Leo Maurer, auteur chez State of Digital Publishing

In the rapidly evolving digital media landscape, staying informed of consumption patterns is more crucial than ever. With more than 86% of Americans turning to digital devices for their online news, how we consume information is continuously changing. These shifts have forced news outlets to explore new strategies to uphold quality reporting. One such approach is to adopt one of four types of paywalls. Take The New York Times as a prime example of this strategy's success. With 9.3 million digital-only subscribers as of November 2022, The New York Times’s adoption of a dynamic paywall shows readers are willing to pay for reliable, in-depth news articles. Paywalls are pivotal in turning casual browsers into committed, paying customers. However, not all subscriber strategies are the same, with different papers embracing different approaches to paywall implementation. We’ve examined 21 of the most popular news websites using paywalls to better understand the nature of paid subscriptions. Most Popular News Sites With Paywalls 1. The New York Times The New York Times, founded in 1851, is an iconic daily newspaper with a global readership. Headquartered near Times Square, New York City, The New York Times has been awarded 132 Pulitzer Prizes. It employs a full-screen, anti-scroll paywall strateg, with no form fields or additional offers. Subscriber count: 10 million (August 2023) Year-on-year change: +8.5% from 9.2 million (August 2022) Paywall type: Full-screen, anti-scroll Form fields: No Choice of offers: No 2. The Wall Street Journal The Wall Street Journal, founded in July 1889, is a leading financial news outlet that offers in-depth analysis, market insights and breaking news. It is a go-to source for professionals seeking credible information on business, economics and global affairs. Subscriber count: 3.3 million (March 2023) Year-on-year change: +9% from 3 million (March 2022) Paywall type: Integrated, anti-scroll Form fields: Yes Choice of offers: Yes 3. The Athletic The Athletic is a sports-centric online news platform that offers in-depth analysis, commentary and breaking news across various sports disciplines. It aims to provide comprehensive quality sports writing, from game recaps to player profiles. The Athletic employs a collapsible paywall with various login options integrated into the text, which doesn't block scrolling. This allows readers to engage with a portion of a news article before hitting the paywall, making it a less intrusive but effective method for converting anonymous readers into paying subscribers. Subscriber count: 3.3 million (March 2023) Year-on-year change: +100% from 1.6 million (March 2022) Paywall type: Full-screen, anti-scroll Form fields: No Choice of offers: No 4. The Washington Post The Washington Post, under the ownership of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, is widely regarded as one of the world’s leading news publications. The newspaper has embraced a global perspective, with recent expansions in London and Seoul aimed at bolstering international subscription growth. The Washington Post's commitment to quality journalism is underscored by its growing base of digital subscribers, making it a prominent player in today's news industry. Subscriber count: 3 million (December 2022) Year-on-year change: N/A (no update) Paywall type: Pop-up, anti-scroll Form fields: Yes Choice of offers: Yes 5. Nikkei Nikkei, Japan's largest financial publisher, has been making waves with its mobile app, Nikkei Wave. The app has more than 3 million paying subscribers, with an additional 4 million registered users. The app's features have led to a 16% increase in return visits and a 32% increase in the average number of articles read. Nikkei is one of the leading sources of business, financial and general news in Japan and Asia. The site provides its readers with a wide array of topics, including business, tech, geopolitics and entertainment in various languages. Subscriber count: 3 million (September 2023) Year-on-year change: N/A (no update) Paywall type: Integrated, doesn't block scrolling Form fields: No Choice of offers: No 6. The Economist The Economist offers articles on global affairs for various locations, from politics and economics to science and technology. Known for delivering in-depth content and a global perspective, the Economist is great for those seeking to understand the modern financial world. Owned by the Economist Group and headquartered in London, it has offices in the US, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Subscriber count: 1.18 million (March 2023) Year-on-year change: +13% from 1 million (March 2022) Paywall type: Integrated, doesn't block scrolling Form fields: No Choice of offers: No 7. The Financial Times The Financial Times has a global reach, with more than half of its subscribers based outside the UK. The US, for example, accounts for more than 20% of its subscriber base. The Financial Times is a comprehensive source for global business news and analysis. While the site covers a