Understand Different Types of Paywalls
There are three main types of online paywalls that publishers use to restrict access to content:
Hard Paywalls
Hard paywalls completely block all content for users who haven’t subscribed (Blockthrough, 2021). Readers have to purchase a subscription to access any content on the site. Major newspapers like The Wall Street Journal use hard paywalls, only allowing a select few articles to be accessed per month without a subscription.
Metered Paywalls
Metered paywalls allow readers to view a set number of articles for free per month before requiring them to subscribe (Chartbeat, 2020). Once the limit is reached, the rest of the content is blocked. The amount of free articles can range from 5-10 a month typically. Large publications like The New York Times utilize metered paywalls effectively.
Freemium Models
Freemium paywalls permit access to certain content for free while requiring payment for premium content (Blockthrough, 2021). For example, some sites may allow access to entertainment stories for free but block political and investigative reporting behind the paywall. Freemium models essentially entice readers in with free content before encouraging them to upgrade.
Use Incognito/Private Browsing
One way to bypass some paywalls is by using your browser’s incognito or private browsing mode. This opens a new instance of the browser that doesn’t store cookies, site data, or browsing history. According to this Lifehacker article, incognito gets around metered paywalls that count the number of free articles you can view by not retaining cookies that store this count.
The main pro of using incognito browsing is that it resets the meter on metered paywalls, allowing you to view more free articles. The downside is that it doesn’t work for hard paywalls that require logging in or paying to read content. Incognito also doesn’t save your browsing history or autofill data, so it’s slightly less convenient to use regularly.
Clear Cookies and Cache
Many paywalls limit the number of free articles you can view by using cookies to track your browsing activity. Deleting cookies and clearing your cache can reset this limit and grant you access to more free content before hitting a paywall again. This method essentially allows you to bypass the meter tracking how many articles you’ve viewed.
On Chrome, you can clear cookies by going to Settings > Privacy and Security > Clear Browsing Data and then selecting “Cookies and other site data” and the desired timeframe. You can also right-click on a page and select “Inspect” to open the Developer tools, then go to the “Application” tab and click “Clear site data” to clear data for just that site.
On Firefox, go to Options > Privacy & Security > Cookies and Site Data > Clear Data to clear cookies. You can also right-click and choose “Inspect Element” then click “Storage” and “Clear” to clear data for one site.
Clearing your cache and cookies resets the article view count and bypasses the paywall temporarily, though some sites may detect this activity and react by implementing stricter paywalls. As noted on Reddit, paywalls may increase the frequency of resetting the meter if they detect cookies being cleared regularly.
Use Reader Modes
Many browsers such as Chrome, Firefox, and Safari have built-in reader modes that strip away ads, navigation menus, and other unnecessary elements to display just the main article text and images. To use reader mode in Chrome and Firefox, click the browser’s menu button and select “Reader mode” or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl/Cmd+Alt+R. For Safari, enable Reader under View > Show Reader. This often removes soft paywalls allowing you to freely read the full article.
While quite effective on many sites, reader modes do not work universally, especially on hard paywalls that require login or subscription. Extensions like Read Aloud for Chrome also try to parse just the main article content. Overall, built-in reader modes and extensions provide a quick way to access certain paywalled content, but have limitations compared to methods like disabling JavaScript.
Sources:
https://fingerprint.com/blog/how-paywalls-work-paywall-protection-tutorial/
Modify the URL
One simple method to bypass some paywalls is to modify the URL by removing tracking tags or changing domains. Many news sites use tracking parameters at the end of URLs to identify visitors and limit free articles. For example, the URL may contain something like “?utm_source=google” at the end. Deleting everything after the “.com” can allow you to access the full article.
Additionally, some sites have different domains that provide the same content without paywalls. For instance, The Wall Street Journal is available on wsj.com behind a paywall but also on m.wsj.com for free. Changing between www. and m. versions of some sites can bypass metered paywalls. You can also try using a site’s mobile URL – m.nytimes.com instead of nytimes.com, for example.
