Subscribe

Subscribe is a verb with several related meanings. In general, it means to arrange to receive something on a recurring basis or to pledge support for a publication, service, or cause. The word derives from the Latin subscribere, meaning to write under or commit.

In publishing and media, subscribing typically means signing up to receive issues of a magazine or newspaper, or to obtain access to digital content, often for a recurring fee. In the digital economy, a subscription is a business model in which a customer pays a recurring price to access a product or service, such as streaming video, software, or premium features. Subscriptions can be monthly or annual and may include automatic renewal.

Concurrently, “subscribe” is also used to indicate agreement or support for a statement, proposal, or group, as in “I subscribe to that view”—a usage more common in formal or literary contexts.

In online platforms, subscribing usually involves clicking a sign-up or subscribe button, providing contact information, and agreeing to terms and privacy policies. Many services also offer an unsubscribe option to stop future updates. For newsletters and RSS feeds, subscribing may involve providing an email address or a feed URL.

Legal and privacy considerations include user consent under anti-spam laws, clear disclosure of what the subscriber will receive, and straightforward mechanisms to unsubscribe or manage preferences. The term is related to actions such as following, joining, or becoming a member, depending on platform design.

See also: subscription model; newsletter; email marketing; RSS feed; unsubscribe.