Hearst Magazines UK Reviews 

Don't subscribe! Please don't be lured in by the £1 deals. Shocking customer service when you try to cancel your subscription. You can't cancel online, you have to ring a dedicated line, wait times of 40 mins plus. They then assured me they would cancel and haven't. My account is STILL showing as an active subscription despite numerous attempts to cancel. They have taken payments and am going to have to contact my credit card issuer as that's the only way to avoid further payments. Such a con, I don't know how they're getting away with it. Don't fall into the trap, read the other reviews! Be warned!

I ordered a box over 6 weeks ago. It has not arrived. Each time I contact Hearst I wait over 10 days for a reply, and then receive a “heartfelt apology” and promise my case is under “urgent investigation”. I demanded a full refund over two weeks ago and have not received that either. Do not buy. These people are charlatans.

I wish I had read the reviews before subscribing to Red. Part of the offer was a £10 M&S voucher which I still haven't received, almost 2 months after subscribing. They claim to have sent out a 'replacement' (which implies they already sent one) and there is no sign of that either. I assume these mythical vouchers are invisible to the naked eye. I can already foresee that cancelling my subscription is going to be a nightmare.

Want to take out a subscription? Welcome aboard.

Want to cancel a subscription?

Edited review.

I been in communication with Hearst magazine and they have fix the problem I had. The first call took a long time to get through to, unfortunately they were rude and not helpful. So I complained and asked to speak to a supervisor. Once I spoke to them they were understanding, kind and helpful. Took time to get through to them as well.
The system is still flawed, as I felt tricked into another year as the email doesn’t state clearly when your subscription will renew or when money will actually be taking from your account.

Do not subscribe to any of these magazines, without reading the small print! When you receive the email to confirm you have subscribed check your actually renewal date and date money will be taken from your bank account. Or the date to cancel your subscription. They will renew without your authorisation and no email to say they will/have take money.

Such a shame I had a bad experience and I love to read magazines. I thought this would be a more economical way to buy but now I don’t think I even buy in the shops as the price is extremely expensive.

I emailed to cancel my subscription - which they replied to confirm they had done. However, they continued to take money from me - despite my account saying it's cancelled. Have emailed twice - but they are no longer replying. Tried calling, but get a message get a message saying it's out of office hours, which isn't true. Have come here to discover this is standard behaviour...

Firstly, Trust Pilot needs to allow 'zero stars',or 'abysmal' as a category. I hope someone reads these reviews BEFORE subscribing to a magazine. This company is appalling.

I have phoned several times, and tried via online contact, to try and sort out issues with my subscriptions. Despite assurances, they have taken further money for a magazine I don't want, and cancelled the order for one I do. They also keep sending me 2 copies of the same magazine, and have taken money on auto renewal for the magazine I didn't want.

I have managed to speak to someone today, after 3 phone calls of being put on hold. I have been assured (again) that my subscriptions won't auto-renew, but no refund is being given for the recent auto-renew as 'you are given 14 days to cancel'. Grrr - if you don't know they are doing this until the money has been taken, and then notice it too late, then it's no notice. I also have to keep taking the magazine I didn't want until March 2027!

Do not subscribe with this company. If you do, make a note of when your subscription ends, then cancel the auto-renewal 2 MONTHS beforehand. Notify your bank that you are withdrawing auto-renewal.

I will never purchase another magazine from the Hearst organisation.

As many have said - they are operating a scam. They get you to order and send the first issue more than a month after that date. You fall for the trick because you wait for final issue before cancelling only to find they already took a renewal based on order date. they don't even tell you in their emails they are doing this either on order or on taking the renewal. They are con artists do not be tempted to sign up with them.

After the reply it confirms you put your process before customer experience. They use a CPA because a direct debit comes with protections that they don’t want:

The Advance Notice Rule

A company cannot take money from your account unexpectedly or change the amount without telling you first. By default, a company must give you 10 working days' advance notice before a payment is taken, unless you explicitly agree to a shorter period in their terms. The notice (usually sent via email, letter, or digital invoice) must clearly state the exact amount to be debited and the exact date the funds will leave your account.

You are NOT transparent. You do not do this. Companies who ignore customer satisfaction and the value of word of mouth rarely survive - I look forward to the day that you fail.

SCAMMERS!

Hearst magazines have taken payment for an auto renewal 2 months before the renewal date. I have since cancelled the renewal, yet they are withholding my
money as they have a ‘no refund’ policy. This goes against their terms and conditions as stated: “You can cancel this at any time, but no later than 28 days before the end of a subscription”. Despite cancelling after payment has been taken, I am still well within the 28 day window, the money should never have been taken in the first instance.

