• Easy PDF-to-print process
• Saddle-stitch ready in 3 to 4 days
• Perfect bound in 4 to 5 days
• Instant quotes up to 20 copies
• Free file check before printing
• Complimentary paper sample pack
• Test print before full run
• Free tracked UK delivery
Your magazine represents hours of creative work, from front cover design to the final page. The last thing you want is printing that compromises your important content or the professional look of your final product.
Birmingham is home to one of the UK’s most dynamic creative scenes. From Digbeth’s studios to the Jewellery Quarter’s independent designers, artists, and local businesses, there’s a constant demand for high-quality, professional magazine printing that does justice to bold ideas and vibrant colours.
At Ex Why Zed, we’ve been supporting creative print jobs since 2006. As experienced magazine printers, we specialise in custom magazine printing for artists, publishers, and brands across the UK, combining digital printing, expert guidance, and a strong focus on customer service to achieve the best results.
If you’re searching for magazine printing Birmingham creators can rely on, you’re in the right place. While we’re based in Colchester, our magazine printing UK service is built for convenience with fast delivery time, free tracked shipping, and an expert team that ensures your print file is handled correctly from start to final printing.
Paper is one of those choices that makes a bigger difference than most people expect. Pick up two magazines side by side, and you'll feel it immediately. The weight, the finish, and how the colours look under light. All of it comes down to the paper.
Here's a quick overview of the options we offer:
250gsm to 350gsm is the typical range for magazine covers.
Tip: If you're after the best glossy magazine printing, our 350gsm gloss cover with gloss lamination is hard to beat. Add gloss or matte lamination to protect and finish the cover.
90gsm to 170gsm gives you plenty of flexibility
Not sure which paper is right for your project? Order a free sample pack and feel the difference before you commit.
Order your free paper sample pack
The size of your magazine shapes everything: how it feels in a reader's hands, how much space your design has to breathe, and what it costs to produce. Here are the most popular options:
One practical note: Your page count should be divisible by 4 for saddle-stitched publications.
Once your design is ready, binding is the next big decision. It affects how your magazine looks on a shelf, how it feels to flick through, and how many pages it can hold comfortably.
There are two main options:
Printed sheets are folded and secured along the spine with two staples. It's fast, cost-effective, and gives your publication that classic indie magazine look.
Saddle stitch is ideal for magazines up to around 48 pages. It's the most popular choice for shorter runs, student publications, and independent titles on a tighter budget.
Pages are stacked, trimmed, and glued into a wraparound cover with a flat spine. This is the finish you'd expect from a bookshop magazine: polished, professional, and easy to slot onto a shelf or display.
Perfect binding works best for magazines with 40 pages or more. It takes a little longer to produce (4 to 5 working days), but the result is worth it for publications that deserve a more substantial presence.
Need help before placing your order? Reach us at hello@exwhyzed.com or 01206 766647.
Never used a professional printer before? No bother. One of the most common searches we see is magazine printing near me, and we completely understand the instinct to want someone local. But with online magazine printing from Ex Why Zed, you get the same attentive service and real conversations with our team, without being limited to whoever happens to be based in Birmingham city centre.
Here's exactly what the process looks like:
Gather your content: writing, photography, illustrations, or a mix of all three. Think about the theme, the audience, and the tone you want the publication to have.
Use whichever tool you're comfortable with: Adobe InDesign, Affinity Publisher, or even Canva for simpler layouts. Work in single pages, and check our artwork setup guides if you're not sure how to get started.
Export your file with a 3mm bleed on all sides. This ensures nothing important gets trimmed off at the edges. Our guides walk you through this if it's new territory.
Pick your size, paper stock, binding style, and quantity. Use our instant quote calculator to see pricing in real time, or fill in our quote form for something more bespoke.
Send us your PDF and place your order. We'll check your file for free before anything goes to press: margins, bleed, ink coverage, all of it. If there's anything to flag, we'll let you know before it becomes a problem.
You'll receive a digital proof to review before production begins. Once you're happy, just give us the go-ahead.
We print, pack, and dispatch. Your finished magazines are delivered free to your Birmingham address, tracked from dispatch to door.
You've done the work. We'll take care of the rest.
Every order comes with free tracked delivery anywhere in the UK. If you're looking for cheap magazine printing in Birmingham that doesn't cut corners on quality, this is it.
You get professional results, honest pricing, and no hidden charges. Most magazines are dispatched within 3 to 5 working days, depending on your specifications and quantity.
Words only go so far. Have a look through our portfolio and see what we actually produce for artists, publishers, and independent creators across the UK.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"Great service and great products
Great service and great products. We at theprintspace have now printed over 60K copies of our A5 books with Ex Why Zed and will continue to come back to them. Highly recommend."
Our goal on every job is simple: your magazines should arrive looking exactly the way you imagined them.
The best magazine printing UK services do more than just run your files through a press. They help you understand your options, check your artwork, and get your publication looking exactly right. We're happy to answer any questions before you commit to anything.
The price depends on the number of pages, paper stock, binding style, print finish, and quantity. If you're after cheap magazine printing in Birmingham, saddle-stitched A5 magazines on 130gsm silk are the most affordable starting point. Use our instant quote calculator to get a price in seconds, or send us the details, and we'll put a quote together for you.
No minimum. You can order a single copy if that's what you need. Our best single magazine printing service is ideal for proofing your final design before committing to a full print run.
A print-ready PDF is what we're after. It should include 3mm bleed on all sides, with text and important design elements kept at least 3mm inside the trim edge. Our artwork setup guides walk you through exactly how to set this up, whatever software you're using.
Saddle-stitched magazines are typically with you in 3 to 4 working days. Perfect-bound magazines take 4 to 5 working days. Got a tight deadline? Drop us a message, and we'll see what we can do.
Saddle stitch (stapled spine) suits magazines up to around 48 pages. It's cost-effective and quick. Perfect binding (glued square spine) is better suited to magazines with 40 pages or more, and gives a more polished, bookshop-style finish.
Yes. A test print lets you check how your design looks on the actual paper stock before committing to a full run. It's particularly useful if you're printing a publication for the first time or switching paper weight.
Yes. We use FSC-certified stocks as standard and offer recycled paper options on request. If sustainability matters to your brand, just let us know, and we'll point you towards the right options.
We can. Common custom sizes include 210x210mm square and 240x170mm. Sizes larger than A4 require printing on our B2 press, which carries slightly higher setup costs. If you have something specific in mind, send us the dimensions, and we'll let you know what's possible.
Choose any custom size from A6 to A3 for stapled magazines - 148x105mm up to a whopping 420x297mm.
For perfect bound, choose from A6 to 297x297mm.
Export your file as a PDF with 3mm bleed. Make sure images are at least 300dpi, and that text is not placed too close to the trim edge. Check our artwork setup guides for step-by-step advice, or give us a shout if you're stuck.
If you're searching for magazine printing near me in or around Birmingham, Ex Why Zed is your answer. We're an online printing specialist that serves the whole of the UK. You order online, we handle everything, and your magazines arrive free to your door, tracked from dispatch. No need to travel to Birmingham city centre or find a walk-in print shop.
Yes. Free tracked delivery is included on every order to any UK address. As one of the leading magazine printing UK services, we dispatch most orders within 3 to 5 working days. We also ship internationally if you're distributing your magazine further afield.
