Do I need to include https:// in the link?

No — the site states 'No https:// needed' when pasting or prefixing a URL.

Is WallHop meant to replace subscribing to news sites?

No. The site says paywalls pay for journalism and asks that if you read a paper or news site every day, you subscribe to it — WallHop is intended for one-off articles from sites you'll never visit again.

The page doesn't state whether the project is open source.

wallhop — Paste a link, read the article free

WallHop is a free web tool for reading paywalled news articles without a subscription or account. You paste a link into the site, prefix any URL with its domain, use a share-sheet shortcut on iPhone, a bookmarklet, or its /raw and /api endpoints to retrieve an article. The site positions itself as a utility for one-off articles rather than a replacement for subscribing to publications you read regularly.

Key Features

Paste-a-link reader

Paste an article URL into the site and read it free, with no signup and no need to include https://.

URL prefix trick

Put / in front of any URL (e.g., /https://…) to route it through WallHop directly.

iPhone Shortcut

A shortcut (/shortcut) lets you hop any article from the iOS Share button.

Bookmarklet

A draggable bookmarklet ('wallhop it') lets you unlock the current page from your browser's bookmarks bar.

Raw and API access

Raw (/raw/https://…) and API (/api/https://…) endpoints return article content directly, useful for programmatic use.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Completely free with no signup or account required.
Multiple access methods: web form, URL prefix, iPhone Shortcut, bookmarklet, and raw/API endpoints.
Works across devices and browsers since it's a URL-based tool.
No browser extension installation needed — the bookmarklet and URL-prefix methods are lightweight.

Cons

Depends entirely on WallHop's service staying up and functioning; if its bypass methods break, the tool stops working.

Who It's For

Best for

Readers who occasionally get sent a single paywalled article link and don't want to subscribe to a site they'll visit once.
iPhone users who want a Share-sheet shortcut for unlocking articles.
Developers or power users who want raw/API access to article text.

Not ideal for

People who read a publication daily — the site explicitly asks those readers to subscribe instead.
Users looking for a full reading/clipping app with saved articles, highlights, or archives.
Anyone wanting a guaranteed, supported list of paywalled sites or a maintained commercial product.

FAQ

What does WallHop do?

It lets you read paywalled news articles free: paste a link on the site and get the story with no paywall and no signup.

How much does it cost?

It's free — the site is titled 'Free Paywall Bypass' and requires no signup.

Do I need an account?

No. There is no signup; you just paste a link.

What ways are there to use it?

Paste a link on wallhop.io, prefix any URL with /, install the iPhone Shortcut to hop articles from the Share button, drag the 'wallhop it' bookmarklet to your bookmarks bar, or use the /raw and /api endpoints.

wallhop

Key Features

Paste-a-link reader

URL prefix trick

iPhone Shortcut

Bookmarklet

Raw and API access

How It Works

Paste or prefix a link

Get the story