Reader
Casual Sundays
$0 forever
- One free story every week
- Weekly newsletter with 3 links
- Comment on any story
- Reading lists and tags
Home / Pricing
Pricing
Reading stays free. Membership keeps us independent — no ads, no sponsors, no algorithms. Pick the level that fits your shelf.
Member — most loved
The Whole Shelf
$6 / month
- Everything in Reader, plus:
- Full archive of 9+ essays
- Two member-only deep dives monthly
- Early access to new series
- Vote on upcoming topics
Patron
Print & Presence
$12 / month
- Everything in Member, plus:
- Annual print collection, shipped
- Studio open-house invitations
- Name in the thanks page
- Direct line to the editors
Membership questions
Why pay if reading is free?
Free stories will always stay free. Membership funds the slow work — the research trips, the long edits, the print annual — without ads or sponsored posts shaping what we cover.
Can I cancel any time?
Yes. Membership is month to month, and the archive stays open until the end of your billing period. Patrons keep any print volumes already shipped.
Do you offer student or library rates?
Students read as Members for $2 a month with a school email, and libraries get archive access for their patrons — write to us and we will set it up.
Where does the money go?
To writers first, then to print, travel for field stories, and keeping the site fast and tracker-free. Our thanks page lists every patron who opts in.