It also goes against their terms and conditions as stated: “If you are not entirely satisfied with your subscription, you can request a refund for any un-dispatched issues at any time.” The entire 12 months is still undispatched as they have taken payment 2 months early.

I have contacted them multiple times over email, and dealt with awful customer service over the phone. I have since sent one last strongly worded email insisting on a refund, and contacted my bank claiming a dispute. I do expect a refund within 14 days.

Sadly I have to add to the many poor reviews on here. Hearst direct customers to the online account management but somehow I had two separate subscriptions to the same magazine (Red) running and it was really difficult to work out when I was going to be billed again. I love my Red magazine but have had to tell the bank to block Hearst from taking payments. I had emailed and asked Hearst to cancel my subscription but had no reply and the subscriptions are still live. I have just tried to call and waited for 20 minutes without an answer. I will miss my Red magazines but I am not willing to give my business to a company that treats loyal customers like this.

Utterly useless. Completed online subscription and direct debit form only to receive an email to say application failed. Contacted CS still waiting for them to sort the subscription out despite emailing numerous times. Total waste of time.

Absolutely shocking company. They do not allow you to cancel online, do not respond to emails, then renew your subscription. It seems the only way to get rid of it is to cancel your payment methods.

You'd think such a famous magazine brand wouldn't operate like dodgy call center scammers but there you go.

WARNING….DO NOT SUBSCRIBE TO THESE COVERT THIEVES.
ITS A TRAP!!!!!

If I could pick no stars I would but I was lured in by their packaged products so 👏🏻👏🏻 for that.

I wish I had read the reviews prior to applying for a Good Housekeeping subscription as a present for my wife.
Having read the cancellation process and to ensure I don’t fall foul of the auto-renewal I requested a cancellation.
The auto-response was a promise that a member of their customer care team would make contact within 24 hrs………
after 3 attempts my patience has run out.

Hearst are one of the reasons that the Government has stepped in to change these RIP OFF subscriptions.

DO NOT SUBSCRIBE!!

UPDATE AS OF 7th April 2026

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Finally!! someone from Hearst customer service department made contact and acknowledged my request to cancel.
It is ridiculous that it took 3 attempts for them to make contact and my final communication was a “frustrated” one with a threat of a negative review; I suspect this was the catalyst for a response.

Reading Hearst responses to reviews, it is evident they do not even read the reviews properly. My review specifically stated I was out of country and not accessing online banking so was not aware of auto renewal subscription being taken until back home 5 days later, they “allow” a 2 day grace period. This is such a simple fix for Hearst but I think they would go out of business if they refunded all their disgruntled ex-customers!

Beware. I cancelled a trial of County Living through their call centre as the same time as advising of my new address. They tried to sell me a different offer which I refused. A year later they took an annual subscription from my bank without notification. Ignored my request to refund and look into my cancellation, and events told me they’d cancel this ‘subscription’ at the end of the of the year.

If I could give zero stars I would. I renewed my subscription yesterday using a bank card, was told my previous annual subscription was cancelled and no automatic renewal would apply. Was horrified to see £59.99 direct debit come out of my account this morning.
Called the company, and was on the phone for around 45 minutes, with extremely bad quality line, and an agent who was very difficult to hear

The agent himself was polite and sympathetic but after 45 minutes I was told they could not refund me without me speaking to my bank - The onus was on me!

However, I was assured that I would get a call back from Hearst within an hour - 6 hours later I am still waiting
Thankfully Barclays were very efficient, cancelled future direct debits and refunded me the money.
I rarely write reviews but this terrible service and uncaring attitude , together with the lack of training prompted me to vent my concern . And I hope I can warn others by explaining my experience

I ordered the Good Housekeeping Planner in Oct 2025 and on the day it arrived I knew it was not what I thought it was going to be and not for me, I sent in back the same day with proof of posting. Since then I have sent many many emails asking for money back with no joy - just an automated response and saying they will look into it. Even when I have pointed out they are breaking the law there was no response. Terrible customer service.

I subscribed to womens health which I love, but then after cancelling to swap to runners world I was charged for the 6 month womens health subscription. To make things worse, I never got the first issue of runners world. I have all the confirmation emails and am awaiting a response...again! Not surprised by the terrible reviews.

Waited and waited then after I made phone call was told my magazine would arrive in 6 weeks they are sending out of date copies! I phoned to cancel my subscription but the did not refund any money. So I have no magazine and they have kept my money go a years subscription

Disgusting company. I have now read previous reviews and totally agree with their comments. They renew without informing you. I received my 1st magazine which had a December issue date, having signed up for their 5 month offer and tries to cancel today 16 March only to be told they had already taken the subscription out on 28th February. So I had only received 3 copies. I will be contacting my credit card.