Choosing flipbook software for your association: six things that matter

There are dozens of tools that turn a PDF into a flipbook. Their marketing pages look much the same. The differences are in the details, and the details are where an association's needs sit.

Here's what to check.

1. Branding

• Can you show your logo and colours?
• Is the platform's name and advertising removed? On which plan?
• Does the reader use your domain or a short link of yours?

If the magazine is a member benefit, it should look like yours.

2. Analytics and reports

• Do you see opens, reads, link clicks and video plays?
• Can you export results or print a report for an advertiser?
• How long is the history kept?
• Is the data private, anonymous and compliant with your obligations?

What advertisers want to see

3. Team access

• How many people can upload and edit?
• Are there roles, such as owner and member?
• Is the number of seats part of the price?

Volunteers and staff change. Make sure the account doesn't depend on one person's login.

4. Embedding and sharing

• Can you embed the magazine on your website?
• Is there a short link for emails and social?
• Do readers need an account to open it?

5. Links and media

• Can you add clickable areas on a page?
• Can you embed video?
• Do links open in a new tab?

These matter for advertisers and for calls to action.

6. Reader experience

• Does it work on a phone?
• Is there a full-screen mode, zoom and keyboard navigation?
• Is there a way to download a PDF for those who need it?
• Is it accessible to people using assistive technology?

7. Privacy and control

• Can you keep issues private or schedule them?
• Where is the data held?
• Can you delete an issue and know it's gone?

8. Price and terms

• What's the annual cost for your size?
• What's included: issues, storage, team?
• What happens if you stop paying?
• Can you migrate your back issues in and out?

A fair trial

1. Choose two or three tools.
2. Upload the same PDF to each.
3. Add one link and one video.
4. Open on a phone and a laptop.
5. Look at the analytics after a few opens.
6. Invite a colleague and see how access works.
7. Compare the result against your list.

An hour's work will tell you more than any comparison table.

A word on us

Zeenly is built for associations and B2B publishers who want a branded reader on their own site, sponsor-ready reports and a price that doesn't scale with every team member. We're not neutral, so use this list, try a few and choose what fits. Our comparison with Issuu shows how we think about it.

Other things to read: Issuu pricing and alternatives.