Every publication metes out its paywall a little differently — some let you in a few times a month, some don't let you in at all. Below is what each one actually allows for free right now, plus the fastest workaround if you just need to get past one specific article.
NYT's free-article meter has gotten tighter over the years, and it varies by browser and device — some readers get a handful a month, others get none. The one official free route that reliably works: many public libraries offer free full NYT access through accessnyt.com with just your library card. It's worth checking before anything else since it's fully legitimate and unlimited.
For a specific article you've already hit a wall on, that's what the tool above is for.
Try it on your NYT linkWSJ is one of the strictest paywalls in news — there's essentially no meaningful free allowance for non-subscribers. If your library or university offers WSJ access through a database like Factiva, that's the clean official path. Otherwise, an archived snapshot of the specific article is the fastest way in.
Try it on your WSJ linkBloomberg allows a small number of free articles per month, tracked per browser — it resets if you switch to a private/incognito window or clear cookies, which covers most one-off reads. For anything beyond that, use the tool above on the specific link.
Try it on your Bloomberg linkThe Post frequently lifts its paywall entirely for major breaking-news stories (elections, disasters, big investigations) — check if the story qualifies before assuming you're blocked. For everyday articles behind the meter, paste the link above.
Try it on your WaPo linkThe Economist typically shows only the first paragraph or two to non-subscribers, with no real free quota to speak of. An archived version of the article is the practical way to read it in full without paying.
Try it on your Economist linkFT gives a limited number of free articles a month to registered (free-account) readers. If you're past that, an archived copy of the specific piece works instantly, no registration needed.
Try it on your FT linkMost Medium posts are free by default — only stories the author marked "Member-only" are locked. If the author shared a public friend link, that bypasses the lock entirely and is the most legitimate route. Otherwise, a Medium-focused reader like Freedium can usually render the full text — we've added it as one of the methods above.
Try Freedium on your Medium linkThe Atlantic allows a small number of free articles before prompting for a subscription. Past that limit, an archived version of the specific article is the quickest route back in.
Try it on your Atlantic linkWired meters a handful of free reads per month per browser. Clearing cookies or switching browsers resets it for casual reading; for a one-off locked article, use the tool above.
Try it on your Wired linkSimilar setup to Wired and The Atlantic — a small free quota, then a subscription wall. An archived snapshot works for individual articles.
Try it on your New Yorker linkHBR gives a small free allowance per month and then locks everything else, including its archive. Many university library systems carry full HBR access — check yours first if you're a student. Otherwise, the tool above works on individual article links.
Try it on your HBR linkBusiness Insider keeps a lot of its content free and ad-supported, but select investigative and premium pieces sit behind a subscriber wall. For those, paste the link above.
Try it on your Business Insider linkDoing research for a class or a paper and hitting the same wall over and over? Paste the article link into Bypass Paywall Reader and it finds a free archived copy in seconds — no login, no subscription.
Open Bypass Paywall Reader →NYT, Bloomberg, FT, The Atlantic, Wired, The New Yorker, and Business Insider meter a small number of free articles. WSJ, The Economist, and HBR are effectively hard paywalls with little to no free reading. Medium is free by default except for stories an author marks Member-only.
For most metered sites (Bloomberg, Wired, The Atlantic, The New Yorker), yes — the count is usually tied to your browser, so an incognito window often gives you a fresh count. Hard-paywalled sites like WSJ don't have a meaningful count to reset.
Yes — NYT (via accessnyt.com), WSJ (via Factiva at many universities), and HBR are the three most commonly available through public or university library subscriptions. It's worth checking your library's database list before anything else.