What MacStories does

MacStories is an independent, privately held media company (MacStories, Inc.) founded in April 2009 by Federico Viticci in Viterbo, Italy, and now incorporated in the United States with a distributed team of 1-10 editors, writers, developers, and designers. The publication produces daily in-depth coverage of Apple products, iOS/iPadOS/macOS apps, automation, and adjacent technology, targeting creative, professional, and tech-savvy readers globally. Its product surface includes the macstories.net website, seven podcasts (AppStories, Comfort Zone, MacStories Unwind, First Last Everything, Magic Rays of Light, NPC: Next Portable Console, and Ruminate), a public Shortcuts Archive of 434 automation shortcuts across 27 categories, the proprietary Shortcuts Playground generative shortcut system, and individual tools such as Apple Frames (with a developer-facing CLI in v4) and LunarWall.

The business model is multi-stream. The primary recurring engine is a four-tier direct-to-consumer subscription stack sold via Memberful/Stripe: Club MacStories ($5/mo or $50/yr), Club MacStories+ ($10/mo or $100/yr) adding the Automation Academy, Mac Hacks column, and Discord community, Club Premier ($12/mo or $120/yr) bundling AppStories+, and the standalone AppStories+ ad-free podcast tier ($5/mo or $50/yr). Secondary revenue comes from podcast sponsorships (Decagon, Mercury Weather, Sofa, Agenda, Dropzone 5, RevenueCat, and others), sponsored app reviews (e.g., Notify), and Amazon affiliate links embedded in deals and Setups coverage. Go-to-market is product-led: free shortcuts and free articles on macstories.net drive top-of-funnel traffic that converts to paid Club memberships, with Discord and newsletters supporting retention. In February 2026, the company merged Club MacStories and AppStories into a unified MacStories.net platform on a new tech stack, consolidating its subscription, podcast, and content infrastructure under a single site.

Name

MacStories

Legal name

MacStories, Inc.

Website

https://macstories.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

MacStories is an independent Apple-focused media company that publishes daily news, reviews, and automation tutorials for a global readership of power users. It monetizes via a four-tier subscription stack (Club MacStories tiers and AppStories+), podcast sponsorships, sponsored content, and affiliate commerce.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Technology Media and Publishing

NAICS

Periodical Publishers (513120), Periodical Publishers (51312)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Podcast Networks & Multi-Show Publishers (MPACADAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Newsletter Publishing Platforms (MPACAIAA)

Keywords

• Apple technology journalism
• Podcast network publishing
• Subscription-based media
• IOS automation tutorials
• Shortcuts automation library

Headquarters

HQ city

Hinsdale

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Club MacStories Subscriptions: Three-tier membership model generating recurring subscription revenue. Club MacStories ($5/mo or $50/yr), Club MacStories+ ($10/mo or $100/yr), Club Premier ($12/mo or $120/yr). Annual plans available at discount. Processed through Memberful/Stripe integration.
2. Podcast Sponsorships: Sponsored podcast episodes featuring sponsors like Decagon (AI concierge), Mercury Weather, Sofa, Agenda, Dropzone 5, RevenueCat, and others. AppStories+ episodes feature multiple sponsor messages.
3. Sponsored Content: Sponsored articles such as Notify app review/advertisement. Sponsored content relationships with app developers for exposure to MacStories audience.
4. Affiliate Revenue: Affiliate links in Prime Day deals articles and setup/product coverage linking to Amazon product pages (e.g., aqara products, UGREEN chargers, Anker batteries, Logitech products).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

MacStories publishes daily, in-depth journalism covering Apple products, iOS/macOS apps, and automation through articles, reviews, and tutorials. Its offerings are extended through a multi-tier Club MacStories subscription program (newsletters, Discord community, automation tutorials, ad-free podcasts, exclusive app discounts) and seven original podcasts plus a library of 434+ curated, free-to-download Shortcuts automation.

Product overview

MacStories is a daily online publication covering Apple products, apps, automation, and technology. The company operates a multi-tier membership model (Club MacStories, Club MacStories+, Club Premier) offering exclusive newsletters, tutorials, and community access. Its product portfolio includes 7 podcasts (AppStories, Comfort Zone, MacStories Unwind, First Last Everything, Magic Rays of Light, NPC, plus ad-free variants), a Shortcuts Archive with 434+ automation shortcuts organized across 27 categories, the Shortcuts Playground generative shortcut system, and individual products like Apple Frames and LunarWall. The publications serve creative, professional, and tech-savvy readers interested in Apple platform apps and automation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Club MacStories: A membership program offering exclusive MacStories content including weekly newsletters, monthly logs, discounts, and community access.
• Club MacStories+
• Club Premier
• AppStories
• AppStories+
• Comfort Zone
• MacStories Unwind
• Magic Rays of Light
• NPC: Next Portable Console
• First, Last, Everything
• Shortcuts Playground

