# Empire Magazine — user reviews

> 99 indexed App Store user reviews of Empire Magazine by Bauer Media (Publishing), rated 4.60/5 from 153 ratings.

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/empire-magazine/id392933688/reviews
- App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/empire-magazine/id392933688.md
- Rating breakdown: 5★ 129 · 4★ 9 · 3★ 4 · 2★ 0 · 1★ 11

## What do users think of Empire Magazine?

Overall sentiment: negative

**Pros**

- 👍 Great magazine content
- 👍 Interactive features (historical)
- 👍 Good readability (historical)
- 👍 Offline access (historical)
- 👍 Good zoom features (historical)
- 👍 Good value (VIP)

**Cons**

- 🐛 App crashes frequently
- 🐛 Login issues persist
- 🐛 Purchase restoration fails
- 🐛 Content not accessible
- 🐛 Offline reading unreliable
- 🐛 Slow download times
- 🐛 Difficult to navigate
- 🐛 App updates break functionality
- 🐛 Subscription price increases
- 🐛 Poor customer support
- 🐛 App no longer optimized for screens
- 🐛 PDF-like viewing
- 🐛 Lost issues after updates
- 🐛 In-app ads for subscribers
- 🐛 App forgets reading progress
- 🐛 Issues deleted randomly
- 🐛 Not compatible with older devices/OS
- 🐛 Subscription confusion
- 🐛 Customer service unhelpful
- 🐛 Expensive data usage for downloads

**Commonly reported bugs**

- App doesn't acknowledge subscriptions
- Restore purchase fails
- Login doesn't work
- Cannot download editions
- App crashes on opening
- Issues disappear after download
- App forgets reading place
- Blank pages in downloaded issues
- App not recognizing login details
- Error messages on opening issues
- App freezes or locks up
- Issues deleted and reappear with price
- App requires newer OS than supported
- App not working on older devices
- App not remembering subscription status
- Password invalid despite reset
- Customer service unresponsive

**Most requested features**

- Fix login issues
- Improve offline functionality
- Optimize app for current devices
- Provide better customer support
- Address subscription issues
- Restore interactive features
- Improve download speeds
- Fix purchase restoration
- Allow background downloads
- Remember reading progress
- Remove in-app ads for subscribers
- Improve app navigation
- Ensure app compatibility with older OS

## Newest reviews (14 of 99)

### 3/5 — Love the magazine but member benefits needs more variety

*2026-07-14*

The magazine is great and keeps folk like me in the film business up to date, but the benefits are not so good.  Probably fine for anyone living in London but for those that live elsewhere we really have no way to fully use everything.   Such a shame 🎬

### 2/5 — This pointless, we don’t have a cinema in swindon anymore

*2023-10-30, version 9.11*

We don’t have a cinema in Swindon anymore

### 3/5 — Sad Sudden Demise of Swindon’s Greenbridge

*2023-09-27, version 9.11*

WHY ….WHY. …WHY did it have to go ??? 😢😢😢🤷🏻‍♀️😢😢😢🤷🏻‍♀️

### 2/5 — This app is awful

*2023-09-04, version 9.11*

Great magazine, the app is awful

### 3/5 — Almost useless offline

*2023-02-23*

Most of the time the app and content is great. However if you download the magazine and go offline it more often than not does not work. Gets stuck on the “loading dynamic content” and you are left with nothing to read. Very frustrating.

**Developer response:** Hi, thank you for leaving your experience here. We are sorry to hear of the trouble you have had accessing the issues offline. This is something that has been passed on to the IT team for improvement. It usually helps to make sure the app is in airplane mode, after the issue has been downloaded and the app has not been closed completely before going offline, but just resting in the background. If you have further trouble with anything, please do not hesitate to contact us using the contact form in the app menu, or just send an email to: appsupport_uk@bauermedia.com. Kind regards, your app team

### 2/5 — Really hard to read on an iPad

*2022-12-23, version 9.10*

I love Empire, but find the latest version of the app dreadful. 
The magazine view makes you scroll around the screen trying to find the next bit to read amongst the pictures & the digital view won’t save your current reading place or bookmarks. 
Downloads on either often have blank pages meaning you have to delete the edition & download it again to find the missing pages. 
Now switched to reading it in the Apple News app - whilst I have a free trial to the Apple news 

Please fix the app!!

