National Geographic Reviews

No ability to read offline

no-nickman (all taken)

Misses the point completely as I usually have more time to kill and read when connectivity is scarce.

Awesome studying app!

RJDudez

This app is great for studying. I love the ocean and like to study about. I always had the hassle to go on google and have to find an accurate website. Now this app makes it so much easier!

Beyond Disappointed

Splashbro nick

I realized soo late, I only watch certain documentary’s and read books. In my defense I’m young lol

I’ve decided that I will keep my subscription for 1 more year. I am hoping that National Geographic goes back to the old format. Seriously, for all of the bad reviews, I think we should contact the BBB and make a formal complaint. This is absolutely horrible! No company that receives bad reviews should keep something that doesn’t work. Every month I open my app and hope, with fingers crossed, that it will be back to what I originally had 8 years ago. PLEASE National Geographic FIX THIS! It's not enjoyable to read. I miss the interactive format and the informative videos. FIX IT!!

A Weak Attempt to Improve a Disaster

Nomadphotos

I have previously given a review, but it has since been deleted. In short the old app gave such a good reading experience, I did not use the paper version. This one on the other hand, is just a web page for viewing. Initially the Number one complaint was you could no longer download issues for offline reading. While there is some attempt to make offline reading available it is not intuitive or easy. You must go in into the magazine and open every article to make it Available for offline reading. This is not user friendly and continues to ruin one of the best online experiences with the new format. Additionally I have no trust that this would work if the app was not used for a week. Very disappointed. - 30 year Member

No ability to download

David918273645

I don’t have anything brilliant to add to the other reviews here. I have every issue of National Geographic from July 1976 to the present. The previous version of the app allowed you to download the magazine to read offline. The “upgrade” does not allow it. I haven’t read the magazine for several months now because I like to read it on my train where I don’t have internet service. How difficult can it be to make an app that allows downloads? Most other publications seem to have figured it out! I’ve read the responses from National Geographic saying they know how important the downloading feature would be and are looking into it. If anyone there is listening, please provide all us disappointed subscribers a detailed update as to where you are in this process. When can we expect that download functionality will be part of the app?

Really bad, cancelling digital subscription

NoNick2Stick

I subscribed to NatGeo digital a few months ago and I’m definitely dumping this in favor of Smithsonian. This app is awful. It’s not hard to make a magazine app these days, but NatGeo managed to do it. Offline access is there, kinda? I dunno, saw something mentioned in a prior update but I have yet to experience it. I can’t tell if all the magazine content is actually in the “Magazine” section. It doesn’t really seem like it is. The additional daily content isn’t really all that great. It’s basically just a web browser that junks up the app. All we really need is offline access to the current issue, and if you want to go the extra 10 paces, all prior issues. Not difficult.

Total Failure

Outer-banker

I am a long time Nat Geo supporter and subscriber to both digital and print, who switched to solely digital last year. This “update” no longer allows offline viewing, which is totally worthless for an avid traveler. The old app worked well and allowed offline viewing. For a company who values environmental stewardship, I find it discouraging to see this bogus ploy to sell more printed magazines. Shame, shame, shame.

Thieves!

Max pained

I was a digital subscriber from 2012 through 2019. Because of the deplorable update to this app I did not renew for 2020. Now, since I don’t have an “active subscription”, I can no longer view the issues that I paid for. This is unacceptable.

Please Optimize for 12.9” iPad

cybergoogle

UPDATE: Just realized my review for this app was still at three stars despite the worst app update of all time. I returned here after some months to see if National Geographic had updated in response to overwhelming user demand, but to no avail. Since National Geographic’s acquisition by Fox, the digital version of the magazine basically doesn’t exist anymore. This application is a cluttered collection of articles and nothing else, and the reviews are the only place for people (like me) who used to like to read National Geographic on their iPads to complain that Fox took that away. It is still literally impossible to read old issues of National Geographic in their original layouts, and it will probably never be possible again. Glad media monopolies own everything now. I wish I could go back in time and tell the version of myself who wrote the original review to be grateful they could read National Geographic at /any/ resolution. Rest in peace. ORIGINAL REVIEW: I’ve been a Nat Geo subscriber for a few years now, and I receive both digital and physical editions, though I most often choose to read the physical magazine. The main reason for this is that I own a 12.9” iPad, and because the app hasn’t been optimized, the entire app looks blurry and fuzzy, especially the photos which are the best part of the magazine. I’ve been waiting for the app to update to support the 12.9” iPad since the first one released in 2015. With the new, more compact 2018 12.9” iPad Pro, more users than ever will be downloading this app with a 12.9” iPad. Please update to support it.

National Geographic Reviews – Page 4