How To Bypass Paywalls: 16 Free Ways to Get Around Paywalls

August 1, 2024

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Learn how to bypass paywalls in this post as I show you 16 free ways to get around paywalls.

In an age where information is a powerful currency, encountering paywalls can be frustrating, especially when seeking access to essential content.

Whether you’re a student, researcher, or simply a curious individual, bypassing paywalls without breaking the bank can be incredibly valuable.

Below are sixteen effective, free methods to get around paywalls and gain access to the information you need.

Table of Contents

1. Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN)

What is a VPN?

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) allows you to create a secure connection to another network over the internet. It can access region-restricted websites, shield your browsing activity from prying eyes on public Wi-Fi, and more.

How to Use a VPN to Bypass Paywalls

By connecting to a VPN server in a different location, you might bypass paywalls restricted to specific regions.

Some news websites offer different access levels based on your location. You can often access the content you need by changing your virtual location.

Steps to use a VPN:

Choose a reputable VPN provider and sign up for a plan.
Download and install the VPN software on your device.
Open the VPN application and select a server location.
Connect to the server and access the website with the paywall.

2. Use a Proxy

What is a Proxy?

A proxy server acts as an intermediary between your device and the internet. You can disguise your IP address using a proxy and bypass regional restrictions.

How to Use a Proxy to Bypass Paywalls

Find a free proxy server using websites like ProxySite.com.
Enter the URL of the paywalled website.
Access the content through the proxy server.

3. Use the Tor Browser

What is the Tor Browser?

Tor is a privacy-focused browser that routes your traffic through multiple servers, hiding your identity and location.

How to Use the Tor Browser to Bypass Paywalls

Download the Tor Browser from torproject.org.
Install and open the browser.
Navigate to the paywalled website and access the content anonymously.

4. Open an Incognito Window

What is Incognito Mode?

Incognito mode, or private browsing, is a feature in most web browsers that prevents your browsing history from being stored. It can help you access content without the website recognizing you as a returning user.

How to Use Incognito Mode

Websites often use cookies to track the number of articles you’ve read. Opening an Incognito window prevents the website from knowing how many articles you’ve accessed.

Steps to use Incognito Mode:

Open your web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, etc.).
Click on the menu icon (three dots or lines).
Select “New Incognito Window” or “New Private Window.”
Navigate to the website with the paywall.

5. Turn on Reader Mode in Your Browser

What is Reader Mode?

Reader mode is a browser feature that strips away clutter from web pages, focusing on the main content. This can sometimes bypass paywalls by presenting the article content directly.

How to Enable Reader Mode

Different browsers have different methods to enable Reader Mode. Here’s how you can do it on various browsers:

Mac Safari

Open Safari and navigate to the article.
Click on the “Reader” button in the address bar or press “Shift + Command + R.”

iOS Safari

Open Safari on your iPhone or iPad and navigate to the article.
Tap the “Reader” icon on the left side of the address bar.

Microsoft Edge

Open Edge and navigate to the article.
Click on the “Reading view” icon in the address bar or press “Ctrl + Shift + R.”

Google Chrome

Open Chrome and navigate to the article.
Click on the three dots menu and select “Distill page.”

6. Delete Your Browser Cookies

Why Delete Cookies?

Cookies are small pieces of data stored by websites to track your activity. By deleting cookies, you can reset the number of articles you’ve read on a site with a metered paywall.

How to Delete Cookies

Each browser has its own method for deleting cookies:

Steps to delete cookies in Chrome:

Open Chrome and click on the three-dot menu.
Go to “Settings” > “Privacy and security” > “Cookies and other site data.”
Click on “See all cookies and site data.”
Find the specific website and delete its cookies.

Steps to delete cookies in Firefox:

Open Firefox and click on the three-line menu.
Go to “Options” > “Privacy & Security” > “Cookies and Site Data.”
Click on “Manage Data.”
Find the specific website and remove its cookies.

7. Use the Wayback Machine

What is the Wayback Machine?

