# Surfer Magazine — user reviews > 65 indexed App Store user reviews of Surfer Magazine by The Arena Platform, Inc., rated 4.60/5 from 313 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surfer-magazine/id535995104/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surfer-magazine/id535995104.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 265 · 4★ 22 · 3★ 4 · 2★ 4 · 1★ 18 ## What do users think of Surfer Magazine? Overall sentiment: negative **Pros** - 👍 Great content and photography - 👍 Informative stories and stunning pictures - 👍 Beautiful digital presentation - 👍 Easy to carry digital copies - 👍 Interactive content with videos - 👍 Good value for subscription price **Cons** - 🐛 App not working/broken - 🐛 Subscription not recognized - 🐛 Issues with accessing paid content - 🐛 Poor formatting and zooming issues - 🐛 Low resolution images - 🐛 Customer service nonexistent/unresponsive - 🐛 App not included for print subscribers - 🐛 Digital version not free for print subscribers - 🐛 Unstable and unusable at times - 🐛 App not ready for market - 🐛 Graphics issues when zooming - 🐛 App doesn't fit full screen on some devices - 🐛 App ruined by updates - 🐛 Black screen after update - 🐛 Bad on iPhone, good on iPad - 🐛 Extra real estate unusable on larger phones - 🐛 Scaling issues - 🐛 Reading impossible without zooming text **Commonly reported bugs** - Subscribe button frozen/fails - Cannot access issues newer than fall 2020 - Impossible to sign in to access paid magazines - Restoring purchases never restores anything - App does not work at all - Does not recognize subscriber - App completely broken - Glitches experienced - Contacting customer support twice to access product - App not working for many people - Restore my purchases fails - No way to contact them - App failed - App not formatted properly - Have to zoom in to read articles and see pictures properly - App became impossible to sign in - App doesn't even open - App won't open - Black screen after update - App doesn't work at all after update - App broken after update - App doesn't open now - App doesn't work at all - New update makes magazine unreadable - App ruined by update - App is a disgrace - Scaling of the app makes extra real estate unusable - Images are super low resolution when zooming - Magazine is sized for the app, making reading impossible without zooming - App doesn't fit full screen anymore - Lower quality since update - App frozen first time opened, then would not open - App just shows one page with no navigation or instruction - App doesn't work **Most requested features** - Easier way to read pages (like Apple News) - Digital magazine with short videos - Pictures easily clickable and blown up - Text easily readable without zooming - Auto download for recent copies - Update for iPhone 5 - Digital edition included for print subscribers - Better formatting for smaller screens - Improved image quality and zoom functionality ## Newest reviews (10 of 65) ### 2/5 — Unstable and unusable *2018-05-06, version 5.2* Okay, so I originally gave this app one star but recent updates and customer support appear to have things back on track. When it works, the app is fine - it allows you to enjoy the magazine and makes navigating easy. That said, I’ve been an online subscriber for a long time and the glitches I’ve experienced suggest that the app was never ready for market. As an iTunes subscriber, I shouldn’t need to contact customer support twice just to be able to access the product. If this app remains trouble free, I’d happily give it four or five stars but it’s early days for the latest version! ### 4/5 — Great app *2017-01-03, version 4.12* This is a great app, I just wish there was a easier way to read the pages. Maybe something similar to the Apple News app? ### 2/5 — Used to be good *2015-10-26, version 4.5* It was worth the price when the pages fit to the full screen of the phone. Since the update ot doesn't fit the full screen anymore and it's lower quality ### 4/5 — 3.5 Stars *2015-04-05* Great content. Always has been. Plenty of ads which is also fine. The price is appealing. For me, the content in digital form needs new life. MacLean's magazine has done a great job of their newsstand subscription. Perhaps some pointers can be taken there. I feel as if this magazine is just a PDF I flip through. Auto download doesn't seem to be a thing either. Looking to just pick up my most recent copy, yet I find it has yet to be downloaded (always). These is positive feedback with a request for progress. ### 5/5 — Great! *2014-11-29* Best! ### 2/5 — like it on ipad only *2014-11-24* really good on Ipad, buck really bad on iphone... ### 1/5 — Terrible *2014-11-23, version 4.4* This is hands down the worst update of any app I have ever used- the titles are great, the app is a disgrace! ### 1/5 — Unusable! *2014-11-23* I really want to love surfer on digital newsstand. But with this most recent update, I am severely disappointed. First. The scaling of the app makes extra real estate on the 6+ completely unusable. Second. When trying to zoom in for a closer look at the amazing photos all the images are SUPER low resolution. This was not the case on previous versions. Please fix scaling and image resolution and I will gladly 5 star this app. Otherwise it's back to the real newsstand. ### 1/5 — Poor *2014-11-22* The magazine is sized for this app. It makes the reading impossible if you do not zoom up every text. ### 5/5 — Works perfectly *2014-05-29* Main app works great, content of magazine is fantastic as always. However, I do hope that Surfer magazine takes a look at how mags like National Geographic have taken to the digital format. Basically, I'd love to see a digital magazine that incorporates short videos, pictures that can easily be clicked on and blown up, text that is easily readable (where you don't have to zoom in and jump around the page to read an article). This is such an amazing mag and I hate to see it using the same paper format on a digital device. