Auto Express's Subscription Offer and Purchase Options

Auto Express is currently promoting a subscription deal for its print edition. The introductory offer lets new subscribers receive their first six issues for £1, with free delivery to a chosen address and a welcome gift. The publisher describes this as the best value available to readers.

After the six-issue trial, the subscription moves to £32.99 every three months. Auto Express says this price represents a 45 per cent saving against the shop price and includes a money-back guarantee: if a reader cancels, any unmailed issues are refunded.

Readers who do not want a recurring subscription can buy the current issue for £4.50 in shops or online. The website also lists single issues from £2.99 and a full-year subscription at £90.99. A digital edition is available through Zinio for reading on a desktop, tablet or phone.

What the Trial Offer Costs Once the Discount Ends

The trial is a cut-price acquisition tool

The £1 entry price is far below the stated recommended retail price of £28 for six issues, so the publisher is paying heavily to acquire new subscribers. The commercial logic is straightforward: Auto Express wants readers to stay past the trial and pay the quarterly rate, which is where recurring revenue begins.

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The quarterly plan is not the cheapest full-year option

At £32.99 every three months, a full year would cost £131.96. The advertised annual subscription is £90.99, meaning a reader who lets the quarterly plan renew four times pays £40.97 more than someone who buys the annual package. The trial therefore makes sense for testing the magazine, but not necessarily for keeping it over a full year.

Digital access has an unstated price

The promotion points readers to Zinio for the digital edition on desktop, tablet and phone, but it does not quote a digital-only subscription price. Similarly, single issues are listed from £2.99 while the current issue costs £4.50, so single-issue pricing can vary by issue or format.

Picking the Cheapest Auto Express Option for Your Reading Habits

  • If you are certain you will read Auto Express for a full year, the £90.99 annual subscription is the cheaper route: it avoids the £131.96 you would pay if the £32.99 quarterly rate ran for four quarters.
  • If you only want to sample the magazine, use the £1 trial for six issues and set a reminder to cancel or switch before the trial ends to avoid the £32.99 quarterly charge.
  • If you want a single issue, remember the current issue costs £4.50, while the website's "from £2.99" price may apply to different issues or formats — check the specific issue first.
  • If you mainly read on a phone, tablet or desktop, compare the Zinio digital edition's cost separately, because no digital-only subscription price was disclosed in this offer.