SHAPE is a monthly magazine available on Kindle for $1.25 a month. Generally, the print versions of the magazines around $3-4 at the newsstands, so this a pretty good deal.
“SHAPE magazine is the leading healthy-living publication for women. Each month it delivers usable, practical information and how-to advice on everything from health and diet to fitness and active travel to beauty and style that’s flattering for every figure. It’s mission: to help women live better lives—and do it with confidence”. – Amazon
There is not a whole lot of information available online about the history of SHAPE magazine other than that it was started in 1981 by Weider Publications, who later sold it to The American Media Inc. in 2002. The American Media is the publisher of 16 magazines including SHAPE, National Enquirer, Star and Natural Health.
The print version of SHAPE is very rich in graphics and photography, but is also very advertisement heavy. One reviewer pointed out that it was nice to read the Kindle version without having to flip through endless ads. Another reviewer said that they were excited about reading about weight loss, health, celebrities and recipes that are often available in the magazine. It is always good when you can cut out the unnecessary junk and get to the meat of what the magazine is known for.
The only argument against the Kindle version is that you can get a two year subscription to the print version for $10. But, a good opposing argument here is that, on Kindle, on you don’t have a stack of magazines lying around. You can just carry your Kindle wherever you go and when the magazine becomes available, it will appear on the Kindle. So it is a matter of personal choice between cost and convenience.
Currently, SHAPE is owned by The American Media Inc. and the stock information is private.