Britishnewspaperarchive Reviews 

89
TrustScore 3 out of 5

2.9

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Review summary

Created with AI, based on recent reviews

Evaluating 64 reviews, most reviewers were somewhat happy with their experience overall. Customers consistently praise the helpfulness and efficiency of the staff, highlighting prompt and professional assistance with various issues. However, many people express significant dissatisfaction with the new website design, describing it as cumbersome and difficult to navigate. Some users report that the updated interface has led to the loss of previously saved research and bookmarks, alongside less intuitive search functionality. Additionally, some customers noted issues with the quality of reproduction for certain images and missing periods within publications. A few people also struggled with accessing promised free articles or found the content presentation confusing.

What people talk about most

Website

Customers had negative experiences with the website, expressing disappointment with the new interface, which... See more

Staff

Clients share positive opinions on staff, frequently highlighting their helpfulness and efficiency. Reviewers... See more

User experience

Reviewers mention ambiguous feedback about user experience, with many expressing significant disappointment... See more

Customer service

People report positive experiences with customer service, highlighting the prompt, professional, and friendly... See more

Product

Consumers find the product to be ambiguous, with some reviewers praising it as an invaluable aid for research... See more

Reviews shaping this summary

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

As a historian, l have been a long-term user of the BNA; l encountered an access problem after an issue with Google which Sophie promptly resolved. Well done! Now l have your attention BNA, any chance... See more

Company replied

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

Ryan on email was very helpful when I ran into difficulties signing in to the website. I didn't need to subscribe for my first three articles and he sent me a link. A bit confusing without sending an... See more

Company replied

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

I was struggling with the new format of the BNA website and had to speak a few times to Marion to understand some basic manouvres. However, one article I wanted using some of my credit was only partia... See more

Company replied

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

I renewed my subscription for the year using the 25% off link. However, stupidly, I forgot to input the promo code. I emailed BNA and the next day a refund for the difference was credited to my PayP... See more

Company replied


Company details

Written by the company

The British Newspaper Archive is the largest online collection of historical British and Irish newspaper pages, created through a partnership between Findmypast and the British Library to preserve, digitise and share one of the world’s most remarkable newspaper collections. Since launching in 2011, the project has transformed access to the British Library’s vast holdings, bringing millions of searchable newspaper pages to researchers, historians, family history enthusiasts and curious readers around the world. Spanning from the 1600s to the modern era and covering Britain, Ireland, the Commonwealth and beyond, the archive contains millions of stories that capture everyday life, major world events and everything in between. From birth, marriage and death notices to reports of political movements, sporting triumphs, court cases and wartime experiences, the collection offers a unique window into the past. Working from the British Library’s newspaper facilities at Boston Spa, Yorkshire, specialist scanning teams carefully digitise newspapers from both original paper volumes and microfilm, using advanced technology to preserve even the rarest and most fragile titles. Supported by partnerships with libraries, archives, publishers and technology providers, the British Newspaper Archive continues to grow, adding new pages every week and ensuring that history as it happened remains accessible for generations to come.


Contact info

2.9

Average

TrustScore 3 out of 5

89 reviews

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2.9

All reviews

(89)

67 reviews in the last 12 months

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Companies on Trustpilot aren't allowed to offer incentives or pay to hide reviews. Reviews are the opinions of individual users and not of Trustpilot. Read more

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Good Sophie was amazing

Good Sophie was amazing. And very helpful 😁 このウェブサイトがとて素晴らしいです

14 April 2026
Unprompted review
Britishnewspaperarchive logo

Reply from Britishnewspaperarchive

Hi,

Thank you very much for taking the time to review the service you received from Sophie.

Kind Regards,

Vicky
The British Newspaper Archive

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Renewing my subscription

I wasn't sure why British Newspaper Archives hadn't automatically renewed my subscription so I emailed them. Sophie answered my email promptly and explained what I had to do and I straight away was able to reactivate my access. Happy customer.