The Wayback Machine is a digital archive of the internet, allowing users to see older versions of web pages. It can be used to access content archived before a paywall is implemented.

How to Use the Wayback Machine

Go to archive.org/web.
Enter the URL of the website using the paywall.
Browse the archived versions to find the content you need.

8. Use uBlock Origin Ad Blocker

What is uBlock Origin?

uBlock Origin is a powerful ad blocker that can also block scripts used by paywalls.

How to Use uBlock Origin

Install uBlock Origin from the official website.
Enable the extension in your browser.
Navigate to the paywalled website and read the content without interruptions.

9. Try the Bypass Paywalls Clean Browser Extension

What is Bypass Paywalls Clean?

This browser extension allows users to bypass paywalls on various news sites by blocking scripts and cookies that trigger the paywall.

How to Install and Use Bypass Paywalls Clean

Download the extension from the official repository.
Follow the installation instructions for your browser.
Enable the extension and visit the paywalled site.

10. Get Access Through Your Library

Libraries and Digital Resources

Many public and academic libraries subscribe to digital versions of newspapers and journals, providing free access to their patrons.

How to Access Digital Resources

Visit your local library’s website.
Look for digital resources or online databases.
Log in with your library card number and PIN.
Search for the publication you need.

11. Use 12ft Ladder

What is 12ft Ladder?

12ft Ladder is a free tool that removes paywalls by displaying the cached version of web pages.

How to Use 12ft Ladder

Go to 12ft.io.
Enter the URL of the paywalled article.
Press “Remove Paywall” to access the content.

12. Bypass Paywalls Extension

What is Bypass Paywalls Extension?

This extension is similar to Bypass Paywalls Clean, providing another method to block paywalls on various websites.

How to Use the Bypass Paywalls Extension

Install the extension from the official repository.
Enable the extension in your browser.
Access the paywalled site and enjoy the content.

13. Create iOS Shortcuts

What are iOS Shortcuts?

iOS Shortcuts are automated tasks that can perform a series of actions. You can create a shortcut to bypass paywalls on your iOS device.

How to Create an iOS Shortcut to Bypass Paywalls

Open the Shortcuts app on your iPhone or iPad.
Create a new shortcut and add actions to fetch the webpage content.
Save and run the shortcut when needed.

14. Check Out Bardeen

What is Bardeen?

Bardeen is a productivity tool that automates various online tasks, including bypassing paywalls.

How to Use Bardeen

Visit bardeen.ai.
Sign up for an account and explore the available automation.
Set up automation to bypass paywalls on your favorite sites.

15. The Facebook URL Trick

How Does the Facebook URL Trick Work?

Some websites allow social media traffic to bypass paywalls to encourage sharing. By adding ?fbclid= to the end of a URL, you can sometimes bypass the paywall.

How to Use the Facebook URL Trick

Copy the URL of the paywalled article.
Paste the URL in your browser’s address bar and add ?fbclid= at the end.
Press enter and access the content.

16. Try an iOS Shortcut

What is an iOS Shortcut?

iOS Shortcuts allow users to create custom automated tasks on their iPhones or iPads.

How to Use an iOS Shortcut to Bypass Paywalls

Open the Shortcuts app on your iPhone or iPad.
Create a new shortcut and add actions to fetch the webpage content.
Save and run the shortcut to access paywalled articles.

Conclusion

Utilizing these sixteen methods allows you to bypass paywalls and access the necessary information without incurring additional costs.

Remember to use these techniques responsibly and by any relevant laws or terms of service.

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About the Author:

Gina Lynch

Cybersecurity Expert at SecureBlitz | + posts

Gina Lynch is a VPN expert and online privacy advocate who stands for the right to online freedom. She is highly knowledgeable in the field of cybersecurity, with years of experience in researching and writing about the topic. Gina is a strong advocate of digital privacy and strives to educate the public on the importance of keeping their data secure and private. She has become a trusted expert in the field and continues to share her knowledge and advice to help others protect their online identities.