{"id":263205,"date":"2025-06-24T09:53:41","date_gmt":"2025-06-24T13:53:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/?post_type=short-read&p=263205"},"modified":"2025-10-01T09:04:25","modified_gmt":"2025-10-01T13:04:25","slug":"few-americans-pay-for-news-when-they-encounter-paywalls","status":"publish","type":"short-read","link":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/short-reads\/2025\/06\/24\/few-americans-pay-for-news-when-they-encounter-paywalls\/","title":{"rendered":"Few Americans pay for news when they encounter paywalls"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Compilation
Compilation of major news outlets’ paywalls prompting readers to become paid subscribers to view their content. (Pew Research Center collage)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Newspaper revenue has been in decline for decades<\/a>, and most Americans now prefer to get news from digital devices<\/a>. In this environment, many news organizations \u2013 and not just newspapers<\/a> \u2013 put paywalls on their websites or apps, blocking access to articles or other content unless news consumers pay or subscribe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The vast majority of Americans (83%) say they have not<\/em> paid for news in the past year, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in March. Another 17% say they have directly paid or given money to a news source by subscribing, donating or becoming a member during that time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the same time, 74% run into paywalls at least sometimes when they are looking for news online. This includes 38% who say they come across paywalled articles extremely often or often.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How we did this<\/summary>\n

Pew Research Center asked these questions to better understand Americans\u2019 habits and attitudes around paying for news. We were also interested in their experiences with paywalls that block articles unless news consumers pay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this analysis, we surveyed 9,482 U.S. adults from March 10 to 16, 2025. Everyone who took part in this survey is a member of the Center\u2019s American Trends Panel (ATP), a group of people recruited through national, random sampling of residential addresses who have agreed to take surveys regularly. This kind of recruitment gives nearly all U.S. adults a chance of selection. Interviews were conducted either online or by telephone with a live interviewer. The survey is weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population by gender, race, ethnicity, partisan affiliation, education and other factors. Read more about the ATP\u2019s methodology<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are the questions used for this analysis<\/a>, the topline<\/a> and the survey methodology<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

What people do when they reach a paywall<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\"A<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The survey also asked anyone who said they ever come across paywalls what they typically do first when that happens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just 1% say they pay for access when they come across an article that requires payment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The most common reaction is that people seek the information somewhere else (53%). About a third (32%) say they typically give up on accessing the information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Why Americans don\u2019t pay for news<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\"Charts<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Among the 83% of U.S. adults who have not paid for news in the past year, the most common reason they cite is that they can find plenty of other news articles for free. About half of those who don\u2019t pay for news (49%) say this is the main reason.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Indeed, many news websites do not have paywalls. Others have recently loosened paywalls<\/a> or removed them for certain content like public emergencies<\/a> or public interest stories<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another common reason people don\u2019t pay for news is that they are not interested enough (32%). Smaller shares of Americans who don\u2019t pay for news say the main reason is that it\u2019s too expensive (10%) or that the news provided isn\u2019t good enough to pay for (8%).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Which groups are more likely to pay for news?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\"A<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Overall, 17% of U.S. adults pay for news. However, highly educated adults, Democrats and older Americans \u2013 among other demographic groups \u2013 are more likely to have paid for news.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, 27% of college graduates say they have directly paid a news source by subscribing, donating or becoming a member in the last year \u2013 triple the share of those with a high school diploma or less formal education who have done so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition:<\/p>\n\n\n\n