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Legal ways to read paywalled news

One guide per outlet: free routes through libraries, schools and employers, then the cheapest paid options. Each guide shows when we last checked it.

United States

The Athletic

If you already pay for NYT All Access or Apple News+, The Athletic is included. If not, check whether your library offers a free 24-hour Athletic pass, as Denver, St. Louis County and Ottawa do.

Checked 7 Nov 2026

The Atlantic

If you already pay for Apple News+, The Atlantic is included. If not, look for the latest magazine issues free in your library's Flipster or PressReader app.

Checked 6 Nov 2026

Bloomberg

If you are a student or work at a university, first check whether your school offers free Bloomberg.com access. Otherwise, the student plan or Apple News+ (for Businessweek) is the cheapest legal route.

Checked 6 Nov 2026

Los Angeles Times

If you already pay for Apple News+, it includes the LA Times. Otherwise the cheapest full access is the US$1-for-4-months introductory offer, and a Los Angeles Public Library card lets you read LA Times articles free in ProQuest.

Checked 7 Nov 2026

The New York Times

If your public library licenses the Times, your card gets you a free pass, usually for 24 or 72 hours, that you can renew whenever it runs out.

Checked 6 Nov 2026

The New Yorker

In the US, borrow the latest issues free in the Libby app with your library card. Elsewhere, check your library's PressReader, or read it in Apple News+ if you already pay for it.

Checked 7 Nov 2026

The Wall Street Journal

In the US, check whether your public library or college offers free WSJ passes. Elsewhere, Apple News+ is the simplest paid route that includes WSJ stories.

Checked 6 Nov 2026

The Washington Post

Check whether your public library offers a free 7-day Post pass, as LA and DC do. If you already pay for Apple News+, it includes the Post.

Checked 6 Nov 2026

United Kingdom

The Economist

Read the weekly edition free on PressReader with a library card if your library offers it. Otherwise, students and teachers should take the 75%-off annual plan.

Checked 6 Nov 2026

Financial Times

Students and staff should check for a free FT licence at their school, college, university or employer first, because group access is the most common free route to the full FT.

Checked 6 Nov 2026

The Telegraph

With a UK library card you can read the full Telegraph edition free in PressReader, and UK students can claim a free year of digital access through Student Beans.

Checked 6 Nov 2026

The Times and The Sunday Times

UK students should take the Student Beans plan at £9.99 a year; everyone else can read the text of The Times free through a UK library's NewsBank service, or get it as part of Apple News+.

Checked 6 Nov 2026

Australia

Australian Financial Review

If you live in Victoria, a free State Library Victoria membership lets you read AFR articles from home (three days after publication); elsewhere, check your state or council library's NewsBank or PressReader access.

Checked 6 Nov 2026

News Corp Australia papers (The Australian, Daily Telegraph, Herald Sun, Courier-Mail, The Advertiser)

Apple News+ (A$19.99/month after a free trial) includes The Australian, Daily Telegraph, Herald Sun, Courier-Mail and The Advertiser; if you are a student, check whether your university already provides free News Corp access.

Checked 6 Nov 2026

The Sydney Morning Herald

If your university is in Nine's Campus Access scheme you can activate a free Premium Digital subscription with your uni email; otherwise a state or council library card gets you the Herald's digital edition free.

Checked 6 Nov 2026

Canada

The Globe and Mail

The current flash sale (C$0.49/week for the first 24 weeks) is the cheapest full subscription; for free reading, use your public library's ProQuest or Gale news database from home, or PressReader inside a branch.

Checked 6 Nov 2026