British Archaeology vs Current Archaeology
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
British Archaeology
Access in-depth articles and commentary on the latest archaeological discoveries and historical insights. Subscribe for full access to current and archived issues, with features for offline reading and easy navigation.
- Selected pages from latest issue
- Full access to searchable archive
- Offline reading of back issues
- Page swipe and thumbnail navigation
- Zoom and page view options
- Web link and content page navigation
- Social media sharing
Read full descriptionHide full description
British Archaeology is a bi-monthly publication from the Council for British Archaeology – an educational charity working throughout the UK to encourage interest in archaeology and to promote the appreciation and care of our historic environment for the benefit of present and future generations. It is an authoritative, in-depth source of information and comment on what’s new, interesting and important in the world of archaeology. The iPad/iPhone edition brings you selected pages from the latest issue as soon as it is available. You can subscribe within the application for full access, which brings you every page of the issue and a complete searchable archive back to the first issue from February 1995. Issues are not sold individually - for the duration of your subscription you have access to every issue in this archive. 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. • Social media sharing feature allowing you to share pages with friends. • If your institution has a magazine subscription, you can access it directly from within your registered IP range. We recommend first running the app within a wi-fi area so it can sync the latest issue to your device - after that you can use it anywhere. Subscribers will receive new issues automatically. Subscriptions are available within the app at the following prices: £3.99 per two months £26.99 per year In addition, please note the following standard features of auto-renewable 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
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
Read full descriptionHide full description
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
Screenshots
Verdict
British Archaeology and Current Archaeology are too close to call on the numbers: across 9 compared parameters — price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.
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. British Archaeology sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $5.49 per 2 months and Current Archaeology sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.49 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for British Archaeology against 5.0 for Current Archaeology. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 1 respectively.
British Archaeology ships an update every 4 months, Current Archaeology every 8 months. The most recent releases landed on September 3, 2026 and September 5, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | British Archaeology | Current Archaeology |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (1 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 33.3% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months — better | Every 8 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Subscription | Subscription |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | 16.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 4 MB | 4 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Council for British Archaeology (The) | The Past Limited |
Customer experience
British Archaeology
Current Archaeology
In-app purchases
British Archaeology
- British Archaeology$5.492 Months
- British Archaeology$20.991 Year
- British Archaeology$28.991 Year
Current Archaeology
- Current Archaeology Monthly Subscription$5.491 Month
- Current Archaeology Annual Subscription$58.991 Year
Questions
Is British Archaeology free?
Is Current Archaeology free?
Which has better reviews, British Archaeology or Current Archaeology?
Do British Archaeology or Current Archaeology have ads?
Which is updated more often, British Archaeology or Current Archaeology?
Other comparisons















