Britannica

Website review by Heidi Kotansky, Common Sense Media
Britannica Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 10+

Most trusted resource will cost you $70 a year.

http://www.britannica.com
Rate website

Parents say

age 10+

Based on 3 reviews

Kids say

age 5+

Based on 3 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this website.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that they'll have to fork over $70 a year to access all of this site's content. It may be worth it as you won't have to worry about your kids coming across any inaccurate and inappropriately presented material. Yes, your kids will be able to read about penises, but the entries will be scientific and straightforward -- and they won't have any explicit images to go alongside them. There are ads, but they're minimal and all linked to things that will improve your mind, and a link to the Britannica store.

Community Reviews

jules D.
jules D. Adult
December 15, 2021
age 8+

Predatory Unethical Forced Subscription Renewal

You will be forced to give your credit card and the subscription will be renewed without any notice. This is a throwback to unethical predatory subscription practices of the 1990s and has no place in today's world. No refund, no replies. I tried to login the day before my year was up and could not. It was renewed the next day. Disgusting. Britannica ought to go Titanic. Britannica also closed down many good features for elementary students. This company continues the bad feelings that door to door encyclopedia salesmen left in their wake for many decades in rural America. Horrible company!
Exia
Exia Adult
June 7, 2010
age 12+

NOT to be confused with...

What can I say, it's Encyclopedia Britannica. But for all that is good and holy, never EVER confuse this with "Encyclopedia Dramatica." ever. Words can never describe... the horrors on encyclopedia dramatica.

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
See all 3 parent reviews

What’s It About?

It's time to clear your shelves of the set of dusty encyclopedias: BRITANNICA.COM is a faster way to find information on every subject. Want to learn about Uganda? Head on over to the atlas. Need a stat? The World Data Analyst breaks it all down. A separate subscription of $70 a year lets you explore one of the site's best features for kids: the online student edition filled with research guides and learning activities.

Is It Any Good?

Written mostly by Nobel Prize winners, the no-nonsense articles are comprehensive and well-organized. The timeline feature is very cool -- you just click on a subject and scroll through its history. The main drawback of this site is that only members ($70 a year) can read entire article entries and get access to the online resources (dictionary, thesaurus, and news articles).

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about why it's often better to go to a trusted site like Britannia than to Google to find the best age-appropriate, reliable information. What are safe sites to browse? How can you tell which sites you can trust? Parents can also explain why curiosity about the world can enrich our lives.

Website Details

  • Genre: Educational
  • Pricing structure: Free
  • Last updated: November 4, 2015

Our Editors Recommend

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