shouldiuse.io

VERDICT

Should I use JSTOR Support?

Not disclosed - support.jstor.org

Depends. This URL is JSTOR's help center, not a buy page — JSTOR itself is a nonprofit academic archive you typically use free through your school or library. Individuals without institutional access should compare JPASS costs against free alternatives before paying.

Confidence

Medium. Based on ~20 public sources: JSTOR help-center articles, official case studies, Wikipedia, and Reddit threads. Most pages are support documentation; independent review data is thin.

Ratings

  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Feature depth
  • Support quality
  • Security posture

Pricing

Institutional access

Paid by your library (negotiated)

ModelNot disclosed
Monthly feesNot disclosed
HardwareNot disclosed
Free tierYes
Free account$0
JPASSSubscription (see JSTOR for current rates)

Best for

  • Students and faculty with library access
  • Independent researchers using free read accounts
  • Historians needing primary source collections
  • Libraries building digital stewardship programs

Not for

  • Casual fact-finding — Google is faster
  • Non-academic business teams
  • Heavy downloaders without institutional access
  • Anyone expecting Google-style search simplicity

Gotchas - check before you buy

medium

Access method varies by institution — SSO, proxy, or VPN — so log-in failures need admin help

medium

Guess: JPASS caps monthly downloads; verify current limits before subscribing

low

Disclosed phishing email incident June 11, 2026; JSTOR says no contact data accessed

low

This page is a Zendesk help center — you cannot purchase JSTOR access here

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Deep archives: journals, books, and licensed primary source collections
  • Free access registration programs exist for independent researchers
  • Extensive self-serve help center covering access, search, and administration
  • Phone, chat, and email support for accessibility needs
  • Universities like Vanderbilt and UDC adopted its digital stewardship

Cons

  • Search has a learning curve; JSTOR publishes its own 'isn't Google' guide
  • Institutional access depends on proxies, VPNs, and admin setup
  • No public security page on the support site
  • No simple public pricing; institutional terms are negotiated

Sources & method

Analyzed 9/24/2026 - 14 sources - No known vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed; one phishing incident disclosed with no data accessed.

official x10review x2security x1news x1
  • June 11, 2026 Phishing Email Incident, Phishing email circulated; JSTOR reports no JSTOR contact data was accessed.

Key stats

  • Value for money: 4/5

    Rating

  • Paid by your library (negotiated)

    Starting price

  • 14

    Sources

  • Analyzed

  • Value for money: 4/5. Free via most libraries; JPASS for individuals
  • Ease of use: 3/5. Search needs practice; JSTOR admits it isn't Google
  • Feature depth: 4/5. Journals, books, primary sources, digital stewardship
  • Support quality: 4/5. Deep help center; phone, chat, email options
  • Security posture: 3/5. Transparent incident disclosure, but no security page
  • Mellon Foundation Backed by Initial funder; launched as nonprofit (Wikipedia)
  • ITHAKA Operated by Nonprofit parent organization
  • JPASS Individual plan Subscription for personal access; rates on JSTOR site
  • Not found Security page support.jstor.org/security returned no page

Pricing

Institutional access

Paid by your library (negotiated)

  • Full access on campus or via proxy/VPN
  • SSO and admin reporting available

Free account

$0

  • Register for limited free reading
  • Aimed at independent researchers

JPASS

Subscription (see JSTOR for current rates)

  • Personal access to journals
  • Download limits apply

Security

No known vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed; one phishing incident disclosed with no data accessed.

  • June 11, 2026 Phishing Email IncidentPhishing email circulated; JSTOR reports no JSTOR contact data was accessed.⁵

What users say

Reddit r/AskAcademia threads about JSTOR focus on access strategies; available snippets show no strong praise or complaints.

Companies that use it

  • Rollins College⁹
  • University of Puget Sound⁹
  • University of the District of Columbia⁸
  • Vanderbilt University⁸
  • UCL (University College London)
Full analysis

Based on ~20 public sources: JSTOR help-center articles, official case studies, Wikipedia, and Reddit threads. Most pages are support documentation; independent review data is thin.

Help portal, not a product: JSTOR archives are excellent if your library pays; individuals need JPASS or a free account.

Methodology

Based on ~20 public sources: JSTOR help-center articles, official case studies, Wikipedia, and Reddit threads. Most pages are support documentation; independent review data is thin.

Sources

  1. JSTOR Support (main help center)support.jstor.org
    official
  2. JPASS: Individual Subscriptions to JSTORsupport.jstor.org
    official
  3. Licensed and Open Primary Source Collections on JSTORabout.jstor.org
    official
  4. JSTOR — Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
    news
  5. June 11, 2026 Phishing Email Incidentsupport.jstor.org
    security
  6. Access Management Overviewsupport.jstor.org
    official
  7. Troubleshooting Your Institution's Proxysupport.jstor.org
    official
  8. UDC and Vanderbilt JSTOR Digital Stewardship case studyabout.jstor.org
    official
  9. Rollins College & Puget Sound JSTOR Digital Stewardship case studyabout.jstor.org
    official
  10. What are your thoughts and opinions on JSTOR? (Reddit)reddit.com
    review
  11. Best way to access academic journals without being on campus (Reddit)reddit.com
    review
  12. JSTOR isn't Google: Quick tips on searching JSTORyoutube.com
    official
  13. Support for Content Accessibilitysupport.jstor.org
    official
  14. Unlimited Pricing Model and Requirementssupport.publishers.jstor.org
    official

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