7 April 2026
Unprompted review
Britishnewspaperarchive logo

Reply from Britishnewspaperarchive

Hi Sue,

Thank you for taking the time to review the service received by Sophie.

Kind Regards,

Vicky
The British Newspaper Archive

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Ryan

Ryan, at the BNA was very Polite, Professional and very speedy in responding to my request. I cannot fault the BNA at all.
I recommend the BNA for all your archive newspapers.

Thank you

Mr S Powell

2 April 2026
Unprompted review
Britishnewspaperarchive logo

Reply from Britishnewspaperarchive

Dear Mr Powell,

Thank you for taking the time to review your experience.

I'm delighted to hear that Ryan provided you with polite, professional and prompt service.

If you need any further assistance in the future please get back in touch.

Kind Regareds,

Vicky
The British Newspaper Archive

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

I signed up simply to download one…

I signed up simply to download one particular newspaper page that I needed to quote from for my studies, but first I needed to find the exact page; after clicking on and viewing three pages I was suddenly presented with paying options! The site offers limited 'free' access but is (deliberately?) unclear about what the limits are! I've gained nothing from using this website and am not happy about its false promises.

21 March 2026
Unprompted review
Britishnewspaperarchive logo

Reply from Britishnewspaperarchive

Hi Darren,

Thank you for your feedback. We’re sorry that you were unable to find the page you needed within the 3 free pages allowance and that the service did not meet your expectations on this occasion.

In addtion, to 3 free page views after registering there are a number of pages that are always free to view:
https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/search/results?AccessType=Free+To+View

If you wish to continue accessing more content beyond these limits, a paid option is available. Alternatively, you may want to try a local library to see if they have access to our library edition subscription that you can use.

Kind Regards,

Vicky
The British Newspaper Archive

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Excellent service

Excellent service, I was impressed at the dedication in assisting me locate a long lost photo of my school days.

9 March 2026
Unprompted review
Britishnewspaperarchive logo

Reply from Britishnewspaperarchive

Hi,

Many thanks for your feedback and we're grateful to hear that our Support Team was able to assist you with locating a photo from your school days.

If you need any further assistance, please don't hesitate to get back in touch.

Kind Regards,

Vicky
The British Newspaper Archive

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Ryan at the BL was so professional

Ryan at the BL was so professional, swiftly helpful, and efficient when I had a sign-in problem. He resolved this immediately. Five stars! Thanks you! Professor John Spiers.

26 February 2026
Unprompted review
Britishnewspaperarchive logo

Reply from Britishnewspaperarchive

Dear Professor Spiers,

Thank you so much for your kind words and for taking the time to share your experience.

We’re delighted to hear that Ryan was able to assist you so professionally and efficiently.

I’ll be sure to pass along your feedback to Ryan,

With thanks again for your review,

Kind Regards,

Vicky
The British Newspaper Archive

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Essential research tool

The British Newspaper Archive is an essential tool for anyone exploring the part. Short of going to a library and spending hours looking through old papers, with no index, there is no alternative. The index, though not always 100% reliable, due to misprints and odd spellings speeds and simplifies the whole process of looking for obscure facts (18th century whalers for me). Along the way it is easy to become side tracked by other fascinating stories but that all adds to the pleasure of the search. I thought my subscription had been suspended which was a disaster but your assistant Sophie soon sorted out the problem and I can now dive back into my whaling ships and the Arctic

26 February 2026
Unprompted review
Britishnewspaperarchive logo

Reply from Britishnewspaperarchive

Dear Miss Arneil,

Thank you so much for this wonderful review.

We’re thrilled to hear that you find the British Newspaper Archive such an essential tool for your research.

I’m pleased to hear that Sophie was able to quickly resolve the issue with your subscription. It's great to know she got you back to your whaling ships without delay.

Thank you again for taking the time to share your experience and happy exploring!