### 1/5 — Why did they change it?

*2022-04-28, version 9.10*

What on earth has happened? Like the review below the once optimised magazine has now resorted to a pdf of the print with not interactive features or mobile view with images cropped off. Awful decision by the powers that be.

### 1/5 — Can’t access, despite paid subscription

*2022-04-24*

I get blocked from accessing content, despite having a paid subscription!

### 1/5 — No more Empire

*2022-04-22*

Astonishingly bad customer experience. They are throwing us off the old app making us wait 6 weeks for a refund. If we want older issues back, we have to supply receipts for each one (most people don’t keep these). Surely they have records.
Then, to really slap us, they’ve more than doubled the price of a subscription.
I absolutely love Empire magazine, but won’t be subscribing anymore. It’s almost like they are actively trying to lose customers. It’s a shame; a money grabbing shame 🙁

### 1/5 — Subscription Rate

*2022-04-19*

I like Empire and have subscribed for years, but sundowning their old app, forcing a re-subscription to the magazine, and raising the price from $20 a year to $45? Guys, I’m sorry. That’s too rich for my blood these days.

### 2/5 — Update ruined a great app

*2022-03-27*

The recent update has ruined was previously a great way to consume magazine content nicely sized and designed for a small screen. Initially it was impossible to login as the app wouldn’t talk to the server (according to support) but even after that was fixed the content is presented as a basic white webpage missing all the artwork of the print issue. It looks like you are reading it in Microsoft word. The other option is to view what amounts to a pdf of the magazine with no formatting to screens size and no interactivity.  There is basically no point to a digital subscription over the website now so I’ll be cancelling when it’s up in a few months.

**Developer response:** Hi RealityCtrl, thank you for leaving your experience here. We are sorry to hear of the trouble you had accessing the issue. In case you are still without access, we would definitely like to help you out with this. Please send us a line at appsupport_uk@bauermedia.com, and then we hope you can read the issue soon! Kind regards

### 1/5 — Log in error

*2022-03-19*

Created an account and couldn’t log in the next day anymore, it keeps showing an error. The email and password are correct though. Very confusing app

### 2/5 — What nonsense is this?

*2022-03-16*

Love the magazine, love the podcast, loved the app. But the new version is terrible - endless loading of content - and did I understand correctly that your subscription doesn’t give you access to all the back issues any more, but only to “selected content”? Please reconsider.

### 1/5 — Won maccies monopoly

*2021-09-22, version 9.7*

Never used app by won monopoly 2x so yolo

## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated)

### 1/5 — Unusable

*2026-02-08, version 9.15*

Got a subscription for empire a few months ago but the app doesn’t acknowledge it. I click restore purchase and it says “purchase restored successfully” and returns me to a page to subscribe.

### 1/5 — can‘t reach App- developer

*2024-08-06*

I am extremely dissatisfied with the service from Empire. I subscribed to a free one-month trial via my iPhone, which would then cost 4.99 euros per month. Unfortunately, I found out that I need to contact the app developer directly for any issues, rather than Apple.

When I tried to reach support, I was only directed to the Empire Facebook page. However, I was unable to send any message or inquiry there, making the support process extremely frustrating and unprofessional.

This experience was very disappointing, and I cannot recommend Empire’s service at all. I hope the company urgently improves its communication channels and customer support to prevent other users from having similar negative experiences.

### 1/5 — Login doesn’t work

*2024-03-18*

It’s a pretty basic thing to get wrong.

### 1/5 — Complete junk

*2024-02-10*

Good luck trying to buy a magazine to read

### 1/5 — Vip is a waste of money

*2023-04-14, version 9.10*

I've received nothing. No cinema membership no first copy of magazine. It's an absolute scam. I have requested to cancel

### 1/5 — Unusable

*2023-01-12*

I’m at a point now where I can’t download any editions to my iPhone 13. I get an on screen message telling me I can’t download the latest issue and to check my Internet. I can’t remove the message, have to exit the App and when I reopen it, it repeats. Goodbye to my subscription which I’ve had long before the digital edition was a thing. Shame. 

PS any advice from the developer would be appreciated.

