The best Ars reading experience.
Ad-free. Tracker-free. Guilt-free.

An overview of what features come with your sub:

Ad-free experience

Ars subscribers get no banner ads, no video pre-rolls, and can enjoy Ars entirely ad-free while supporting our work

No trackers

Pages are completely tracker-free, offering an additional layer of privacy when you browse Ars

Ars Classic view

Browse the front page in the original blog-style format, with the first three paragraphs of each story visible

Neutron Star view

Super dense headline mode with keyboard navigation

Topic filtering

Subscribers can turn off topics they don’t want to see, and change the Most Read topic

Optimized reading layout

The ad-free experience includes a page layout that optimizes for content

Optional wide text mode

In addition to changing the text size and link colors subscribers can opt for a wider text column for increased page density

Full-text RSS feeds

Read all Ars content from your favorite RSS reader

Access to subscriber forums

Enjoy discussions with your fellow geeks in the Lounge, our safe haven from trolls and social media

PDF downloads

A convenient way to archive stories

Help Ars focus on its core journalistic mission

Your subscription helps Ars focus on its core journalistic mission

I can already ad block, why pay for a sub?

Fair question. We hear you on not liking ads or trackers, it’s why our subscription doesn’t have either. Look around the industry, almost no one promises that. The truth is when you block ads you deprive us of support for our journalism.

Our subscription is not only ad-free, it offers a better reading experience than ad blocking, with clean page layouts, and features like extra-wide text mode, or Classic and Neutron Star home page views.

It also supports us directly, so you can help keep our journalism alive.

Why do you require a credit card for the free trial?

The main reason is it’s an easy way to keep people from abusing it by constantly signing up for free. But of course we hope you like it, want to keep it, and will smoothly transition into the full Ars Pro experience.

We have no desire to trick anyone. Canceling is easy if you don’t end up liking it.

Can I cancel my sub once I’ve paid for it?

You can always cancel your sub, and it will not automatically renew after expiration. We do not offer refunds under most circumstances, and your subscription benefits will continue to work until expiration, unless you ask for your account to be deleted.

Do you store my credit card info?

Ars Technica does not store or directly handle your credit card information. We use the leading subscription service provider Chargebee, in conjunction with either Stripe or PayPal. Your card number will be stored with one of those two providers, which in turn share a token with Chargebee that allows for recurring payments.

We will never see your card number, and we will never store it on our servers.

Can I upgrade or downgrade my subscription?

Yes! You can upgrade or downgrade your subscription at any time. If you upgrade, you will be charged the difference in price for the remaining time on your current subscription. If you downgrade, you will be charged the new rate at the end of your current billing cycle.

Can I gift a subscription?

Yes! You can gift a subscription to someone else. Just select one of the gifts from the subscribe page, and enter the recipient’s email address. They will receive an email with your gift message and instructions on how to activate their subscription.

Can I use my subscription on multiple devices?

Yes! Your subscription is tied to your Ars Technica account, so you can use it on any device where you’re logged in. This includes your computer, tablet, and smartphone.

What if I have more questions?

If you have any other questions, please feel free to reach out to us at our support email or use the form on our contact page. We’re happy to help!