How to read Medium articles for free
Updated September 2026
Medium puts many stories behind a members-only wall, but the article text is usually still reachable. These are the methods that actually work in 2026 — fastest first — and when to use each.
Why Medium shows a paywall
Writers can put stories behind the members-only wall (the "Member-only story" badge). Non-members get a short preview and a prompt to upgrade. The full text is often still present in the page or in a public archive, which is why reader extraction usually recovers it.
Method 1: paste the link into RemovePaywall
The quickest route — paste the Medium URL on the homepage and it extracts the clean article text, no login. If the live page is thin, it automatically checks archive.today and the Wayback Machine. This opens member-only stories most of the time.
Method 2: a friend link from the author
Every Medium writer can share a "friend link" that unlocks their story for anyone, free. If you know the author or find their post on social media, that link always works — it is the fully legitimate route the platform itself provides.
Method 3: Freedium
Freedium is a Medium-specific reader that re-serves member-only stories. It works while its technique stays current; if it is down, our Freedium alternative page below covers other options.
Method 4: a public archive
Popular Medium stories are often saved on archive.today or the Wayback Machine. RemovePaywall checks these for you automatically, but you can also look a story up on either directly.
If you read Medium often, consider membership
These methods are for the occasional locked story. If Medium is part of your routine, a membership pays the writers you read — and Medium's own app removes the wall for you.
Read a member-only Medium story free
- Copy the Medium article URL. From your browser address bar or the article's share menu.
- Paste it into RemovePaywall. On the homepage, paste the link and press Remove Paywall.
- Read the clean article. The reader view shows the extracted text. If it is thin, the tool falls back to an archived copy automatically.
Ways to read member-only Medium stories, compared
| Method | Works on member-only | Login | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| RemovePaywall reader | Usually | No | Reader extraction + archive fallback, any article |
| Friend link | Always | No | The author shares it — fully legitimate |
| Freedium | Often | No | Medium-specific; depends on the technique staying current |
| Public archive | Sometimes | No | Only if someone archived that story |
| Medium membership | Always | Yes | Paid; supports the writers |
"Usually / Often / Sometimes" reflect that member-only stories vary — a few hard-gated ones only come through a friend link or an archive.
Live success rates
Unlike other tools, RemovePaywall shows how often it actually works, from real usage — recent examples: The New Yorker ~99% · WIRED ~99% · The Atlantic ~97% · Business Insider ~92% · The New York Times ~64%. See the full live list.
FAQ
Often yes — reader extraction or a public archive recovers the text, and an author's friend link always works. A few hard-gated stories open only via a friend link.
Reading a page Medium serves publicly and using author-provided friend links are ordinary uses. If you read Medium regularly, a membership supports the writers.
Paste the link into RemovePaywall — one step, no login. A friend link is best whenever the author shares one.
Not reliably. Medium's wall no longer depends on a simple free-article counter, so a private window usually still shows the upgrade prompt.