What you get with a Financial Times subscription

A Financial Times subscription gives you access to their news website, mobile apps, and email newsletters. The FT publishes business, markets, politics, and world news, along with opinion columns and analysis. Most readers use it to follow markets, company earnings, and economic policy.

The FT offers three main subscription tiers: digital-only (web and apps), print plus digital, and print-only. A digital subscription costs roughly $10 to $15 per month depending on whether you pay monthly or commit to a year upfront. Print subscriptions cost more and vary by region. The FT frequently runs promotional rates for new subscribers — often 50% off the first few months — so the advertised price is rarely what you pay at signup.

Your subscription includes access to their full article archive, the ability to save articles, and personalized news feeds. Premium subscribers also get access to FT newsletters and the ability to read articles offline through the mobile app. The number of articles you can read per month without a subscription is limited, typically around four per month before a paywall appears.

Key Takeaways

  • Digital subscriptions start around $10 to $15 per month, but new subscribers almost always receive promotional pricing for the first few months.
  • You can subscribe through the FT website, through Apple News+, or through Amazon Prime Reading, each with different pricing and features.
  • Canceling a subscription is straightforward through your account settings, though promotional rates may not be available if you resubscribe later.
  • The FT's free article limit resets monthly, so you can read a small number of articles without paying anything.
  • Student and educator discounts are available at reduced rates if you have a valid school email address.

Subscription pricing and payment options

The FT's standard digital subscription costs around $15 per month on a monthly plan or roughly $10 per month if you commit to a year. However, new subscribers almost always see promotional pricing — commonly 50% off for the first three months, or a flat rate like $1 per week for the first month. These offers change frequently and are often available only through direct signup on the FT website.

You can also subscribe through third-party services. Apple News+ includes FT access as part of its bundle for around $10 per month. Amazon Prime Reading (included with Prime membership) offers limited FT content but not the full subscription. These bundled options may be cheaper if you already use those services, but they typically give you less content than a direct FT subscription.

Print subscriptions cost significantly more — typically $50 to $80 per month depending on your region and delivery frequency. Print plus digital bundles fall in between. Payment is usually by credit card or debit card, and you can change your payment method in your account settings at any time.

How to start and manage your subscription

To subscribe, go to the FT website and click the subscription button. You will be asked to create an account with your email address and a password. The site will show you available plans and any current promotional offers. After you choose a plan and enter your payment information, your subscription begins immediately and you can log in right away.

You manage your subscription through your account settings on the FT website. There you can update your payment method, change your plan (for example, from monthly to annual), view your billing history, and pause or cancel your subscription. If you subscribed through Apple News+ or Amazon, you manage the subscription through those platforms instead, not through the FT directly.

If you have questions about your subscription or billing, the FT has a help center on their website and customer support available by email. Response times vary, but most inquiries are handled within one to two business days.

Student and educator discounts

The FT offers reduced-rate subscriptions for students and educators. To may have access to, you need a valid school email address (typically ending in .edu or your school's domain). The student rate is usually around $5 to $8 per month, significantly less than the standard rate.

To claim the student discount, go to the FT's student subscription page and enter your school email. The FT will send you a verification link. After you verify your email, you can complete your subscription at the discounted rate. The discount typically lasts for the duration of your enrollment, though you may need to reverify your status each year.

What happens when your subscription ends

When your subscription ends, you lose access to the full FT website and apps. You will be able to read a limited number of free articles per month (usually around four) before hitting the paywall again. Your saved articles and reading history remain in your account, but you cannot access them without an active subscription.

If you cancel your subscription, the FT will sometimes send you a resubscription offer a few weeks later — often at a promotional rate. However, these offers are not may provide, and the rate may be different from what new subscribers receive. If you want to resubscribe at a promotional rate, it is worth checking your email or visiting the FT website to see what offers are available.

Comparing the FT to other financial news sources

The Financial Times competes with other subscription news outlets like the Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg. The WSJ costs roughly the same as the FT (around $10 to $15 per month for digital) and focuses heavily on business and markets. Bloomberg is primarily a terminal service for professionals and costs significantly more. The Economist is another subscription option at similar pricing and covers business, politics, and culture globally.

The choice between them often comes down to what you read most. The FT is strong on European and international business news and has a reputation for financial analysis. The WSJ has broader U.S. business coverage and strong reporting on technology and corporate news. If you want to compare, most of these outlets offer free trials or limited free articles, so you can test them before committing to a subscription.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I read the FT without a subscription?

Yes, you can read a limited number of articles per month for free — typically around four. After that, you hit a paywall and need a subscription to continue. The free article limit resets each month.

What is the cheapest way to subscribe to the FT?

New subscribers should look for promotional offers on the FT website, which often provide 50% off or a very low rate for the first few months. After the promotional period ends, the price increases to the standard rate. Bundling through Apple News+ may also be cheaper if you already use that service.

Can I cancel my subscription anytime?

Yes. You can cancel through your account settings on the FT website at any time. There are no cancellation fees. Your access ends at the end of your current billing period — if you cancel mid-month on a monthly plan, you keep access until the end of that month.

Do I need a subscription to read FT articles shared on social media?

No. Articles shared directly on social media or sent to you by email can usually be read without a subscription, even if you have hit your free article limit. However, if you click through to the FT website directly, the paywall applies.

Can I share my FT login with family members?

The FT's terms of service restrict account sharing to a single user. Sharing your login with others violates the terms. However, the FT does offer household plans in some regions that allow multiple users on a single subscription — check the FT website to see if this is available where you live.