**Developer response:** Hi, we're very sorry for any discomfort caused by our app. Please contact us at appsupport_uk@bauermedia.com or send us a message out of the feedback of the app. We can help work out access for you so that you can start reading soon. Hope to hear from you. Kind regards

### 1/5 — Slow…

*2023-01-11*

You know when you go to the pictures, and you have to sit and wait through seemingly interminable ads waiting for the film to come on… Empire has recreated this experience with its download times. So, although I would love to read this magazine, I often wander off to buy popcorn while I’m waiting for the feature to start, and, well, just never come back…

**Developer response:** Hi Kalahari, thank you for your feedback. Please contact appsupport_uk@bauermedia.com for help. Kind regards

### 1/5 — App doesn’t work

*2022-07-25, version 9.10*

I’ve been a subscriber for 20+ years. Following the recent huge price increase I was offered the digital as a free add on. I tried it but it did not work - it allows me to log in but constantly goes around in a loop, asking me to log in. So frustrating. So not worth the significant price increase. ;-(

### 1/5 — Confusing and a further charge?

*2022-06-07*

I’m a subscriber to the magazine and was notified that my membership has been updated to the ability to use the app. However, when downloading the app, all I get is the (limited) free content and am told I need to pay to access further content. So, in reality, I haven’t been updated at all.
My original email stated I needed to use my customer number. Nowhere can I actually use it, seemingly

**Developer response:** Hi! Thank you for your feedback! We're very sorry for any problems that occured. We'd be happy to answer any questions you have about the app at, appsupport_uk@bauermedia.com.

### 1/5 — A complete waste of money now

*2022-05-15, version 9.10*

With the latest update, they’ve turned a once great interactive app that was formatted and easy to read on an iPad, into what is now just basically a pdf viewer that is much trickier to read.

Obviously, cost cutting going on somewhere so don’t waste your money. I’ve been subscribing for over 10 years now & won’t be renewing.

## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated)

### 5/5 — Empire lover

*2024-07-19, version 9.11*

Loved the mag since the very first issue!

### 5/5 — Duncan Cook

*2023-04-11, version 9.10*

Crap Doesn’t Work

### 5/5 — Love Empire!

*2022-09-21, version 9.10*

The best independent movie-related content, reviews and insights. Great writing & design, app could be improved but ok. The content in it is what counts!!!

### 5/5 — Great digital version

*2022-09-09, version 9.10*

Empire have clearly put a lot of thought into the UX and design of this app. It’s got great readability and accessibility with good zoom features and interactive swiping. I love it in this format.

### 5/5 — Go vip if you can

*2022-08-10, version 9.10*

It’s a great deal and I was already paying for digital and the spoiler specials. Been reading for over 20 years and it felt good to read a paper copy again

### 5/5 — Was good until latest update

*2022-03-19*

The app was great until recent update. Now cannot open it as keep being told password invalid despite resetting password. Support keeps taking me to Facebook which I do not use. Please fix this problem then I will submit another review

**Developer response:** Hi! Thank you for your feedback! We're in process to fix the problems! We'd be happy to answer any questions you have about the app at, appsupport_uk@bauermedia.com.

### 5/5 — Terrible

*2021-01-14*

Having subscribed to this magazine for years I decided to jump to digital. Which was totally fine, however this apps’s designers have decided not to supply the digital subscribers to the collectors front page art! Why? We pay to have exclusives whilst print still gets the wonderful art of front pages! I’ve emailed many times but they’ve ignored me. Instead I get front page explosions and smoke effects like some kid who got the Beano for Christmas!

### 5/5 — Love this App and Magazine

*2019-11-16*

Started with the online Empire app when the iPad was first released. Always love the animated pages and the wide range of reviews. Learning more about favourites and discovering films I would have missed is a joy.

**Developer response:** Hi Johanorob, thank you kindly for taking the time to leave your feedback! It is nice to hear you are enjoying the magazine with the Empire app. If you should ever have a question about anything, please do not hesitate to write us at appsupport_uk@bauermedia.com. Kind regards, the Empire team.

### 5/5 — Empire App review

*2019-05-08, version 8.0*

Don’t know why anybody would use this app when the Empire (free) Facebook page has all the latest news/reviews & access to Empire archive news/reviews/articles.

### 5/5 — The very best

*2019-03-09*

Empire keeps getting better. For all your movie needs, with a great bunch of writers. Love the podcast, too!

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-28.*