If you’re an active-duty service member, veteran, or military spouse, you are probably used to checking for military discounts before signing up for a new service. When it comes to online newspaper subscriptions, you might wonder: Does the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) offer a military discount?
I did some research, and the answer is a little surprising: There is no specific WSJ military discount on its website, but you can get 100% free digital access to the Wall Street Journal through an official military program!
Instead of paying out of pocket, members of the U.S. military community can unlock full WSJ digital reading privileges completely free. Here’s today’s featured offer for civilians (view more), how this program works, which Veterans and members of the U.S. Military qualify, and how to get started.
Get a Free WSJ Subscription in DoD MWR Libraries
The Department of Defense runs the MWR (Morale, Welfare, and Recreation) Digital Libraries program. This initiative is designed to support the educational, professional, and lifestyle needs of service members and their families.
Through an official partnership with the publisher, the DoD MWR Library provides full, unlimited digital access to WSJ.com and the Wall Street Journal mobile apps.
This isn’t a stripped-down Wall Street Journal archive or a delayed feed. It is the real-time, premium WSJ digital subscription experience, including breaking news streams, market analysis, opinion pieces, and video content for free; completely paid for by the Department of Defense!
Thought: The U.S. spends over $1 trillion a year on the military, so the least they can do is give veterans and members of the Armed Forces free access to the WSJ, right?!
Which Military or Veterans Are Eligible for Free WSJ Access?
Pretty sweet, right? Because this benefit is funded by the Department of Defense, eligibility is tied to the standard guidelines for MWR program usage. Generally, free WSJ digital access is available to:
- Active-Duty Service Members: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, and Coast Guard.
- National Guard and Reserve: Active drilling members of the selected reserve.
- Military Retirees: Veterans receiving retired pay from the armed forces.
- Eligible Family Members: Spouses and dependents who hold a valid military ID card.
- DoD Civilians: Authorized civilian employees, particularly those stationed or deployed overseas.
Tip: WSJ Print delivery, including their Weekend Edition, is not free, but you can find the latest discounts here.
How to Set Up Your Free Military WSJ Account
Getting your account active takes just a few steps, but you must initiate the process through the official military library portal rather than the standard WSJ homepage.
Here is how to get started:
- Visit the Portal: Go to the official DoD MWR Libraries website (dodmwrlibraries.org).
- Log In and Verify: You will need to log in using your military credentials. The portal utilizes Single Sign-On (SSO) to securely verify your identity using your DoD ID number or your Exchange (AAFES) login credentials.
- Navigate to News: Once logged into the MWR dashboard, look for the Newspapers & Magazines or Databases section.
- Click the WSJ Link: Locate the Wall Street Journal link. This will redirect you to a special partner registration page hosted by the WSJ (partner.wsj.com).
- Create Your Profile: Set up a username and password. Moving forward, you can use these exact credentials to log directly into the standard WSJ app on your phone, tablet, or laptop without needing to visit the military portal every single time.
Note on Account Renewal: To maintain security and verify ongoing eligibility, your MWR-linked WSJ account will typically require you to re-authenticate through the military portal once every 90 days. It only takes a minute to log back in and refresh your access.
What if You Do Not Qualify for MWR?
If you are a veteran or military member who does not have active MWR privileges, or if you simply prefer to have a completely independent personal account, you can still find great deals.
While you won’t find a permanent “military discount” or free trial on WSJ.com, but they’re currently running some pretty sweet introductory promotions for new subscribers. It’s actually common to find digital subscription sales offering rates as low as $1 to $4 a month for the entire first year. Always check our main WSJ subscription deals page for these active promos before paying full price.
WSJ Military Discount FAQs
No, the Wall Street Journal does not offer a dedicated Veteran discount code or an ID.me military verification portal on its commercial checkout page. However, Veterans can save big with these promotions for all civilians and Military.
Yes. Active-duty service members can get unlimited, full digital access to the WSJ for free by registering through the official Department of Defense MWR Digital Libraries portal.
Yes, eligible family members and dependents who hold an official military ID card are authorized patrons of the MWR libraries and can set up their own digital access.
No. You only need to use the DoD MWR website for the initial registration and a quick re-verification every 90 days. For daily reading, you can log directly into the standard WSJ smartphone app or WSJ.com using the account you created
Have you gotten a free or discounted WSJ military subscription? Let us know with a comment below. Thanks for visiting PrettySweet.com!