Reader's Digest Reviews

I used to love ReadersDigest. But, some changes recently have been super annoying. ReadersDigest will not always save your place, even if you don’t completely close ReadersDigest . Then to make matters worse, there is no longer a way to scroll through the entire issue, so you have to turn pages one by one until getting back to where you left off. But the back-breaking straw is that I recently was charged for an automatic renewal through Apple but was not able to get ReadersDigest to sync to my Apple account. The online chat help button doesn’t work and Calling RD was no help...I was told it’s an Apple issue even though I tried explaining that the issue was the flaky app itself. (Deleting and reinstalling did not help). Apple wasn’t able to help because the issue was within ReadersDigest which is not an Apple product. Duh. But, Apple was able to refund the renewal charge and cancel my account. So...App deleted. Rant over. I’ll read something else.

I loved ReadersDigest when it worked. But they did something to change to “article based”. Suddenly, all my downloaded issues disappeared. Everything appeared with a price. Apple says my subscription is fine, I need to contact ReadersDigest developers. The number for help provided on ReadersDigest is geared to print subscribers. They can’t even understand the issue. They send you to a website to register, which is also for print subscribers, NOT for people who pay for ReadersDigest . I’ve called them twice — zero understanding of the issue. I sent an email to the address provided in ReadersDigest . It’s been a week — no response. I’ve deleted and re-downloaded ReadersDigest twice, done everything I can think of. And there is nowhere to go for help! Nothing is worth this amount of frustration!!!! So very disappointing!

I had ReadersDigest on auto renew thru iTunes for years. I loved it. My latest 12 month subscription renewed the end of August 2020 and today I’m told they cant “find” my subscription so I can just pay again. RD said it was an iTunes issue and iTunes said it was an RD issue. Bottom line I’ve been able to read only 3 months out of a 12 month subscription and neither iTunes or RD will help me. I’ve been ripped off. UPDATE: Here we are March 2021 and I still have no access to a subscription I paid for in August of 2020. Readers Digest still says they cannot “find” my subscription and has no interest in helping me. They should be able to look back and find years of paid subscriptions under my name but won’t take the trouble. This is downright thievery.

I am really frustrated and disappointed with the Article Based downgrade to the RD app. Downloading the entire issue by one article at a time is an incredible amount of time and it’s ridiculous to have to do it that way! Not to add the amount of data that uses on WiFi or cellular. Not everyone has unlimited data. Is there a way of downloading the entire issue at once?
Until a few weeks ago I was able to download an entire issue and then I could read it when I didn’t have Wi-Fi or cellular.
You need to provide a choice whether a subscriber wants to download an entire issue at once, for offline reading, or if the subscriber wants to sit around downloading one article at a time.

The beauty of downloading a magazine is being able to read it while on a plane, etc. The problem with ReadersDigest is I will download it and by the time I go to read it it is no longer there. It needs to be downloaded each time I want to read it which I can’t do on a plane. Why such a short window? Why does a magazine that I’ve already downloaded have to be downloaded over and over again. Frustrating!

I downloaded this after subscribing, under the mistaken assumption that I would be able to enlarge the text. I’ve never been unable to do this until now. It’s disappointing, and I wonder if it’s not done because large print is much more expensive for the printed magazine. Whatever it is, it’s sad! No purpose in ordering again if the print is so very small and difficult to read.

My second impression is better, since I now understand how to use the magnifier on my iPhone. I’m sorry I did poorly on my research.

Since it’s inception, ReadersDigest has been nothing but a bug infested den. Sometimes it works properly, most of the time it doesn’t. Tech support, if you can actually reach somebody, is laughable and never any help. RD will say it’s Apples fault and to call them, Apple will say it’s RD fault and to contact them. On the rare occasion you do get somebody at RD, it’s usually from a foreign country and they read from their universal tech support script, which will do absolutely nothing for you but waste your time. Remember the good olé days when tech support actually worked and got results? Anyway, download at your own risk. You may be lucky and be able to read a few issues a year without any problems, but may not be worth your time or money.

This is the second month in a row I can’t read the new issue even though my subscription renewed 2 months ago. I sent an email to customer service, but since it is a holiday weekend I have not gotten a reply. Too bad I also won’t have the time to read it after the weekend is over.

Hi… I too have been frustrated over the last 2-3 months! I was able to get my online issues and all of a sudden I can’t. I get prices too. sent several emails and phone calls to readers digest also with no luck. however I have found if you go to TMBI digital and give yourself a login, you can read your issues online that way..
not ideal but better than nothing. I was a print subscriber so can’t promise it works if you purchased subscription differently! Good luck

Reader’s Digest has been my favorite magazine since I was young. The variety of topics, and the regular features, e.g., Humor in Uniform, Laughter, the Best Medicine, Word Power, to name a few, bring so much enjoyment and edification. The information in each article is accurate and well researched. Practical, entertaining, informative. I love RD and look forward to each new issue!

I learned to read with Reader’s Digest more years ago than I care to admit. I am no Luddite...I prefer digital media in many ways but this is the single major publication I read that is not in landscape mode. I’ve put up with this for many years update after update, your content is ever amazing, but honestly for the first time in 50 years I am considering cancelling my subscription- I won’t go back to paper but if I can’t have landscape mode soon - so much easier to manage read and experience, I will have to say goodbye.

