Rakuten Magazine vs dmagazine & Kindle Unlimited: Which Magazine Subscription to Pick
Pick a magazine subscription by price and by ecosystem/catalog. We compared Rakuten Magazine with four major services and mapped who each suits — in one table.
MagazinesThe two leaders are Rakuten Magazine and dmagazine. Prices are nearly level (¥8/month apart), so the decider is which point ecosystem you use and whether your magazines are in the catalog. Want books and manga too? Kindle Unlimited. Just want the lowest price? Book Hodai is a candidate.
With Rakuten Magazine as the anchor, we compared dmagazine, Kindle Unlimited and Book Hodai. The standalone test is in our main Rakuten Magazine note.
Try Rakuten Magazine
¥572/mo (annual ≈¥458/mo)
31 days free; pay with Rakuten points; up to 5 devices
* All prices include tax and reflect each store's listing when this article's data was retrieved. Always confirm the latest price and shipping on the linked store page.
* Product links are affiliate links. We may earn a commission on purchases.
The quick answer: which service are you?
| Your profile | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Collect Rakuten points | Rakuten Magazine | Low price, cheap annual, ecosystem |
| d-point / Docomo user | dmagazine | d-point ties, largest catalog |
| Want books & manga too | Kindle Unlimited | Magazines + books + manga |
| Lowest fee first | Book Hodai | ¥550/mo, manga and travel guides |
| Want to share with family | Rakuten Magazine | Up to 5 devices per plan |
Major services compared
Price, traits and ecosystem in one table. Catalog counts differ by how each service reports (titles vs back-number volumes), so we compare tendencies, not raw totals (figures as of writing).
- For magazines only and cheap, it's Rakuten Magazine or dmagazine
- The price gap is ¥8/month — decide by your point ecosystem
- Add books/manga and Kindle Unlimited can work out cheaper
| Service | Monthly (tax incl.) | Ecosystem / points | Traits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rakuten Magazine | ¥572 | Rakuten points | Cheap annual, 5 devices, Rakuten ties |
| dmagazine | ¥580 | d points | Industry-largest catalog |
| Kindle Unlimited | ¥980 | Amazon | Magazines plus books and manga |
| Book Hodai | ¥550 | SoftBank family | Magazines + manga, travel guides |
Rakuten Magazine vs dmagazine: the top matchup
The most-compared pair. Our take is simple: pick by ecosystem.
- Price: ¥572 vs ¥580 — Rakuten is slightly cheaper, and annual widens the gap
- Catalog: dmagazine reportedly larger, but both cover major genres amply
- Points: Rakuten points (Rakuten) or d points (Docomo)
- Free trial: both 31 days — try both and pick where your magazines are
- Payment: Rakuten Magazine takes Rakuten points and earns them via Rakuten Card
Want books and manga too: Kindle Unlimited
If you want books and manga read-all-you-want, not just magazines, Kindle Unlimited (¥980/mo) is the candidate. How it differs from magazine-only services:
- Scope is wide — magazines + books + manga + foreign titles (magazine breadth cedes to specialists)
- ¥980/month is higher, but can be cheaper if you also read books
- Strong fit if you're in the Amazon ecosystem (Prime etc.)
- For magazine breadth first, Rakuten Magazine / dmagazine fit better
A foolproof way to choose
- 1. Note which points you collect (Rakuten / d / PayPay etc.)
- 2. Decide: magazines only, or books/manga too?
- 3. Magazines only → trial Rakuten Magazine and dmagazine
- 4. Books/manga too → also try Kindle Unlimited
- 5. When torn, pick the ecosystem whose points you already use
Pros (what we liked)
- Low monthly fee, cheaper still on the annual plan
- Pay with Rakuten points; earn points via Rakuten Card
- Up to 5 devices per plan for family sharing
- 31-day free trial to compare
- Broad coverage of major-genre magazines
Cons (what to watch)
- Raw catalog reportedly trails dmagazine
- Kindle Unlimited may fit better if you add books/manga
- Specialist/manga titles may be excluded everywhere
- Book Hodai wins on raw monthly price
Testing records (we actually measured)
Every photo is a record taken in our home testing space.
| Aspect | Rakuten Magazine's position | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly | ¥572 (on the cheap side) | Book Hodai ¥550 is lowest |
| Annual value | ≈¥458/mo | Among cheapest long-term |
| Catalog | Ample (major genres) | dmagazine reportedly larger raw count |
| Ecosystem | Rakuten points | d users → dmagazine |
| Devices | Up to 5 | Strong for family sharing |
Frequently asked questions
Rakuten Magazine or dmagazine?
Prices are nearly identical (¥572 vs ¥580), so pick by point ecosystem: Rakuten-point users → Rakuten Magazine, d-point users → dmagazine. dmagazine reportedly has the larger raw catalog, but both cover major genres amply. Both offer 31 free days, so trial both.
How big is the price gap between them?
¥8/month — Rakuten Magazine ¥572 vs dmagazine ¥580. Rakuten's annual plan (≈¥458/mo) makes it cheaper still.
I also want books and manga — what then?
Kindle Unlimited (¥980/mo) adds books and manga to magazines. It costs more but covers more, and can work out cheaper if you also read books. For magazine breadth first, Rakuten Magazine or dmagazine fit better.
Which magazine subscription is cheapest?
By monthly fee, Book Hodai (¥550) is lowest, then Rakuten Magazine (¥572) and dmagazine (¥580). But Rakuten Magazine's annual plan drops to ≈¥458/mo, so for the long term it's among the cheapest.
Should I use several services at once?
Usually no. One service covers major genres, so trial and pick the single one that has your magazines. Only consider combining if a must-read specialist title is exclusive to another service.
Related notes
Magazines
3 Months of Rakuten Magazine: How Much Our Paper Magazine Bill Shrank
4.4Magazines
Rakuten Magazine Sign-Up, Free Trial & Cancellation Guide: 31 Free Days Without Getting Caught Out
4.4eBooks
Rakuten Kobo vs the Major Ebook Stores: Kindle, ebookjapan, BookLive and Which Fits You
4.2Credit Card
One Full Year on the Rakuten Card: Every Point Earned — and the Traps
4.5
💴 Based on hands-on use of the major magazine subscriptions in 2026, comparing price, catalog breadth and usability.