Kind Regards,

Vicky
The British Newspaper Archive

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

Nothing to be Alarmed About, a study of polio in Britain in 1938

I have used the BNA in a study of the outbreak of polio in England and Wales in 1938. As a source of evidence it is unique and invaluable, providing names, dates and locations of victims of all ages. I collated this with evidence drawn from the reports for that year written by local medical officers of health, archived in the Welcome Collection. The BNA material was easy to access and transcribe. There were very occasional issues over legibility and the formulation of search crtieria but no problems that I had to raise with the Archive. There was so much evidence available that it never occurred to me to wish I had access to newspapers not yet included in the Archive. I would urge all local (or non-local) history researchers to visit the Archive and check what it might offer them.

30 January 2026
Unprompted review
Britishnewspaperarchive logo

Reply from Britishnewspaperarchive

Hi,

Thank you so much for your detailed review.

We’re absolutely delighted to hear how valuable you have found the British Newspaper Archive for your research into the 1938 polio outbreak.

It’s wonderful to know the archive is playing a meaningful role in such important historical work. Thank you also for encouraging others to explore the Archive.

Best wishes for your continued research,

Vicky
The British Newspaper Archive

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Sofie is very helpful.

Sofie is very helpful.

16 February 2026
Unprompted review
Britishnewspaperarchive logo

Reply from Britishnewspaperarchive

Hi,

Many thanks for your review.

If you have any further queries, please don't hesitate to get in touch.

Kind Regards,

Vicky
The British Newspaper Archive

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Vicky helped with an issue I had with a…

Vicky helped with an issue I had with a gift voucher which got me back to searching the amazing archive quickly. Thankyou

2 February 2026
Unprompted review
Britishnewspaperarchive logo

Reply from Britishnewspaperarchive

Hi Steven,

Thank you for taking the time to share your experience and your thanks to Vicky for her help.

We hope you continue to enjoy using the archive and if there is anything the Support Team can help with in the future, please get back in touch.

Kind Regards,

The British Newspaper Archive

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Excellent research tool

I have found The British Newspaper Archive to be invaluable for historical research. When there was a snag in renewing my pay-as-you-go package, I felt at a loss at how to go about making the payment. Fortunately, Sophie, of BNA support, diagnosed the problem and I was soon up and running again for which I was very grateful.

6 February 2026
Unprompted review
Britishnewspaperarchive logo

Reply from Britishnewspaperarchive

Hi Peter,

Great to hear that you find The British Newspaper Archive invaluable for historical research and thankyou for your feedback for Sophie.

If you have any further queries or issues, please don't hesitate to get back in touch with our Support Team.

Kind Regards,

Vicky
The British Newspaper Archive

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful service

I am in Australia and I was having difficulty finding particular London newspapers for 1940.
I sent off a query and quick as a flash (next day my time), Sophie provided a direct link to exactly where I wanted to go.
Well done and thank you Sophie 😀 🙋‍♂️

2 February 2026
Unprompted review
Britishnewspaperarchive logo

Reply from Britishnewspaperarchive

Hi Terry,

Thank you very much for your kind review.

We’re delighted that Sophie was able to help you so quickly and point you directly to the London newspapers you were looking for.

We really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience, and we’ll be sure to pass your thanks on to Sophie.

Kind Regards,

Vicky
The British Newspaper Archive

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

I was having problems logging onto the…

I was having problems logging onto the site which Sophie helped me with. Great efficiency which I appreciated.

29 January 2026
Unprompted review
Britishnewspaperarchive logo

Reply from Britishnewspaperarchive

Hi Dave,

Thank you very much for taking the time to share a review.

We appreciate your kind words for Sophie and will be sure to pass these on.

Please don't hesitate to get back in touch if you have any further queries.

Kind Regards,

Vicky
The British Newspaper Archive

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Thank you to Marion at The British…

Thank you to Marion at The British Newspaper Archive for swiftly and caringly help me find information relating to my family genealogy research. Thoughtful and friendly service. Many thanks!

