Infoplease
Infoplease: A broad, free reference hub for students, teachers, parents, and general readers. Ranked #20 of 32 in Online Encyclopedias by our editors (7.1/10); pricing: Free plan; best for free general reference and research tools.
At a glance
- Editor score7.1 / 10
- PricingFree plan
- Best forFree general reference and research tools
- Free planYes
- Paid fromFree
- Citation toolsYes
- Founded1998
- Facts checked19 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Combines encyclopedia articles with dictionaries, atlases, and timelines
- Offers citation guidance, primary sources, quizzes, and educational tools
- Provides geography, conversion, calendar, and science reference resources
Where it doesn't
- Available through the web rather than multiple platform formats
- Broad coverage may not suit readers seeking a specialist research database
- Not open source for users seeking freely modifiable reference software
Our verdict on Infoplease
Infoplease is a free online reference and learning site for general readers, students, teachers, and parents. Its coverage spans history, geography, science, mathematics, current events, culture, and biographies. The service combines encyclopedia articles, including content powered in part by the Columbia Encyclopedia, with dictionary and thesaurus tools, almanac-style facts, primary sources, quizzes, calculators, maps, and homework-help content. It is suited to everyday research, classroom preparation, study support, and quick background reading.
Its strongest quality is breadth. A single web destination brings together country profiles, world atlas resources, historical timelines, geography materials, science-project ideas, educational quizzes, and tools for conversions, distances, latitude and longitude, calendars, and the periodic table. Research support extends beyond article lookup through citation and bibliography guidance. Infoplease also presents editorially curated content that is regularly updated, with cited external sources supporting its reference material. This combination makes it useful when a question crosses subjects or requires both explanation and supporting resources.
Infoplease is a practical choice for free, general-purpose reference work, especially for learners who value varied formats and education-focused extras. It is less suitable for readers who need a specialist database, advanced research workflows, or software they can modify, since the service is web-based and not open source. Teachers and parents can use its quizzes, project ideas, timelines, and primary-source collections alongside encyclopedia content, while students can draw on its citation guidance and geography tools. Readers seeking a focused academic platform or a broader set of access options should consider alternatives designed around those needs.
Your product? Our editors can test Infoplease in depth and publish a review, labelled as paid · from $149/mo →
Infoplease pricing
Infoplease fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | Free |
| Citation tools | Yes |
| Educator resources | Yes |
| Institutional access | Not verified |
| Content formats | Multimedia and interactive |
| Update frequency | Not stated |
| Mobile apps | Not verified |
| Deployment | Cloud |
| Platforms | Web |
| Pricing | Free plan |
| Website | infoplease.com |
| Facts checked | 19 Sep 2026 |
Alternatives to Infoplease
- WikipediaA broad, free reference resource with multilingual search and transparent article histories.9.4
- Encyclopaedia BritannicaA fact-checked, multimedia reference service with strong classroom and accessibility tools.9.2
- Store norske leksikonA strong free reference for Norwegian-language research, learning and everyday questions.9.0
See all Infoplease alternatives →
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Sep 2026
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