I liked ReadersDigest before when I could download an entire issue that I could then read offline while traveling. The change to an article-based delivery is not user-friendly. I have to slowly go through an issue to get the content before I can read at my leisure. Why did you make the change? It provides no advantage to the user that I can see.

Have been subscribing off and on over the past several years. Renewed subscription 10 months ago and just recently for next year. I just downloaded the application with no problems. I have 6 years of issues which is great. Downloaded to my IPhone and IPad.
I enjoy reading the short stories.
Happy customer.

I really like the iPad version of the magazine. I think it's easier to read than the real thing and way easier to move from article to article. It also is slightly bigger than the actual magazine which is very nice to actually be reading it.

I have had nothing but trouble with being able to open and have ReadersDigest stay open since the February issue became available. It just automatically closes after about 10 seconds. I've been in touch with customer service at Reader's Digest who told me that I would have to contact iTunes who has given me several hoops to jump through to no avail. Now I have been told to go to ReadersDigest and select the "App Support" option, but that keeps coming up with a generic error page and so.... I'm unhappy right now. Perhaps this review will get some response??

I have a digital subscription already. I wanted to check out their interactive words feature, as advertised in a recent issue on my kindle app. Downloaded the RD app and struggled with “registering an account.” Wasn’t able to get logged in after creating one. I think I’ll just stick with my digital content and avoid this less than user friendly app. Don’t wanna be double billed when I already have a subscription either (per the noted concerns of other reviewers). Please invest in user experience research and clear up the clunkiness of your app.

I noticed that ReadersDigest has no way to save my pages and has stopped numbering them at the top. So when I close app, I have to write down the month and a description of the article I was reading so I can find it when I return. At one time, there was a page saver I could highlight at the top of the page and it is gone now. Please add the page saver back. Thanks!

The latest update to ReadersDigest (November) is terrible. Doesn’t recognize my current subscription. I can access previous issues but not the newest Dec/Jan. No response from customer support. Restore purchases option does nothing. Had the same issue in November but finally resolved (not sure if my email to them resulted in action or if I finally did the right combo of restore/login options. No reason to renew if I can’t read my issues!

I ordered this magazine and I can’t log into my account and ReadersDigest is NO help with that. Their digitalaccess account is either down or malfunctioning and there’s NO way to see my subscription. So I got ONE (June) physical magazine in the mail since March when I ordered, and that’s it... one magazine for $15.

I used to LOVE having a subscription. Now I just want my money. Clearly, things are going downhill at RD. What a shame.

To restore previous purchases, click on the three lines (menu) in the top left corner, then the sprocket (Settings) in the bottom left.

Then click “restore purchases”.

They will still show the $3.99 price, but will open and let you read them.

Review of the update:

Pros: you can search full-text for the entire issue.
Pinch to zoom works, too.

Cons:
Each page is now an individual image, which means the table of contents is no longer clickable.

Also, you have to swipe through to get to anything.

There is a glitch after update where all purchases are missing and you have to restore them.

No indicator for subscription status.

The old version was far superior.

I’ve been waiting for quite a while for ReadersDigest to be included in my subscription. I’ve been a subscriber to RD for 37 years. Until recently, ReadersDigest was only available for six months of the subscription. Very glad they changed that policy.

ReadersDigest is nicely constructed. I’d give it 5 stars if it included page numbers so that I can match where I’m up to with my hard copy magazine. One other small change I’d like is for there to be an option for bookmarks to be the first thing visible, when clicking the top of the magazine, rather than the list of articles. I always want to go to bookmarks first.

I was assuming when subscribing ReadersDigest would allow me to read through the mobile app. Only if you 3.95 a magazine. As a programmer and knowing how workflow and software works, ReadersDigest is major issue, especially when you are charged for magazine again when you have subscription.

I’m 99% sure those people who subscribe and told they read online would like to know the fact ReadersDigest charges for each magazine again.

I require simplicity, not duplicity.

Fun read, humorous, informative and educational articles in one volume, every month.

App is trying to charge me when print subscribers are supposed to get it free when I enter my account # it says it can’t find my info. I got it for free up till sept issue. I have done everything it says to do if you have problems not fixed. My subscription is still in effect until 2023. If I would have known this would happen I would never have gotten the subscription. Can’t always carry the magazine with me so it was nice to read it on my iPad.

It is unfortunate that even after paying a 1 years subscription that I am not able to download issues on my I pad or the I phone
I tunes direct me to ReadersDigest developer and there is no one to reach out to
So I would not recommend the digital version
I am sure. Like me there are many for whom this digital version did not work

I love Readers Digest and will continue using ReadersDigest, BUT I'm very frustrated with this iPhone app! When I take a break from reading for a day or two and don't close ReadersDigest , just minimize it, it very often loses my place. It loses it when I close ReadersDigest also :(. I shouldn't have to bookmark my spot and most often forget to do that. I tried to leave a comment using ReadersDigest Support link, but the link is broken. Sigh.

I have a paid subscription and did not work initially. I finally had reply by email from customer service. They reset my account and I was then able to login.