broad range of topics, it is particularly recognized for its authority, integrity and accuracy in reporting on financial markets, economics and international affairs. The Financial Times has been a pioneer in the paywall arena, introducing its first paywall in 2002. With a team of more than 2,300 employees, including 700 journalists operating in 40 countries, the FT Group encompasses a diverse range of assets, including The Financial Times and FT Specialist. Subscriber count: 1 million (March 2022) Year-on-year change: N/A (no update) Paywall type: Full-screen, doesn't block scrolling Form fields: No Choice of offers: No 8. The Guardian The Guardian, founded in 1821, has built a reputation for investigative journalism. The Guardian's ownership structure, part of the Scott Trust Ltd’s Guardian Media Group (GMG), guarantees its editorial independence devoid of political or commercial influence. Unlike many other news sites, The Guardian has opted not to impose a paywall, allowing its content to remain open and accessible to all. This paywall strategy has been brilliantly successful, according to editor-in-chief Katharine Viner. Subscriber count: 1 million (December 2021) Year-on-year change: +13% from 900,000 (December 2020) Paywall type: Banner donation wall, can be closed Form fields: No Choice of offers: No 9. Caixin Caixin is a privately owned Chinese media group that specializes in business news and investigative journalism. Caixin Media was established in January 2010 after founder Hu Shuli, along with many other editors and reporters, walked out of Caijing Magazine in November 2009. Subscriber count: 1 million (June 2023) Year-on-year change: +17.5% from 850,000 (June 2022) Paywall type: Integrated, doesn't block scrolling Form fields: No Choice of offers: No 10. Aftonbladet Aftonbladet is a prominent Swedish daily newspaper headquartered in Stockholm. Established in 1830, it holds the distinction of being one of the largest daily newspapers in Scandinavia. The paper first launched its digital edition in 1994 and continues to make its news content freely available while requiring digital subscriptions for coverage of other topics, such as sports. Subscriber count: 1 million (September 2021) Year-on-year change: N/A (no update) Paywall type: Integrated, doesn't block scrolling Form fields: No Choice of offers: Yes 11. The Telegraph The Daily Telegraph, known as The Telegraph, dates back to 1855 when it was founded as The Daily Telegraph & Courier. Published in London by Telegraph Media Group, the newspaper is known for its comprehensive coverage of UK and international news, politics, business and culture. Subscriber count: 734,000 (December 2022) Year-on-year change: -1% from 740,000 (March 2022) Paywall type: Full-screen, anti-scroll Form fields: No Choice of offers: No 12. Clarín Independent daily Clarín, published by the Clarín Group, is Argentina’s largest newspaper and the second most circulated in the Spanish-speaking world. The company has ambitious plans to reach 1 million subscribers in the next three years, further solidifying its digital presence. Clarín, established in 1945, is known not only for its news coverage but also for facilitating cultural debates and shaping public discourse. Subscriber count: 700,000 (July 2023) Year-on-year change: N/A (no update) Paywall type: Full-screen, registration Form fields: No Choice of offers: No 13. Bild Bild, published by Axel Springer SE, is Germany's best-selling daily tabloid and is known for its sensational journalism. Bild covers a wide range of topics, from politics and sports to entertainment and lifestyle, and is notorious for its use of gossip, sensationalism, and inflammatory language. Additionally, it wields significant influence in German politics. Many draw comparisons between Bild and The Sun, a prominent UK tabloid newspaper, highlighting their similar stylistic and journalistic traits. Subscriber count: 675,000 (June 2023) Year-on-year change: 13% (June 2022) Paywall type: Integrated, doesn't block scrolling Form fields: No Choice of offers: No 14. The Los Angeles Times The Los Angeles Times, first published in Los Angeles in 1881, has been based in El Segundo, Los Angeles County, since 2018. The paper is the country's largest metropolitan daily, boasting a combined print and online local weekly audience of 4.4 million. While it covers national and international news and events, The LA Times has a heavier focus on covering the Southern Californian beat. Subscriber count: 550,000 (July 2023) Year-on-year change: +22% from 450,000 (January 2022) Paywall type: Pop-up, anti-scroll Form fields: No Choice of offers: No 15. The Atlantic The Atlantic is a prestigious US magazine and multi-platform publisher whose diverse content encompasses an array of subjects, including politics, business, culture and the arts, and technology. The Atlantic dates back to 1857 and remains a prominent source of news, geopolitics, foreign affairs, business, culture, arts, technology and science. Subscriber count: 500,000 (February 2022) Year-on-year change: +206% from 