RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is a web format that publications use to broadcast their latest content. An RSS reader app subscribes to a feed URL and automatically downloads new articles as they are published. Many publications have had RSS feeds since the early 2000s, though some have discontinued them.

Which publications include full article text in their RSS feeds?

Publications that tend to include full text in RSS include The Guardian, BBC News, Reuters, Associated Press, NPR, and many independent news blogs. Publications that typically only include excerpts or headlines include the New York Times, Washington Post, Bloomberg, and most major paywalled outlets that want to drive traffic to their website.

Can I use RSS to bypass the New York Times paywall?

No. The New York Times and most major paywalled publications only include article excerpts or headlines in their RSS feeds, not full text. This method works best for publications that provide full text in their feeds as a deliberate choice, typically those with ad-supported or open-access models.

What is the best free RSS reader app?

Feedly is the most popular free RSS reader with a generous free tier. Inoreader is another strong option with more power features. NetNewsWire is a free, open-source RSS reader for Mac and iPhone. All of these automatically display full text when a publication includes it in their feed.

Home / Guide / RSS Feed Method

How RSS Feeds Can Give You Free Full-Text Access to Paywalled Articles

Some publications include the complete article text in their RSS feeds even when the same content is behind a paywall on their website — meaning that subscribing to their RSS feed in a reader like Feedly or Inoreader gives you free full-text access without any bypass tools needed.

How RSS Feeds Work

RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is a standardized web format that news sites and blogs use to distribute their content. When a publication posts a new article, the content is automatically added to their RSS feed — a continuously updated XML file at a specific URL. RSS reader applications (like Feedly, Inoreader, or NetNewsWire) subscribe to these feed URLs and download new content automatically, showing articles in a clean reading interface without ads or paywalls.

The key for paywall bypassing is that RSS feeds are often generated separately from the website's paywall system, and some publications inadvertently or deliberately include full article text in the feed even when the website version is behind a paywall.

Why Some Publications Include Full Text in RSS

There are several reasons why a publication might include full text in their RSS feed while maintaining a website paywall:

Legacy systems: The RSS feed was set up before the paywall was introduced and was never updated to truncate content.
Different business model: The publication uses the website paywall for casual visitors but wants to maintain reach through RSS readers, which tend to be used by more engaged readers.
Ad-supported model: Publications that earn revenue from display advertising sometimes prefer full-text RSS to maximize reader engagement, even without a paywall.
Open access commitment: Some publications — particularly public broadcasters and non-profits — include full text in RSS as part of a commitment to open access.

Which Publications Have Full-Text RSS

Publications that tend to provide full article text in their RSS feeds include:

The Guardian — full text available in their RSS feeds
BBC News — full text in most topic feeds
Reuters — full text for many articles
Associated Press (AP) — full text in RSS
NPR — full text in topic and show feeds
ProPublica — full text (open-access journalism)
The Intercept — full text in RSS

Publications that typically only provide excerpts or headlines in RSS include the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, Financial Times, and most other heavily paywalled outlets. These publications want to drive traffic to their websites where the paywall is enforced.

How to Set Up an RSS Reader

Setting up an RSS reader takes about five minutes:

Choose a reader: Feedly (feedly.com) is the easiest for beginners and has a free tier. Inoreader (inoreader.com) offers more features. NetNewsWire is a free native app for Mac and iPhone.
Find the RSS feed URL: Look for an RSS icon (orange square with waves) on the publication's website, usually in the footer or sidebar. Or add /feed or /rss to the domain (e.g., theguardian.com/rss) and see if it returns a feed.
Subscribe: Copy the feed URL and paste it into your RSS reader's "Add feed" box. The reader will fetch recent articles immediately.
Read: New articles appear automatically in your feed list. Click any article to see whether full text is included.

RSS Feed Limitations

RSS is not a universal paywall bypass. Most heavily paywalled publications are aware of this issue and deliberately truncate their RSS feeds to just a headline and first paragraph. Even when full text is in the RSS feed, it may not be formatted as nicely as the website version — images and embedded media are sometimes stripped. RSS feeds also typically show only the 20-50 most recent articles, not older content.

When RSS Doesn't Work

If the publication only puts excerpts in their RSS feed — as most major paywalled outlets do — use PaywallSkipper instead. Paste the article URL below to search web archives for a freely accessible copy.

Read Any Paywalled Article Free

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an RSS feed?: RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is a web format that publications use to broadcast their latest content. An RSS reader app subscribes to a feed URL and automatically downloads new articles as they are published. Many publications have had RSS feeds since the early 2000s, though some have discontinued them.
Which publications include full article text in their RSS feeds?: Publications that tend to include full text in RSS include The Guardian, BBC News, Reuters, Associated Press, NPR, and many independent news blogs. Publications that typically only include excerpts or headlines include the New York Times, Washington Post, Bloomberg, and most major paywalled outlets that want to drive traffic to their website.
Can I use RSS to bypass the New York Times paywall?: No. The New York Times and most major paywalled publications only include article excerpts or headlines in their RSS feeds, not full text. This method works best for publications that provide full text in their feeds as a deliberate choice, typically those with ad-supported or open-access models.
What is the best free RSS reader app?: Feedly is the most popular free RSS reader with a generous free tier. Inoreader is another strong option with more power features. NetNewsWire is a free, open-source RSS reader for Mac and iPhone. All of these automatically display full text when a publication includes it in their feed.