Products and services

• MacStories Daily online publication offering in-depth Apple news, app reviews, stories, and automation tutorials to a global readership; monetized via display/affiliate.
• Club MacStories Subscription membership ($5/month or $50/year) providing MacStories Weekly newsletter, Monthly Log newsletter, eBook versions of long-form OS reviews, and wallpapers.
• Club MacStories+ Enhanced membership tier ($10/month or $100/year) including all Club MacStories perks plus Automation Academy, Mac Hacks column, Discord community, full-text search, custom RSS feeds, and exclusive app discounts.
• Club Premier Top-tier membership ($12/month or $120/year) including all Club MacStories+ perks plus the AppStories+ premium podcast subscription (ad-free, extended, 192 kbps, early release).
• AppStories+ Standalone premium podcast subscription ($5/month or $50/year): ad-free, extended, 192 kbps version of the AppStories podcast released one day early, with full-text search of show notes.
• AppStories Podcast Weekly podcast exploring the world of apps, hosted by Federico Viticci and John Voorhees, covering app news, reviews, and interviews; distributed via Apple Podcasts and other platforms.
• Comfort Zone Podcast Weekly podcast co-hosted by Chris and Niléane that pushes hosts outside their comfort zone with technology, DMA, OS betas, and media recommendations.
• MacStories Unwind Podcast Weekly podcast covering movies, TV, videogames, music, and more, with episodes exploring cultural topics and media recommendations.
• First, Last, Everything Podcast Seasonal interview show in which guests discuss their relationship with technology and the devices they care about most.
• Magic Rays of Light Podcast Weekly podcast focused on Apple TV, tvOS, and Apple Originals content, co-hosted by Devon Dundee and Sigmund Judge.
• NPC: Next Portable Console Podcast Bi-weekly podcast about portable gaming and handheld devices, co-hosted by Federico Viticci, John Voorhees, and Brendon Bigley.
• MacStories Shortcuts Archive Public archive of 434+ free Shortcuts automation workflows organized across 27 categories (AI, Health, Home, Photos, Podcasts, Task Management, Text, Weather, Web, and more); free iCloud downloads; drives traffic to the publication and demonstrates automation expertise.
• Shortcuts Playground Featured collection of generated shortcuts from Federico Viticci's Shortcuts Playground generative shortcut system, a proprietary pipeline that creates new iOS/macOS automations and is used by the MacStories team.

Quantifiable outcome

• 434 shortcuts available across 27 categories
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

AI capability9 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Club MacStories+ App Developer PartnersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with various app developers to provide exclusive discounts for Club MacStories+ members. Discounts change throughout the year and include deals on apps featured in MacStories coverage.
• Podcast Sponsors (Decagon, Mercury Weather, Sofa, Agenda, etc.)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsored content relationships with companies including Decagon (AI concierge), Mercury Weather (forecasts), Sofa (organization app), Agenda (notes), Dropzone 5 (productivity), RevenueCat (mobile app hackathon). AppStories+ episodes feature multiple sponsors.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• 9to5Mac: Leading daily publication covering Apple news, apps, and product rumors. Most directly comparable peer: same Apple-enthusiast target audience, similar editorial beat, with a substantially larger newsroom producing breaking-news content.
• Daring Fireball: John Gruber's independent Apple-focused blog and podcast network (The Talk Show, etc.). Closely comparable as a solo/founder-led indie Apple publication with high editorial authority, premium sponsorships, and a paid membership tier.
• MacRumors: Long-running Apple news and rumor site with community forums. Comparable in audience and content cadence, though its center of gravity is rumors/buying guides rather than apps, automation, and reviews.
• Six Colors: Jason Snell and team of contributors covering Apple, Macs, and productivity with a paid membership. Comparable peer on editorial depth, indie structure, and subscription-driven revenue model.
• Relay FM: Federico Viticci-cofounded podcast network (AppStories originated from this lineage) running multiple technology podcasts with sponsorship and premium tiers. Directly comparable as a multi-show podcast network with overlapping hosts and advertiser base.
• AppleInsider: Daily Apple-focused publication with news, reviews, videos, and podcasts serving MacStories' same Apple power-user audience. Comparable on subject matter and monetization through advertising and sponsorships.
• AppAdvice: iOS app discovery, news, and reviews site. Comparable as an Apple-platform publisher focused on apps and reviews with advertising revenue, though less automation-focused than MacStories.

Broad incumbents

• The Verge: Large-scale Vox Media-owned technology publication covering Apple among many other topics. Comparable as a tech publisher with podcasts, newsletters, and subscription tiers, though vastly larger and broader in scope than MacStories.
• iMore: Major Apple-focused publisher (acquired by Future PLC) covering iPhone, iPad, Mac, and apps. Comparable audience and content mix, with a much larger editorial operation and broader corporate backing.

Others

• Club MacStories App Developer Partners (e.g., RevenueCat, Agenda): Strategic partner such as RevenueCat serving as both sponsor and integration partner for MacStories coverage of mobile apps. Comparable only as a partner ecosystem rather than a competing publisher.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/macstoriesnet

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about MacStories