27 January 2026
Unprompted review
Britishnewspaperarchive logo

Reply from Britishnewspaperarchive

Hi,

Thank you for taking the time to share a review for the search help you received from Marion. We'll be sure to pass your feedback and thanks onto her.

If you do require any further assistance in the future, our Support Team will be happy to assist.

Kind Regards,

Vicky
The British Newspaper Archive

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Problem Solved!

I had a small problem but Sophie took care of it right away. Thank you for the amazing service.

19 January 2026
Unprompted review
Britishnewspaperarchive logo

Reply from Britishnewspaperarchive

Hi Kim,

Thank you for taking the time to share your experience, we'll be sure to pass your feedback onto Sophie.

If you ever need any further assistance please don't hesitate to get back in touch.

Kind Regards,

Vicky
The British Newspaper Archive

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

Problem resolved

As a historian, l have been a long-term user of the BNA; l encountered an access problem after an issue with Google which Sophie promptly resolved. Well done! Now l have your attention BNA, any chance of adding to the Sheffield newspapers from 1939 onwards?

19 January 2026
Unprompted review
Britishnewspaperarchive logo

Reply from Britishnewspaperarchive

Hi,

Thank you so much for your lovely review! We're really glad to hear Sophie was able to get your access issue sorted quickly.

Our content team have had a look and advised all the items for that time period appear to be on paper. We can't promise anything but to help them see if we can prioritise any, could you email Sophie/Support back with the specific titles you’re most interested in?

Many thanks,

Vicky
The British Newspaper Archive

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

Got there in the end! ...

Ryan on email was very helpful when I ran into difficulties signing in to the website. I didn't need to subscribe for my first three articles and he sent me a link. A bit confusing without sending an email to start with as the website asks you to create an account and give your bank details, when you don't have to if you only want one piece of information.

2 January 2026
Unprompted review
Britishnewspaperarchive logo

Reply from Britishnewspaperarchive

Hi Catherine,

Thank you for your feedback regarding the process of obtaining the 3 free page views - this is very useful for us to review.

Great to hear that Ryan was able to help when you encountered some difficulties when signing in.

If you ever need more help or have any questions in the future, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Thanks again for taking the time to share your experience.

Kind Regards,

Vicky
The British Newspaper Archive

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

Good Service!

Great service from "Sophie" solving a problem with my subscription. Many Thanks!

15 January 2026
Unprompted review
Britishnewspaperarchive logo

Reply from Britishnewspaperarchive

Hi Tomas,

Many thanks for taking the time to share feedback on your experience.

We're glad that Sophie was on hand to help with issues with your subscription.

If you have any further queries please don't hesitate to get back in touch.

Kind Regards,

Vicky
The British Newspaper Archive

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Really great archive and when I made a…

Really great archive and when I made a mistake and didn't cancel my subscription, Sophie was incredibly helpful. I will be back!

14 January 2026
Unprompted review
Britishnewspaperarchive logo

Reply from Britishnewspaperarchive

Hi,

We’re delighted to hear that you’re enjoying the archive and it’s great to know that Sophie was able to help you when you needed support.

We really appreciate you sharing your experience and we’ll be very happy to welcome you back whenever you’re ready

Kind Regards,

Vicky
The British Newspaper Archive

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

I find the Archive expensive

I find the Archive expensive. I only make occasional searches - usually abortive! - and it is not worth a subscription.

6 January 2026
Unprompted review
Britishnewspaperarchive logo

Reply from Britishnewspaperarchive

Hi Roy,

Thank you for your feedback.

We understand that a subscription may not suit everyone’s needs and sorry that you found that option expensive.

We do offer a Pay as you go option which we find is suited for those that need access occasionally - this might be something more suitable for your personal needs?

Alternatively, you may want to check with local libraries as they may have free access to our site there.

Kind Regards,

Vicky
The British Newspaper Archive

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