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Guide

How subscriber gift links work at major news outlets

Many publishers let paying subscribers send a full article to someone who does not subscribe, through a special share or gift link. The allowance, how long the link stays open and whether the reader must sign up differ from outlet to outlet. Here is what we could confirm for each one.

How it works

A gift link is a feature the publisher builds and controls. The subscriber presses the outlet's own gift or share button, the publisher creates a link for that article, and the publisher decides how many links each subscriber gets, who can open them and for how long. Nothing is copied, hidden or worked around: the article is served by the publisher's own site on the publisher's terms. Outlets offer gift links because a friend's recommendation is one of the best ways to find new readers. So if you want to read a story, asking a subscriber friend for a gift link is a fair and fully legal request.

Last checked 6 Nov 2026. Library offers and prices change, so check the linked page before relying on it.

United States

US outlets have the most generous gift-link schemes. The Times and the Post are the best documented; WSJ and The Atlantic are reported to allow unlimited sharing.

The New York Times

Gift articles from subscribers; the help page now describes sharing as unlimited

Readers open a gift article by signing in to, or creating, a free NYT account; no subscription is needed. Gift articles do not use up the reader's free-article allowance. Subscribers whose plan includes Cooking can also gift recipes.

Per month
No cap stated on the current help page (earlier versions and late-2025 reporting said 10 per month)
Link lasts
30 days
Reader needs an account
Yes (free)
Go to the page Reported by a reliable source; check before relying on it

The Washington Post

10 gift articles per calendar month

A gift link is created when the subscriber picks a share option, and it can go to several people. Recipients can read for free without subscribing or signing in. Separately, subscribers can give one person a 30-day digital pass each month.

Per month
10
Link lasts
14 days
Reader needs an account
No
Go to the page Reported by a reliable source; check before relying on it

The Wall Street Journal

Subscribers can share articles with non-subscribers; reported as unlimited

A November 2025 media commentary reported that WSJ subscribers can share any number of stories. We could not confirm on WSJ's own pages whether the reader must register or how long a shared link stays open.

Per month
Reported as unlimited
Reported by a reliable source; check before relying on it

The Atlantic

Gift articles are a subscriber perk; reported as unlimited

The Atlantic lists free gift articles among its subscription benefits, and a November 2025 report said subscribers can share an unlimited number. Registration and expiry rules are unconfirmed.

Per month
Reported as unlimited
Reported by a reliable source; check before relying on it

United Kingdom

The FT was one of the first outlets to offer gift articles and still does; The Economist gives subscribers a smaller monthly allowance. We could not confirm the current gift-link rules for The Times or The Telegraph.

Financial Times

10 gift articles per month on Standard Digital, reported as 20 on Premium

The FT launched gift articles in 2013, when each link worked for the first person who opened it. A partner benefits page lists 10 gifts a month for Standard and 20 for the top tier. Current registration and expiry rules are unconfirmed.

Per month
10 (Standard), 20 (Premium, unconfirmed)
Reported by a reliable source; check before relying on it

The Economist

5 shared articles per month

Third-party listings, including Student Beans' description of the student plan, say a digital subscription lets you share five articles a month. We could not see The Economist's own page.

Per month
5
Reported by a reliable source; check before relying on it

Not confirmed yet

We couldn't confirm current details for these outlets, so we don't list them above:

  • The Times and The Sunday Times (UK)
  • The Telegraph (UK)
  • The Australian Financial Review
  • The Sydney Morning Herald / The Age
  • News Corp Australia mastheads
  • The Globe and Mail (Canada)

Questions

Yes. The publisher makes the link, sets the rules and serves the article itself. Using it is exactly what the outlet intended.

It depends on the outlet. The Washington Post lets you read without signing in, while The New York Times asks you to log in to or create a free account.

Gift links usually expire, for example after 14 days at the Washington Post or 30 days at the NYT. Some outlets also limit how many people can open one link. Ask the sender for a fresh one.

At the NYT, gift articles do not count against a non-subscriber's free allowance. Other outlets do not always say, but gift links are designed to sit outside the normal meter.

We could not confirm current gift-link rules for The Times, The Telegraph, the AFR, the SMH, News Corp Australia titles or The Globe and Mail. If you subscribe, look for a gift or share-for-free button on the article.