163,000 (June 2020) Paywall type: Integrated into content, doesn't block scrolling Form fields: No Choice of offers: No 16. The Times and Sunday Times The Sunday Times, founded in 1821 as The New Observer, stands as the largest newspaper in the UK’s quality press market category. The newspaper is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News Corp. Subscriber count: 438,000 (December 2022) Year-on-year change: +16% from 368,000 (December 2021) Paywall type: banner, anti-scroll paywall Form fields: No Choice of offers: No 17. Le Monde French daily Le Monde offers a broad spectrum of news coverage, from international affairs and politics to culture and the environment. The site is particularly known for its in-depth analyses and investigative pieces. The majority of the content of this news site is available only to subscribers, of which the company hopes to hit 1 million by 2025. The publication has been focusing on international expansion to boost its digital subscriber base. The prominent French daily, which was launched in 1944, serves as the flagship publication of Le Monde Group. Subscriber count: 420,000 (April 2022) Year-on-year change: +20% from 350,000 (April 2021) Paywall type: Banner, doesn’t prevent scrolling Form fields: No Choice of offers: No 18. Corriere Della Sera Corriere della Sera, an Italian daily based in Milan, is one of Italy's oldest newspapers, dating back to 1876. It also holds the distinction of being Italy's most widely read newspaper. The paper pairs its literary tone of voice with an extensive network of 600 correspondents throughout Italy as well as bureaus in 20 foreign cities to provide in-depth and stylized coverage for its audience. Subscriber count: 384,000 (December 2021) (PDF download) Year-on-year change: 125% from 170,000 (December 2019) Paywall type: Pop-up, anti-scroll Form fields: No Choice of offers: Yes 19. Dagens Nyheter Swedish daily Dagens Nyheter daily, first published in Stockholm in 1864, is highly regarded for its comprehensive national and international news coverage. The independent paper is part of the Bonnier media group and focuses on delivering high-quality news coverage that appeals to broad swathes of the public. Subscriber count: 360,000 (September 2021) Year-on-year change: N/A (no update) Paywall type: Integrated into content, doesn't block scrolling Form fields: Yes Choice of offers: No 20. La Nación La Nación, founded in 1870, is an influential Argentine daily newspaper known for its conservative stance. The Society for News Design awarded the title of World's Best Designed Newspaper to La Nación, The Sunday Times and The New York Times in 2019. Subscriber count: 400,000 (August 2022) Year-on-year change: 15% from 348,000 (December 2021) Paywall type: Full-screen, anti-scroll Form fields: No Choice of offers: Yes 21. Gazeta Wyborcza Polish daily Gazeta Wyborcza, which is owned by Agora and is headquartered in Warsaw, is Central Europe’s biggest newspaper. Launched in 1989 as one of Poland’s first free media outlets at the end of the Cold War, Gazeta Wyborcza is known for its center-left, pro-European position and its ongoing critique of the government. Gazeta Wyborcza launched its paywall in 2014 to complement its ad revenue. Subscriber count: 300,000 (January 2023) Year-on-year change: +20% from 250,000 (August 2021) Paywall type: Full-screen, doesn't block scrolling Form fields: No Choice of offers: No Our Process To curate the above list of popular news sites with paywalls, we followed an analytical methodology. Our team: Collected all screenshots and data in September 2023. Conducted a comprehensive review of industry reports and academic journals to gather data on subscriber growth and paywall strategies. Analyzed multiple sources to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the statistics and facts presented. Consistently accepted site cookies to replicate the average real-world interaction with the site’s paywall. Our methodology ensures that the information presented here reflects the state of these sites' paywalls as accurately as possible. Final Thoughts Paywalls aren’t just barriers; they're strategic tools that improve a news publication's bottom line. Whether a hard or soft paywall, they serve as the gateway to converting anonymous readers into recurring revenue. In a world where information is a Google Search away, the right paywall strategy can radically alter audiences’ digital media consumption habits. From offering a few free articles to a hefty discount on the first-year’s subscription, implementing an appropriate paywall holds the key to revenue optimization for publishers. It can be the difference between audiences entering the publisher’s marketing funnel or, in a worst-case scenario, trying to bypass paywalls altogether. Finally, it is equally important to choose from the best paywall services for publishers to ensure this monetization strategy is accurately monitored and iterated over time.

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Léo Maurer

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