I'm a longtime Readly subscriber, but Readly was taken over by Cafeyn recently. Should I stick with it or change to Cafeyn?
Cafeyn and Readly are both leading digital platforms for magazine and newspaper subscriptions. Cafeyn and Readly are both leading digital platforms for magazine and newspaper subscriptions, and they both have their strengths. Readly remains superior for magazine-focused users, while Cafeyn is better for a mix of newspapers and magazines. Its recent merger is viewed as a potentially good long-term strategic move for the industry, but will it also bring better experiences for users?
Here, we will get a good insight into how the two services differ and what we can benefit from the merger of Cafeyn and Readly. Keep reading, and don't miss a bonus guide to back up your magazines from both platforms on your local computer.
At a Glance: Cafeyn vs Readly
Overviwe of Cafeyn
Cafeyn platform offers unlimited, on-demand access to over 2,500 newspapers and magazines. It began in France but now has aggressively expanded internationally. Cafeyn allows users to read and access local and international content via a web browser and mobile app across all devices.
Besides traditional magazines, Cafeyn offers a broader selection of major international and national newspapers and articles, making it better suited to avid readers who prefer general news.
Overviwe of Readly
Readly is also a digital subscription service that provides unlimited access to over 8,000 magazines and newspapers. Users can read current and back issues on many devices using a web browser or the Readly app. It serves a global user base, but its primary market focus is on European countries, the US, Canada, and Australia.
| Features | Cafeyn | Readly |
|---|---|---|
| Content & Catalogue | Unlimited access to 2,500 newspapers, magazines, and periodicals. | Focus on digital magazines and offers unlimited access to over 8,000 digital magazines and newspapers. |
| User Base | Most widely used in UK, France, Belgium and other Europe countries. | Strong in the Germany, UK/Nordics, older demographic. |
| Pricing | Premium for individuals: £9.99/month Duo tier for two: £12.99/month Family plan: £17.99/month |
Premium for individuals: £12.99/month Duo tier for two: £15.99/month Family plan: £18.99/month |
| App Experience | Mix of magazine/newspaper and puzzles. | Magazine-first. (New app increases mobile-first features, audio articles, video and AI-driven personalized content after the merger.) |
| Device Support | Android/iOS/Web | Android/iOS/Web Not on Amazon/Huawei after merger(as of April 2026) |
| Offline mode | Yes | Yes |
Cafeyn and Readly Merger: Which one should I choose?
The merger of Cafeyn and Readly is viewed as a good long-term strategic move for the industry, while bringing trouble to users in the short term, primarily due to severe technical issues.
Bad Influence
Content missing: Subscribers have reported that new issues of their favorite magazines are not being updated, showing a disruption in content delivery.
Data Transfer Issues: While many users were migrated automatically, some experienced issues with account data and local content not transferring correctly.
Compatibility Issues: The new app is no longer supported on some devices, specifically Amazon and Huawei devices.
Technical Failures: Many users felt that the new merged app is inferior to the original, citing slow loading times, distorted page rendering, as well as missing issues of favorite magazines.
Cafeyn or Readly? Which one should I use now?
If you've been a loyal subscriber to Readly for several years, the new version does take some getting used to. However, with continuous adjustment and improvement by Cafeyn, this means the platforms are becoming increasingly similar in content and features. So, as an old Readly or Cafeyn user, you can just stick with the one you already have.
If you’ve not used Readly or Cafeyn services before, this won't be an issue for you; just select either. Please note that Cafeyn only took over the big EU markets (FR, DE, AT, GB, etc.), and the Nordic parts stay as they are.
In a word, while the transition has brought significant issues for users, Cafeyn may need time to fix the problem and improve its service gradually. We cannot predict if the same situation will happen again. To avoid losing your favorite saved magazines, you'd better back up these Cafeyn and Readly magazines in advance.
Bonus Tip: How to download and back up Readly & Cafeyn magazines on your local computer
If you don’t want to be limited to the Cafeyn and Readly apps, the best way to back up your favourite magazines is to download the issues from your library to a local computer as regular PDF files.
Unfortunately, there is no direct way to save the full magazine from the Readly and Cafeyn websites, although the web readers allow users to print some pages. To access the Cafeyn and Readly magazines offline, you must download them with the mobile apps. However, downloading multiple issues can consume significant device storage. Additionally, reading color magazines on a small screen offers a poor experience.
To easily achieve this goal, Epubor Cafeyn Mate and Epubor Readly Mate are tools to help you download magazines to a local computer.
To get Epubor Cafeyn Mate or Epubor Readly Mate to work, the steps are very easy.
Step 1: Install Epubor Readly Mate or Epubor Cafeyn Mate
Note: After Cafeyn acquired Readly, the two apps now feature seamless data synchronization. You can choose either one tool to back up your magazines.
Step 2: Sign in with your Cafeyn or Readly account
Launch Epubor Cafeyn Mate or Epubor Readly Mate, then sign in with your account.
The login systems for both applications(Cafeyn and Readly) are fully interconnected. The two apps are linked, meaning their login systems are synchronized. Currently, you can log into your Readly account on the Cafeyn website or with the Cafeyn app. So, you can see the Cafeyn login interface when you use the Epubor Readly Mate program, it is normal.
Step 3: Synchronize your Cafeyn & Readly magazines and convert them to PDFs
Once logged in, all saved magazines will be automatically detected by the Epubor Readly Mate or Cafeyn Mate program.
Note: If you have already saved many titles, it will take a longer time to load. Please wait patiently.
Then, just select the issues you would like to convert and move them to the right window. Next, click the "Download" button to start the downloading process.
Once the conversion is complete, you can open the output folder to locate the converted DRM-free PDF files.
Nancy Hello, my name is Nancy! I’ve been always a book enthusiast, and I love reading very much. As an editor for Epubor, I’m glad to share all my favorite books, audiobooks, and tips to read E-books all I know.
