Attracting new subscribers is only half the battle. As a digital publisher, it’s your job to keep paying subscribers engaged so they will renew their subscriptions at the end of each term. The easiest way to do that is by using subscriber management tools that integrate directly into your website.
Cloud-based subscriber management tools are designed to manage your customers’ data and subscriptions in an automated fashion. That means publishers don’t have to worry about charging customers at the end of their terms or resolving billing issues like chargebacks or card expirations. With streamlined business operations, publishers have greater productivity and more freedom to connect with their audiences.
Publishers have struggled with subscriber management for years. Thankfully, the newest crop of subscription management tools have been developed to address the evolving needs of publishers in 2021. For example, with more publishers adding email newsletters and podcasts to their lineups, there’s increased demand for subscription tools that publishers can use to charge readers for access to different types of media or create custom subscription packages.
Today’s most popular subscription management apps fill a vital role for digital publications, with indispensable features like:
- Subscriber management
- Self-service customer portals
- Automatic billing
- Managing customers’ data
- Reader engagement mechanisms
- Data analytics
If you want to learn more about subscriber management, check out what these apps have to offer.
5 Subscriber Management Tools
SimpleCirc
SimpleCirc is all about simplifying subscriber management for publishers. The web-based platform includes basic subscriber management tools, like the ability to add, renew, and update subscribers, as well as more advanced analytics and reporting capabilities. Magazine publishers with both print and digital editions can use SimpleCirc to give subscribers access to the digital versions of their publications or sell separate digital-only subscription packages. SimpleCirc integrates with all the most popular payment gateways and marketing automation software, including Stripe and Mailchimp.
eSuite
The eSuite platform from MPP Global is another one of the top subscription management tools designed for both print and digital publishers. Publishers that use the SaaS platform can put up paywalls, engage subscribers with one-time products and gifts, and also manage subscriber relationships with an integrated CRM. Publishers are able to increase conversions by giving subscribers the ability to choose curated product bundles and sell things like family subscriptions. eSuite supports hard, soft, and metered paywalls, as well as customizable access conditions that can be implemented without outside support.
Pico
Pico is one of the most popular subscriber management tools on the market in 2021, with features for managing subscribers, growing email lists, and processing any volume of payments. It offers an alternative payment model for publishers looking for additional streams of revenue. Pico integrates with any CMS, ESP, or community tool, so publishers can centralize their data and automate their workflows. Pico installs easily into WordPress with a simple plugin or a few lines of JavaScript. Web Publisher PRO is a Pico Certified Developer.
SubscriptionFlow
SubscriptionFlow can synchronize complex order and billing processes for the entire organization. SubscriptionFlow offers tools for every department within the publication, so everyone in the organization has access to the same subscriber records and long-term growth data. The software automatically generates bills and delivers them to customers through self-service portals. Those portals are where subscribers access pertinent account details, like outstanding invoices, so more issues can be resolved without having to contact customer support.
Memberful
Memberful sells subscription management software to independent creators, publishers, educators, and podcasters. It’s known for being an especially flexible platform, with tools for designing custom subscription programs based on each publisher’s unique needs, along with flexible payment schedules and optimized checkout modules. Performance tracking capabilities generate automatic conversion analytics and activity metrics, so digital publishers can continue to optimize their sales programs. The Memberful plugin works with WordPress, Stripe, and Mailchimp, among other web-based tools in the publisher’s stack.
