Magazine subscriptions worth paying for
“Which magazine do you still get in print?”
30 answers from 25 people · Updated Oct 12, 2026
The cartoons, Talk of the Town, the long-form features that I barely finish one before another issue arrives.
One of the best deals in journalism; front of book is always an inimitable assortment of excerpts, and the core articles are ambitious + thought-provoking.
11
i loveee magazines so maybe this is a niche rec in that those who want it would already have it and if you don't, you'll never?? but i don't know! it's just so nice reading something in print! the content is all bite sized and compelling. the covers are fun and the crosswords are great for the beach or bed or to share with friends!
21
These days, Dwell feels like it has come into its own: smart themed issues, expansive coverage beyond pre-fab, useful tips and ideas packaged together.
42
cooks illustrated print subscription
come for the over-the-top recipes, hand-drawn pictures of fruit, and kitchen appliance recs; stay for the incredible reader-submitted tips (also lovingly illustrated) you never knew you needed. truly the best thing to find in your mailbox
6
Noble Rot magazine subscription
fantastic, un-stuffy wine writing based in the UK with an exceptionally reputable chain of wine bars to match. the illustrations are a joy in every issue, and it looks jazzy on a coffee table every month I get excited to open my mailbox. it keeps me curious about the big, wide world of wine while making it feel accessible, relatable, and free of all the usual snobbery wine is way more fun when we let it be!
America's only rock'n'roll magazine. Creem is for the heads, old and young. Covering all things music from local dives to arena acts and the underworld beneath it all. It's sassy, snarky, and unapologetic, but don't be fooled by their casual pseudo-apathy. This magazine is a sincere 144-page love letter to music delivered quarterly. It's got everything: poignant writing, dope pictures, cool art. The range and depth of pieces is impressive. I love the dialogue it creates between the music of today with that of the past.
4
Honestly this is what a magazine SHOULD be. Art direction on point but not at the expense of the (substantive) written material. Not self-serious. Not celebrity obsessed and therefore surprising in current media landscape.
202
Mountain Gazette - When in Doubt, Go Higher
I mean, you can't really hold it up and read it like other magazines (too heavy), but it has the old school fire in its belly that old Thrasher or Surf magazines had; well-produced and beautifully designed, with just the right dose of quirk.
31
probably my favourite mag. so special to me. it's a print publication about sexuality, gender and identity. each issue usually has a theme, such as: disability, First Nations, ageing, pleasure, resistance, incarceration, etc.
112
the design bible
Ok so yes I’m on the masthead, but listen! Iconic century-old publication that offers deep context for WTF is going on in the world in a way that somehow manages to feel more interesting than stressful. Also, all our product design is reader-centric: good paper stock, house-designed font in a readable size, minimal ads. FA is one of those niche publications that’s like a secret club— crack it open on the train and you WILL get the nod from other readers.
2
A recent subscription for me that I already love! Covers a much wider range of topics than I initially expected from the name, and with a nice variety of length in the pieces each issue.
5
Words cannot fully express how much I am obsessed with this publication. Every cover is a beautiful, playful work of art that invites an interactive, tactile experience that makes you appreciate the medium of print a little extra. I am desperate to collect every issue.
9
It’s an independent magazine club that sends you one (beautiful!) indie magazine each month. You never know what you’re going to get which is such a fun surprise in today‘s on-demand culture
282
Great writing, great editing, cogent political takes - published 3x a year. Also a good place to discover journalists and writers you wouldn’t otherwise be exposed to!
8
Almost always worth reading cover to cover, with the sort of insightful, expansive writing across politics, art, and culture that only occurs when the writer works beyond the bounds of takes and allows actual critical thought to develop. Leanne Shapton's art direction is just the right mix of enlivening, apt, and surprising (I enjoy her emails, under the NYR aegis, about the thinking behind the visuals for each issue.) Just read Mark O'Connell's review of the latest Patrick Radden Keefe book and now feel impelled to run to the nearest bookstore and buy it, but now I am being drawn into articles on the rise and fall David Adjaye and June Leaf's dancing machines ... I also appreciate the broadsheet size; good for hiding behind at airports and in doctor's waiting rooms.
46
National Geographic subscription
This is my secret guilty pleasure. Every month I look forward to my new nat geo that comes in the mail…as someone who loves science and photography, this is a holy grail for learning and indulging in all of my fav things. It’s such a good source for keeping up with cool and interesting and beautiful things!
1
I’m a subscriber to every aspect of Yolanda Edwards’ travel brand lol (the magazine, the website, the Substack…). It’s pricey but the photography is beautiful and I love reading each issue and daydreaming about future trips. I also like that there are only 3 issues a year so I don’t feel inundated by a pile of issues to read
3
B Magazine is a publication that looks at iconic brands through an editorial lens, with each issue dedicated to specific brands, like Netflix, YouTube, Muji and more.
When MacGuffin launched at Salone del Mobile in Milan a decade ago, it stopped me in my tracks: a single topic design mag in a smorgasbord of furniture, exhibitions, scenography, and more furniture. If you're a fan, I highly recommend this deep-dive into the cover art system with MacGuffin art director Sandra Kassenaar.
7
Gosh, I love Lapham's Quarterly——each issue is a delectable themed assemblage of the old and the new, tuned to yield fresh insight into our own time, like the commonplace book of an impossibly brainy, well-read person. I have almost the complete run.
1
