How to Read the Wall Street Journal for Free

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Find articles through the library, other sites, or other subscriptions

Co-authored by Elaine Heredia, BA Reviewed by Gerald Posner

Last Updated: October 11, 2025 Fact Checked

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Library Access

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Free WSJ Account

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Republished Articles

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Apple News+

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Newspapers.com

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The Wall Street Journal is one of the oldest, most well-respected sources of news, opinion pieces, recipes, and crossword puzzles in the United States. It's also locked behind a paywall, meaning you can't read WSJ articles online without paying for a subscription. Rather than shelling out $2 a week to access the articles you want to read, here's how to read the Wall Street Journal online for free using 5 different methods.

How to Read WSJ for Free

Read it digitally or in print through your local county or university library.
Read up to 3 articles by registering a free account on WSJ.com.
Read WSJ articles republished on other websites, like Yahoo.com.
Read it digitally for free through your Apple News+ subscription.
Read historical WSJ articles through your Ancestry.com subscription.

1

Read it through a library.

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Some county and university libraries provide free access to popular publications like the Wall Street Journal. Check your local library's website for instructions on how to access the digital version of the paper using your library card number and bypass the paywall. Alternatively, go in person and ask a librarian if they have print copies.^{[1]
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2

Read up to 3 articles with a free WSJ account.

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Register for a free account on the Wall Street Journal website. If you're only interested in reading a couple of articles on WSJ.com, use your email address to sign up for a free account! Once you're registered, you can read up to 3 articles before you're asked to start a paid subscription. Here's how to get started.
- Find the article you want to read on WSJ.com.
- Scroll down and click the blue sign-up button underneath the article text..
- Type in your name, an email address, and a password for your account.
- Complete the sign-up.
- Read the article you first clicked on.
- Pick up to 2 more to read for free.

3

Read WSJ articles republished on other sites.

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Some websites are licensed by Dow Jones, the company that owns the Wall Street Journal, to republish WSJ articles. And you can usually read these republished articles for free! The next time you come across an article from WSJ you want to read, search for it by its headline on MSN.com or Yahoo.com.

4

Read it for free with an Apple News+ subscription.

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Find the Wall Street Journal in the news outlets on Apple News+. If you have an Apple News+ subscription, you already have access to the Wall Street Journal! Simply open the Apple News+ app on your mobile device and follow these steps.^{[2]
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- Tap News+ at the bottom of the screen.
- Swipe left on the options at the top of the screen.
- Tap Catalog and scroll down until you find the Wall Street Journal.
- If you don't have an Apple News+ subscription, you can sign up for a 1-month free trial at any time. If you bought a new iPhone, iPad, or Mac on or after September 7, 2022, you automatically get 3 months free!^{[3]
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  - After the 1-month or 3-month trial is over, you can either cancel your subscription or pay $12.99 a month to keep it.

5

Read old WSJ articles with an Ancestry subscription.

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Read Wall Street Journal articles published in 1889-1923. Did you know that if you're subscribed to Ancestry.com's All Access Subscription, you have free access to Newspapers.com, too? This website has a vast catalog of old articles from hundreds of publications, including the Wall Street Journal from the years 1889-1923. It's a handy resource for history buffs, college students, and historical fiction or nonfiction writers.
- Start a 14-day free trial of the Ancestry All Access Subscription to get quick, free access to Newspapers.com. If you choose to keep the subscription after the free trial is over, you'll have to pay $59.99 a month or $259 for 6 months.^{[4]
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