According to a Reddit user, “Deleting the section of the URL from the first “?” onwards will remove most tracking tags and allow you to read the full article” (Source). By modifying URLs to remove tracking parameters or use alternate domains, you may be able to access paywalled content for free.
Use a VPN
One way to bypass paywalls is by using a virtual private network (VPN). A VPN allows you to change your IP address and location, which can help circumvent geo-restricted paywalls. When you connect to a VPN server in a different city or country, websites see the IP address of the VPN server rather than your actual IP address. This makes it seem like you are accessing the site from a different location.
For example, if you wanted to access a website that was restricted to UK users, you could connect to a VPN server based in London. The website would then see a UK IP address and grant you access. The same concept applies for getting around paywalls that restrict access based on geography.
Some popular VPNs known to be effective at bypassing regional paywalls include NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and Private Internet Access. Just make sure to select a server location that does not have the same restrictions as your actual location.
The key is finding a VPN server in an area that provides full access to the paywalled content you want to read. It may take some trial and error with different server locations to find one that works.
Source: https://www.purevpn.com/blog/how-to-bypass-the-paywall/
Try Aggregator Sites
News aggregators collect articles from multiple sources into one feed. This allows you to quickly scan headlines and summaries from different outlets without hitting their paywalls. Many aggregators will link directly to the source, which could lead to paywalls, but some provide ways around this.
For example, Reddit users have suggested using aggregators that let you customize what sources are included. That way you can handpick outlets with free content, like NPR, BBC, and Al Jazeera.
RSS feeds also aggregate content into one feed while stripping away paywalls. News aggregators like Feedly and Inoreader offer RSS capabilities to access full articles from a variety of sources for free.
The key is finding an aggregator that doesn’t directly link out to publisher sites. While most will take you straight to a paywall, custom RSS feeds let you continue reading the full content.
Leverage Social Media
Many news sites do not meter content that is shared via social media. By accessing an article through a social media link instead of directly, you may be able to bypass the paywall. For example, if you see a paywalled article shared on Twitter or Facebook, try clicking the social media link instead of going directly to the news site. Since the article is being accessed through social sharing rather than directly, the paywall restrictions may not apply.
Additionally, some browser extensions like Bypass Paywalls Clean work by automatically redirecting you through social media links when you visit a paywalled site. This takes advantage of the fact that social links are often not metered. Overall, leveraging social media sharing links is one of the simplest ways to potentially bypass pesky paywalls.
Consider a Subscription
While paywalls limiting free access to content may seem frustrating, subscribing can be an ethical way to support quality journalism. Many reputable news publications rely on subscriber revenue to fund in-depth, ad-free reporting. According to a study by The Audiencers, publications with paywalls averaged 7.6 new subscriptions for every 1,000 visits – showing the revenue potential of this model (source). Rather than finding workarounds, consider directly funding the hard work of journalists who keep citizens informed. If the reporting provides value to you, paying a fair price for a subscription is the most ethical approach. This revenue allows publications to stay in business and continue providing public service journalism, without relying entirely on ads or chasing clicks. Supporting ethical subscriptions also encourages higher quality content overall.
Summary
To summarize, there are several ethical ways to access paywalled web content without having to purchase an expensive subscription. We covered popular techniques like using incognito or private browsing modes, clearing your browser cookies and cache, and leveraging reader modes built into many browsers. Using a VPN to access content from a different region or modifying the URL can also sometimes bypass soft paywalls. Aggregator sites, social media, and considering a paid subscription remain options as well.
When accessing paywalled content for free, it’s important to use these methods ethically. Avoid sharing full paywalled articles without permission and consider supporting publishers you frequently read by purchasing a subscription. Make sure to properly cite and attribute any content you reference. Most publishers work hard to produce quality journalism and rely on subscriptions, so use workarounds judiciously.
With a range of options available, you can access some paywalled content ethically without expensive subscriptions. Just be sure to support publishers when you can, and thoughtfully consider how to make the most of free access.