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How to read Australian Financial Review free or for less

The AFR keeps almost all of its reporting behind a paid subscription, and it is one of the dearest news subscriptions in Australia. The cheapest legal routes go through libraries: several state and council libraries let members read AFR text or page images online for free, usually a few days after publication.

Last checked 6 Nov 2026. Offers change often, so confirm the price on the outlet's own page before you pay.

Quick answer

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.

Australia

Library

State Library Victoria membership (Victorian residents)

Free

Victorian residents can join State Library Victoria for free and then read AFR articles from home through two databases: a ProQuest full-text edition (2013 onward, three-day delay, text only) and the Access Australia/NewsBank collection, which holds AFR text back to 1987. Log in with your library membership through the library's database list.

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Library

City of Sydney Library databases

Free

City of Sydney Library members can search the AFR through NewsBank (text from 1987, page images from 2020) and ABI/Inform (text from 2013) from home, logging in with their membership number.

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Library

State Library of Western Australia (NewsBank)

Free

State Library of WA card holders can read the AFR through NewsBank, with the most recent three days held back. Look for NewsBank under the library's quick links.

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Library

State Library of South Australia (NewsBank)

Free

The State Library of SA's newspaper guide lists the AFR among the current Australian titles in NewsBank, which members can use online. Remote access is generally for South Australian residents with a library membership.

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Library app

Library PressReader (72-hour delay)

Free

Since August 2026 the AFR's digital replica has been part of PressReader's library catalogue, but each edition only appears 72 hours after it is published. If your public library offers PressReader, sign in with your library card under 'Libraries & Groups' in the PressReader app or website.

How to get it Confirmed on an official page Source 1 Source 2
Employer

Employer licence (Financial Review for Business)

Free to employees if the employer pays

The AFR sells organisation-wide subscriptions, renamed Financial Review for Business in late 2025. If you work in finance, law, consulting or government, ask your library, knowledge or IT team whether your employer already has seats you can use.

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Student rate

Student rate via UNiDAYS

A$5/week

Currently enrolled tertiary students can get a discounted AFR digital subscription after confirming their student status with UNiDAYS. The A$5 weekly figure comes from search listings of the AFR's student page, which we could not load directly, so confirm the price at checkout.

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Questions

Often, yes, but usually a few days late. State Library Victoria (for Victorian residents), the State Library of WA, City of Sydney Library and libraries offering PressReader all give members free AFR access online, typically with a delay of about three days.

Yes. PressReader added the AFR in August 2026, but each issue only appears 72 hours after it is published. You can read it free if your public library subscribes to PressReader.

Yes. Tertiary students who verify through UNiDAYS can get a reduced rate, listed at about A$5 a week. Some university libraries also license AFR content, so check your library's database list before paying.

No. Apple's Australian Apple News+ publication list includes several News Corp papers but not the AFR or other Nine mastheads.

It might. The AFR sells business-wide licences under the Financial Review for Business name, so ask your organisation's library or IT team whether you can be added.