National Geographic magazine is the global leader in empowering people to navigate the world, providing authoritative, unbiased content that addresses today's complex issues, while uncovering the wonders of our time.
National Geographic Magazine (nationalgeographic.com) has 440 customer reviews on Five Star Index, with an average rating of 2.2 out of 5.
Also known as
nationalgeographic.com
Website
nationalgeographic.com
Category
Books & Magazines
Location
Washington, District of Columbia
Listed on Five Star Index
2026
About these reviews
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The company replied to 30% of reviews.
Latest
Most recent review: October 2026.
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Reviews are shown as their authors wrote them. The company can reply, but cannot edit them.
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I spite of having a valid subscription I cannot access either the current or past issues without paying for that edition or getting a new subscription. Customer Services not interested. I have reported NG to the police for fraud
Response from National Geographic MagazineMar 11, 2019
Hi Clive,
Sorry that you have had such a negative experience with your subscription, I'd like to investigate this further for you. Are you having trouble accessing the digital editions online? Please can you send me an email directly so I can help you get to the bottom of this? My email address is [email protected], please can you include your subscriber account number?
Thank you,
Jodie, NGUK
BC
Bob C.
Excellent magazine, abysmal customer support
Excellent magazine (I'm a 20+ year subscriber, or rather I was until recently), but absolutely abysmal customer service. Months before expiration, I tried to renew online (we're 2018, after all), but while my account worked perfectly on the US NGM site, I could not log in on the int'l site, nor reset my password, nor even create a new account. I sent several emails, and was being ping-ponged between the US/CDN and the int'l support for a while. Then, despite several reminders, they went completely silent. So three months later, my subscription expired, no more NGM for me. When will the NGM publishers notice this farce is hurting business?
UPDATE 2 years later: after Nat’l Geographic now also dropped support for their (otherwise excellent, innovative when it came out already years ago, eye-pleasing) tablet reader app, and after I had to find that out not by being notified, but by not being able to log in to it, and several emails to customer support before getting that ‘no longer supported’ information, I gave up - I can’t accept being relegated to a simple website that only works when you’re connected to read that beautifull magazine. I will not be renewing my subscription…
Response from National Geographic MagazineMar 11, 2019
Hi Bob,
Firstly, I'd like to apologise for the difficulties you have faced with our subscription service. After being a loyal subscriber for so many years I imagine this was very frustrating for you. We have had quite a few technical difficulties with our site which have now been resolved.
I hope that this negative experience hasn't put you off subscribing again in the future and if there is anything I can do to help resolve this situation please feel free to contact me directly at [email protected]
Thank you,
Jodie, NGUK
JA
Jacki
3 payments taken in a month - Do not subscribe
3 payments taken in a month, emails not replied to and waited for an hour to get through on the phone before giving up. Horrid customer experience and can not believe National Geographic behave this way (or the company they are using) DO NOT SUBSCRIBE we are still waiting for 4 magazines paid for!
Response from National Geographic MagazineMar 11, 2019
Hi Jacki,
I'm sorry that you have had such a negative experience and that you are still waiting for missing magazines. I'd like to help resolve this situation, please can you send me an email directly on [email protected] with your subscriber account number, address details and the date of when you took out your subscription. I will try and get to the bottom of this for you.
Thank you,
Jodie, NGUK
JD
Jane D.
subscription and refund not received
paid for 3 yr subscription in august it is now December, never received any magazines and have been promised refund twice but still waiting for that also. VERY POOR EXPERIENCE
Response from National Geographic MagazineMar 11, 2019
Hi Jane,
Sorry to hear of the negative and disappointing experience you have had with our subscription service. It is unacceptable that you have not received any magazines or a refund, I want to resolve this for you, please can you send me an email directly with your subscriber account number, your address and the date of when you started your subscription?
Thank you,
Jodie, NGUK
VB
Vikki B.
1 star is too many
1 star is too many! Signed up for the rocks and minerals back in Sept. Apparently that subscription didn't reach them. Signed up by email in November and on the 4th December had an email saying money would be taken and wait 21 days for first magazine....after reading all these bad comments I'm guessing we will never see anything through the post and the money has gone. More upset that my son, who is so into collecting this magazine. that we should have just walked to the local shops each week to buy it over the counter. Really upsetting and disappointed.
ME
Mel
No refund after 6 months being told I will get one and apparently no-one in Australia can give a refund, the finances are controlled overseas
I’ve been a customer of National geographic for about 15 years.
This year they sent me a letter in June saying my subscription would be automatically renewed and my card charged in September, but then took the money out a week later in June.
When I queried via email ngmintl (at) subscription.co.uk why it was taken out before the due date, they said did I want a refund, and I said well if that’s all you can say to keep a long standing customer, well yes I’ll take a refund.
6 months later and many MANY emails, phonecalls to a number that was a recorded message, now not in service and I STILL don’t have a refund.
I searched up getting a subscription to National Geographic and got the number 1800 129 586, and actually managed to speak to someone….but after 2 phonecalls and asking to speak to someone who could sort it out, I was told none of the finances are controlled in Australia, only overseas, so there was no-one in Australia who could give me a refund, I was told I would just have to wait and see what happened with the international National Gegraphic via email.
I’ve always loved National Geographic and this is the most disgusting customer service and money grabbing low life company I’ve ever come across, and apparently not accountable to anyone.
I will be pursuing this further as I don’t know how they can get away with this.
MP
Mr P.
Poor customer experience
Poor customer experience. Numerous phone calls and emails over the course of a year - different information given from different people so there appears no central comms log/record of what was said. No real apology for the time and energy spent in chasing something that was incorrectly promised as a gift despite being told I was eligible.
JR
JR
Late, inconsistent delivery - do not subscribe.
Got given a subscription as a gift for Christmas 2017 so starting in Jan 2018. The first magazine took over 6 weeks to arrive and since then has been completely hit and miss. Sometimes long gaps and other times too soon. For example I received Nov 2018 and December 2018 issues within 2 weeks of each other. I would not recommend this subscription at all, which completely undervalues a high quality publication. National geographic need to sort this out once and for all, reading the other reviews.