The news: Few US adults pay for news behind paywalls. A June 2025 Pew Research Center survey shows just 17% paid for any news last year. The vast majority (83%) avoid payment, citing the abundance of free alternatives.
By the numbers:
- 74% of US online users encounter paywalls frequently when searching for news online, and 38% of those hit paywalls “extremely often” or “often.”
- Upon encountering a paywall, 53% look for the same information elsewhere, 32% abandon the content entirely, and only 1% pay to access blocked content.
- 10% say they don’t pay for access because cost is prohibitive.
Alternative news sources are growing: Many in the US turn to social media for free news, despite concerns over accuracy and the spread of unverified information. More than half (54%) of US adults ages 18 to 24 named social media/video as their main source of news, per YouGov.
AI has the potential for further fragmentation, since chatbots can summarize or extract key points from paywalled articles, reducing the incentive to pay for full access. YouGov found that only about 5% of people report using generative AI specifically to get news, and this will only increase as AI use becomes mainstream.
Implications for gated content: The data shows paywalls face stiff resistance. Most readers sidestep payment by hunting for free sources or quitting altogether. This reality challenges the traditional paywall model as a sustainable revenue stream.
Our take: Advertising tied to paywalls narrows reach and shrinks scale. Brands should prioritize open, ad-supported platforms where audiences engage freely.
Marketers who embrace paywall resistance—focusing on easy access and relevant content—will win attention and revenues in a fragmented media landscape.
Those relying on strict gating risk losing audience share and diminishing ad impact as consumers stick to free, accessible alternatives.