites. While MagLoft targets digital magazine publishers, MobiLoud customers are WordPress-based publishers seeking dynamic native apps that integrate seamlessly with their content flow.
Matt R., writing on Capterra, noted that “The integration with my WordPress site was quite seamless, and the MobiLoud team did a great job helping me set it up.”
Another verified reviewer described MobiLoud as a “fast and easy way to convert my WordPress installation into an app without writing a single line of code. Perfect for people like me who need a quick solution.”
Linda, a management consultant and MobiLoud customer, praised the process: “Creating a mobile app with our website at the core was painless, quick, and effective. Support and assistance were consistently knowledgeable and responsive.”
Another reviewer highlighted “amazing customer service and technical engineering took our WordPress site and created easy-to-use, technically accurate iOS and Android apps.” They added that MobiLoud “fulfilled exactly what they promised and quickly resolved any challenges. I was impressed with how they navigated the Apple iOS app publishing process.”
Read more MobiLoud reviews on Capterra, and on our website.
MobiLoud offers tiered pricing plans with different features for higher-traffic apps, including:
Pricing covers all development, configuration, publishing, and ongoing maintenance. Current plans are:
Startup: $299/month plus $850 setup fee
Growth: $549/month plus $1,500 setup fee
Corporate: Custom pricing
For detailed pricing information, visit here.
Both MagLoft and MobiLoud provide effective solutions for digital publishers to deliver a high-quality mobile reading experience. Both create mobile apps customized to your needs.
MagLoft is a strong choice if your publishing model focuses on edition-based digital magazines. It lets you publish content in PDF “digital editions” within an app, mirroring traditional print or online magazine formats.
MobiLoud is ideal for single-source digital publishing through WordPress. Our fully managed service handles development, publishing, maintenance, and support. You manage content and reader interaction easily from your existing WordPress admin panel.
You can continue using your existing plugins, benefit from native features like social sharing, manage in-app subscriptions and purchases, and monetize content through integrations with major ad networks. Overall, MobiLoud offers a complete mobile publishing solution at a fraction of the cost and time of traditional development or in-house app building.
Schedule a demo with one of our app experts today and let’s build something great together.
See how your site performs as a real mobile app. Get a free preview built by our team at app.mobiloud.com, or book a demo with an expert to explore how MobiLoud can boost your retention and sales.
