London Review of Books
London Review of Books: A literary magazine subscription with digital issues, app reading and archive access. Ranked #32 of 71 in News and Digital Magazine Subscriptions by our editors (6.2/10); pricing: From £35; best for readers seeking literary criticism and a deep archive.
At a glance
- Editor score6.2 / 10
- PricingFrom £35
- Best forReaders seeking literary criticism and a deep archive
- Free planNo
- Paid from£35
- Publication typeMagazine
- Founded1979 · London, UK
- Facts checked5 Oct 2026
Where it wins
- Digital plan includes new issues, app access and online archive access
- App supports offline reading and saved articles
- Print and Digital plan includes 22 print editions per year
Where it doesn't
- No free plan; Digital costs £35 per quarter after the introductory offer
- Print and Digital costs £54 per quarter after the introductory offer
- Close Readings podcasts require a separate subscription
Our verdict on London Review of Books
Literary criticism, essays, reviews and cultural writing are at the center of the London Review of Books, a magazine published twice monthly. It suits readers who want sustained long-form writing and access to past issues, with subscriptions for digital reading or for print and digital together. Subscribers can read on the website and in mobile and tablet apps; gift subscriptions are also available.
The Digital plan costs £35 per quarter after the introductory offer. It includes new issues online, website access, the mobile and tablet app, offline reading, saved articles and the online archive. The Print and Digital plan costs £54 per quarter after the introductory offer and adds 22 print editions per year while retaining website, app and archive access. Both are paid quarterly subscriptions, so the choice is chiefly between digital-only reading and receiving print editions as well. The separate Close Readings podcast subscription is not part of either magazine plan.
The archive and app features make the digital subscription a fit for readers who value back issues and want to save articles or read offline on mobile devices and tablets. Those seeking a print copy can choose the higher-priced combined plan. Readers primarily looking for included audio should look elsewhere or account for a separate Close Readings subscription; likewise, the quarterly cost may not suit someone seeking a free or lower-cost magazine option. The strongest case is for readers committed to literary criticism and a deep archive, rather than a broad bundle of publications or audio content.
London Review of Books pricing
All 2 London Review of Books plans and prices →
London Review of Books fact sheet
| Free plan | No |
|---|---|
| Paid from | £35 |
| Publication type | Magazine |
| Publication bundle | No |
| Archive access | Yes |
| Audio content | No |
| Ad-free access | Not verified |
| Gift subscription | Yes |
| Deployment | Cloud, Mobile |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android |
| Support | Email, Phone, Docs |
| Built for | Solo, Small business (editorial estimate) |
| Pricing | From £35 (source) |
| Website | lrb.co.uk |
| Facts checked | 5 Oct 2026 |
Alternatives to London Review of Books
- The New York TimesA paid news subscription with breaking alerts, audio and video, plus a broader All Access bundle.9.4
- Financial TimesA broad news subscription with personalised reading, offline access and market coverage.9.3
- The Wall Street JournalA subscription news service pairing WSJ journalism with personalized feeds and market tools.9.2
See all London Review of Books alternatives →
Used London Review of Books? Be the first to review it
The editor score above is our own research. What this page doesn't have yet is a reader's view — what you used London Review of Books for, what worked and what didn't. No stars are seeded and no review is paid for; an editor reads every one before it appears.
Write a reviewTwo minutes · verified accounts only · read by an editor before it appears
Featured on iTechGuides
London Review of Books is listed in our News and Digital Magazine Subscriptions directory. Add the badge to your site — it links back to this page.
<a href="https://www.itechguides.com/products/london-review-of-books/"><img src="https://www.itechguides.com/best/badge/london-review-of-books.svg" alt="Featured on iTechGuides" width="230" height="46"></a>
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. How we rank.
Last updated · How we research and update