Economics · Newsletter guide

The best economics newsletters, free and paid

Economics newsletters range from witty markets commentary to serious policy analysis, and the best do both. The most-read economy and markets briefings in 2026, with price and cadence noted — including which big names are genuinely free.

We check each newsletter is still publishing, note whether it's free or paid, and link straight to the official signup. We don't take payment for placement.

  1. The Daily Upside

    FreeDailyThe Daily Upside

    Sharp finance, economics, and markets analysis with no paywall.

    Founded by an ex-investment banker; one of the biggest free finance reads.

  2. Bloomberg Money Stuff

    FreeNear-dailyMatt Levine (Bloomberg)

    Witty, deep explanations of the day's finance news.

    Wall Street's favorite read, full stop.

  3. Unhedged

    FreemiumDailyFinancial Times (Robert Armstrong)

    Sharp daily markets commentary that cuts through the hype.

    FT-backed markets analysis with a real point of view.

  4. Free Lunch

    FreemiumWeeklyFinancial Times (Martin Sandbu)

    Economics-policy analysis from an FT columnist.

    One of the most respected economics columns in the world, in email form.

  5. The Economist — Espresso

    Paid · subscription (free for students)Weekday morningsThe Economist

    A morning shot of global business and economics analysis.

    Excellent, but note: The Economist offers essentially nothing free to general readers — Espresso is free only for students.

Frequently asked

What's the best free economics newsletter?
The Daily Upside, Bloomberg Money Stuff and Unhedged are the most popular free picks on this list — each links straight to its official signup above.
How can I listen to my economics newsletters instead of reading them?
Subscribe to the ones you like, then forward them to Hark News. We turn your own forwarded newsletters into a five-minute spoken briefing each morning, without ever connecting to your inbox.
How did you choose these?
We include newsletters that are currently publishing, note whether each is free or paid, and link to the official signup. We don't take payment for placement, and we don't reproduce newsletter content — we point you to the source.