The Economist: Digital vs Print Subscriptions, Renewal Prices and Student Rates

The Economist sells subscriptions to its weekly news and analysis in digital, print and combined form, plus a shop of Economist-branded goods and books, and in some periods test-prep courses under the Economist name. Most people arrive to buy a subscription, and the price they pay depends more on how they sign up than on which plan they pick.

What decides a good Economist order: choosing the format you will actually read, knowing what the introductory rate renews at, and knowing how to cancel or renegotiate before it does.

Digital, print or both

A digital Economist subscription gives you the website, the Economist app with each weekly edition, the archive and the audio edition, in which every article is read aloud. For commuters, the audio edition is the single best reason to go digital.

Print adds the physical magazine delivered each week. Delivery day varies by country and postal service, and in some regions the paper copy arrives after the digital edition is already out. A print-plus-digital Economist bundle costs more but gives you both.

Be honest about reading habits. The Economist is dense, and a stack of unread print issues is the most common regret. Digital is cheaper and easier to keep up with.

The introductory price and what follows

The Economist is known for heavily discounted introductory offers, such as a low price for the first weeks or months. After that, the subscription renews automatically at the standard rate, which is considerably higher.

Note the renewal date and price shown at checkout. Put a reminder in your calendar a week before it. Many readers find that contacting The Economist before renewal produces a better retention offer than the standard rate; nothing guarantees it, but it is worth asking.

Annual billing is usually cheaper per week than monthly or quarterly billing on the same Economist plan, but it commits you for longer.

Student, educator and group rates

The Economist offers student pricing on digital subscriptions, which needs verification of enrolment. It is typically one of the lowest standing prices available, so students should use it rather than a general code.

Companies and universities can buy group or site licences. If your employer or library already has one, you may have Economist access at no personal cost; check before buying.

Cancelling and changing plans

How you cancel an Economist subscription depends on your country and how you signed up. In some regions it can be done online; in others you may need to contact customer service. Subscriptions bought through Apple or Google app stores are cancelled through that store, not with The Economist.

Switching from print to digital mid-term is possible but may change the price. Ask what the new rate will be before confirming.

Getting value from the Economist app

The Economist app downloads each weekly edition for offline reading, which suits flights and underground commutes. Set it to download automatically on Wi-Fi so the new issue is waiting for you.

Newsletters and daily briefings are part of the digital package too. Pick the few you will read and switch the rest off, or the inbox noise will make the subscription feel less useful than it is.

Digital subscribers can also search The Economist archive. For students and researchers that alone can justify the price over a year, since older coverage sits behind the paywall.

Beyond the subscription

The Economist also publishes annual titles such as The World Ahead, plus books and a range of branded merchandise sold through its shop. Those are separate purchases from the subscription and may accept different codes.

The Economist has also run test-prep products for exams such as the GMAT and GRE. Check what is currently offered and whether a code applies before assuming it does.

Where the Economist savings are

The 20% code is the best general Economist discount here. Compare it against the introductory offer on the subscribe page; a deep first-period discount may be worth more than 20% off the standard rate, and the two rarely combine.

FLASH15 is a flash-sale style Economist code. Use it where SAVE20 is refused, for example on the shop or on a plan outside the promotion.

The GMAT code is for Economist test-prep products, not the magazine. Only use it if you are buying exam preparation.

Whichever Economist code you use, the discount usually applies to the first billing period only. Check the renewal amount before you pay.

Common questions

Is the Economist audio edition included in digital?

Yes, digital Economist subscriptions include the audio edition in the app.

Why did my Economist price go up?

The introductory period ended and the plan renewed at the standard rate. Contact The Economist to ask about current offers.

Can I share an Economist subscription?

Personal subscriptions are for one reader. Group plans exist for teams.

Do Economist codes work on renewals?

Usually not. Codes are aimed at new subscriptions and shop orders.