Current Archaeology vs Van Life Matters
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Current Archaeology
Access 50 years of British archaeological research with this digital magazine. Explore discoveries from prehistory to modern times, read opinion pieces, and find book and museum reviews. Sync back issues for offline reading.
- 50 years of archaeological research
- Monthly issues from archaeologists
- Covers all historical periods
- Opinion pieces and debates
- Book and museum reviews
- Offline reading of back issues
- Searchable archive
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Discover everything you need to know about archaeology in Britain with Current Archaeology, the UK's favourite archaeology magazine. A digital subscription to Current Archaeology magazine gives you access to 50 years of the latest ground-breaking archaeological research, at home or on the move, at any time of day or night. Every month you will hear directly from the archaeologists themselves, so you get the full story: why the excavators went there, how they made their discoveries, what they found, why it's important, and, of course, what it all means. But don't take our word for it – through the informative photographs and stunning aerial images you can see the archaeology for yourself. Explore the archaeology of all periods – from Prehistory and ancient human origins, Roman and Anglo-Saxon Britain, and the Middle Ages right through to modern times – Current Archaeology covers it all. Lively opinion pieces keep you informed on all the debates currently taking place within archaeology – and why they matter. Discover the best books to read and which museums you should visit with our discerning review section, and never miss an event with our monthly listings page. During your subscription you can sync back issues to your device. These will remain in place if your subscription expires, unless your device removes them (for example when running low on disk space). Re-downloading issues requires a current subscription. • Swipe or tap the page edges to flip to next/previous page. • Use the animated thumbnail view to flick through the pages. • Pinch or double-tap pages to zoom. • Switch between single or double-page view. • Search the current issue or the archive. • Tap any page links to web sites, email addresses, phone numbers or maps. • Tap contents-page links to jump to a particular article. • Sync back issues to your device for offline reading (requires wi-fi). • Network connection required otherwise. • Bookmark favourite pages or search results to read later. • If your institution has a magazine subscription, you can access it directly from within your registered IP range. Subscribers will receive new issues automatically. Subscriptions are available within the app at the following prices: Monthly £4.49 Annual £54.99 In addition, please note the following standard features of auto-renewable iTunes subscriptions: • Your payment will be charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase. • Subscriptions will renew automatically unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. • Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. • You can manage your subscriptions and turn off auto-renewal by going to your Apple Account Settings after purchase. • No cancellation of the current subscription is allowed during active subscription period. You can find our privacy policy here: https://exacteditions.com/about/privacy and our terms of service here: https://exacteditions.com/about/tos
Van Life Matters
Stay informed about the UK's van life scene with the latest news, tips, and advice for campervan, motorhome, and caravan owners. Discover new gear, find road trip inspiration, and never miss important shows and events.
- UK Van Life news updates
- Campervan, motorhome, caravan tips
- New camping kit and gadget reviews
- Campervan launch photos and specs
- Road trip inspiration
- UK shows and events calendar
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Van Life Matters is the go-to place for all the very latest UK Van Life news, tips and advice for campervan, motorhome and caravan owners. We're keeping those that live in their van - full time or part time - informed with everything that’s happening in the UK’s Van Life scene and forever inspired for that next adventure! Download the app to be the first know about UK stopovers, to stay updated with the latest camping kit and gadgets, for first-look photos and specifications of new campervan, motorhome and caravan launches, and for road trip inspiration with things you'll want to see and do. NEWS: Stay abreast with everything you need to know to make the most out of your time on the road and get reliable information straight to your device. Today’s digital world is awash with fragmented and often unsubstantiated information and claims, served through a myriad of portals, feeds and social media groups. Van life Matters is cutting through the noise with a journalistic focus on the needs and wants of UK Van Lifers. GUIDES: Whether you’re an experienced tourer keen to take advantage of the latest kit or you’re new to van life and looking for some technical help or inspiration, the Van Life Matters catalogue of tips and boasts everything you need to get the most out of your van life. SHOWS AND EVENTS: Never miss an event again with the UK's most comprehensive list of motorhome, campervan and caravan shows, Van Life gatherings and community meets. Updated frequently as new events are confirmed, you'll find everything the UK’s leisure sector and van life social scene has to offer. WHO WE ARE: Van Life Matters is an independent digital news publication. We're just a couple who own a campervan and couldn't find a single, trusted resource to keep us updated with everything we wanted to know. Supported by his wife, journalist Mike Ruff stepped up to fulfil the role through Van Life Matters. We put a lot of time and hard work into Van Life Matters. As genuinely useful platform, we'd urge you to support our work by downloading the Van Life Matters app - you can always delete later if it’s not for you, but we think you’ll love it. We truly appreciate every single app download, so thank you!
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Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Van Life Matters at none against Current Archaeology's 2. Van Life Matters also leads on update cadence (daily vs every 8 months) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.6). Current Archaeology's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Current Archaeology sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.49 per month. Van Life Matters asks for nothing beyond the download.
Current Archaeology ships an update every 8 months, Van Life Matters daily. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Current Archaeology | Van Life Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better | — |
| Number of ratings | 1 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | Daily — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Subscription | Ad-supported — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | 12.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 4 MB | 9 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | The Past Limited | Michael Ruff |
In-app purchases
Current Archaeology
- Current Archaeology Monthly Subscription$5.491 Month
- Current Archaeology Annual Subscription$58.991 Year
Van Life Matters
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Current Archaeology free?
Is Van Life Matters free?
Do Current Archaeology or Van Life Matters have ads?
Which is updated more often, Current Archaeology or Van Life Matters?
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