News Subscriptions: What Motivates People to Pay?

Advertising revenue has declined in importance for publishers, making subscriptions the most important revenue stream for many news organisations.

However, subscription growth has begun to plateau in many markets, as publishers have already acquired much of the audience that is willing to pay for news. This raises an important question for publishers:

What motivates someone to subscribe, and how can publishers retain them?

What motivates someone to pay for news?

There are six core motivations for subscribing:

• supporting journalism

• quality of journalism

• triggered by a paywall

• attachment to community

• affordability

• content utility

The top three motivations are a desire to help fund journalism, access to quality journalism, and being motivated to pay by paywalls.

A Reuters Institute study similarly found that better-quality or distinctive content, helping fund good journalism, alignment with the values or political outlook of the brand or journalists, easy-to-use website or app, and games, puzzles and non-news features motivate subscriptions.  

Motivations differ between brands and markets. While journalism quality is a key motivation for subscribing to national news outlets, community attachment is a significant driver for local newspaper subscriptions, particularly in markets such as Germany and the Nordic countries, where regional identity is strong. 

In the US, funding journalism is more likely (38%) to be a reason for subscribing than in the UK (29%). Similarly, identifying with the brand was a more likely motivation in the US (47%) compared to Germany (30%), due to the more partisan nature of news outlets in the United States.

How many people are willing to pay for news?

Across markets, only 18% of people paid for digital news in 2024-2025. A majority of audiences remain unwilling to pay for online news. 

Over the last ten years, subscription numbers have continued to grow, but the growth has halted,  as publishers have already acquired much of the audience willing to pay. The subscriptions also tend to spread unevenly, as bigger, upmarket national newspapers get most of the subscribers over smaller papers. 

However, there is still some opportunity for growth:

• Around a fifth (21%) of non-payers said they could be persuaded to subscribe through new subscription models. 

• A portion of non-payers across markets would be willing to pay a small amount for an online news subscription. In Finland, over half (54%) of nonsubscribers would be willing to pay a small amount. 

• News podcasts are a relatively new offering. Of news podcast listeners, 42% would be willing to pay for a news podcast that they like. Some outlets, such as The Economist, are now offering audio-only subscriptions that give subscribers access to their podcast catalogue.  

This suggests that new content and pricing strategies, and flexible subscription models may help publishers convert audiences who are currently unwilling to commit to full-price subscriptions. 

What are publishers doing to attract new subscribers? 

Many publishers are experimenting with new value propositions to attract people to subscribe, including:

• bundling multiple news providers together into one subscription

• bundling news with other services such as games, lifestyle content and podcasts

• flexible payments (e.g. low-cost short-term subscriptions) 
  

These approaches may matter because around 21% of non-payers said they could be persuaded to subscribe if these subscription models were available. 

For example, the New York Times has materially accelerated its growth by offering an all-access subscription that includes news, games, recipes, audio content, product reviews and sports coverage.  In comparison, the Washington Post has remained closer to a single-product news offer and has seen slower subscription growth. 

More relevant or exclusive content and fewer advertisements have also been identified as potential incentives for persuading non-subscribers to pay. 

From Sign-ups to Retention

As a result of promotional pricing strategies, many current and past subscribers (41%) do not pay the full price of their subscription. 

Discounts and trials may be effective in attracting new subscribers, but maintaining them is more difficult:

• for many, the regular price of the subscription is too high, especially as the cost-of-living rises
• some users cancel after trial periods due to perceived lack of value. Habit formation plays a key role in continued subscription use, but many have no time or motivation to build a habit
• others cancel deliberately in order to receive new discounted offers

Features such as games, puzzles, and audio content may not drive initial subscriptions, but can help build engagement habits that support long-term retention. 

Retention may also be supported by reinforcing the motivations behind subscribing, including quality, community attachment, affordability, and perceived value.

Bundling additional services or partnering with other outlets to offer subscription bundles can provide a practical way to maintain perceived value over time, as seen by the New York Times' success.

Conclusion

With only a minority of audiences currently willing to pay for online news, publishers may need to focus on reinforcing the motivations behind subscription decisions, such as journalistic quality, affordability, and community relevance. This may be particularly important for local and regional publishers operating in markets like Finland, where a significant portion of non-subscribers may still be willing to pay a small amount for digital news.

As acquisition becomes more difficult, long-term subscription sustainability may increasingly rely on flexible pricing models, strong user experience, and additional content or services that support regular engagement and strengthen the perceived value of a subscription over time.