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Active subscription but can’t get any issue newer then fall 2020 *2021-06-28* Help ### 1/5 — Stopped working *2018-11-28* It was never that great of an app to begin with because it’s not formatted properly and you have to zoom in to read articles and see pictures properly. But it was still worth it because you could access Surfer magazine content if living abroad. But at some point it became impossible to sign in to access the magazines you’ve paid for. When you try it says restoring purchases will just take a few minutes and then never restores anything. I called customer service but was told there is no digital subscription for surfer magazine, they recommended asking credit card to dispute charge. **Developer response:** Hello Valued Customer. Please email us so that we may better assist you. ziniocms@enthusiastnetwork.com - We have fixed the zoom in to read problems by adding a responsive view. There is a banner inside of the app that further explains how to access this feature. Also, once you sign in and click the restore purchases button, you still must go back to each individual issue and click the download button to start the download process of each issue. Hope to receive an email rom you soon so that we can answer all questions. Thank you. ### 1/5 — Go somewhere else *2018-11-08* Customer service is literally nonexistent. No one will respond. No one cares if something doesn’t work. So long as your check clears! I’ve been paying for a subscription for three months and haven’t received anything. Not a single magazine. No phone call. No email. No log in. When I got someone on the phone (who happened to be a supervisor) they acted like it was my fault. ### 1/5 — Does not work at all - save your money *2018-07-21, version 5.2* This app does not work at all. Even deleting and reinstalling will not let you download any issues of your subscription - it does not recognize you as a subscriber at all. The app is completely broken and does not work...period. ### 1/5 — Doesn't work *2017-04-14, version 4.12* The company emailed me saying that they are aware that the app is not working for many people who bought the subscription but, as I purchased it through iTunes, it is not their responsibility to reimburse me. Looks like I'm out $9.00. ### 1/5 — Should be included for print subscribers *2016-04-24, version 4.12* This looks like it could be great app but fact it's not included free for print subscribers is cheap and disappointing. ### 1/5 — Keeps getting worse *2015-02-15, version 4.5* Horrible graphics when you zoom in pictures or simply resize the page. Makes me wanna go back to print. ### 1/5 — Doesn't work *2015-01-06, version 4.5* Arrghh. This F'in app does not work. Come on people - all I want to do is read my surfing magazine and this app won't let me do it ### 1/5 — App is ruined *2014-12-19* Resolution on the pictures is now ruined by the update. You can no longer zoom in on the amazing pictures for great detail, they are all pixelated. I used to read through every page and now I don't even use the app anymore because the new format makes the magazine unreadable. Please go back to the old format this new update is awful. ### 1/5 — Broken *2014-11-24, version 4.4* Paid for a subscription and it worked for a while. Now the app just show one page that says TEN - The Enthusiast Network. No other error message, navigation or instruction. Just left me hangin'. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Subscribe button frozen! *2025-05-25* The subscribe button just loads for a few mins and then eventually fails…anyone else having this problem? I would really like to sub! ### 5/5 — Hasta luego *2020-10-08* So sorry to hear of your ending. It was a great ride!!!! ### 5/5 — Surfer *2019-11-21* The best ### 5/5 — Can't access my subscription *2017-04-13* I totally wasted 8.99. Until they fix this app my purchase was for nothing. I've uninstalled the app. Done everything the FAQ says to do but nothing. The "restore my purchases" fails. To make matters worse there is no contacting them so I'm forced to give them a 1 star. I'll change it if they fix this app. I was happy until the app failed. **Developer response:** Hello Valued Customer. We have recently refreshed the app with new features and customer support. Please update the app on your phone and take the new app for a test drive. If you are still having problems, please email appsupport@zinio.com - Thank you. ### 5/5 — Awesome *2016-12-18, version 4.12* New app works great! ### 5/5 — Read if u surf *2016-01-25, version 4.12* If u surf this is for u any surf needs read this ### 5/5 — Surfer mag app *2015-09-28* I have all kinds of issues to look at where ever Surfer mag is rad Thank you for the informative stories and stunning pics that inspire me to get in the water that much sooner Izzie ### 5/5 — Always Informed About the Best Surf *2015-04-27* I love reading the electronic versions so much more than the paper versions, it's like the pages are alive and they jump out at you. It's almost as if you are on the wave. It's also much easier to carry multiple electronic copies with you than all those paper copies. ### 5/5 — Sick *2015-01-13* It is awesome ### 5/5 — Fix app asap plz *2015-01-07* I downloaded this app bc I love this magazine, but it won't even open!! I'm rly disappointed by this, so PLEASE fix this bug soon --- *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 2026-09-07.*