Both "The Economist News" and "The Economist Espresso" keep failing - Page 2

DNSB · 06-20-2025, 11:24 PM

Given that a 403 error is an authorization failure, I tried opening https://www.economist.com in a web browser and clicked on Try for free, the only options are paid subscriptions after a 4 week free trial. There is a free trial banner at the bottom of the screen which takes you to a subscription page which offers a 4 week free trial and then $31.90 Cdn per 4 weeks. For Espresso, the offer is a 4 week free trial then $11.90 Cdn every 4 weeks. Perhaps the Economist no longer has a free tier?

eastonfmly · Yesterday, 08:13 AM

HI
I have been using calibre for years to get the Economist into my Kindle. Lot easier to read.
Any ideas on why I am getting this error? I have tried multiple machines with the same results

Thanks Jim

theducks · Yesterday, 09:32 AM

Do you have a paid account? (the free trial has closed)
403 says you need to log in.

joer2786 · Yesterday, 11:52 AM

A ton of us have been using the economist download process for a very long time. This is the first time we are seeing these errors pop up - so something must have changed on the economist side of things.

joer2786 · Yesterday, 12:03 PM

Also is there any recipe that allows people to authenticate their account with the economist? I didnt notice any?

eastonfmly · Yesterday, 01:01 PM

I have never had to use my account info before adn there is no log in screen from within Calibre. I hate reading it on my phone or tablet and there is no way to download from the site for ebook

DNSB · Yesterday, 03:48 PM

If someone wants to try the subscription using the 4 week free trial, is there even a place to add login information? Given the free version gives a 403 Not Authorized error, it would appear that The Economist no longer supports non-subscriber access to their content.

2late · Yesterday, 04:34 PM

Unfortunately, this just mean that without a paid subscription, you cannot access it. You all need to remember that The Economist weekly/Espresso are actually paid subscriptions, they just never cared to enforce it until now. Someone will need to update the recipe to add login info (like WSJ).

2late · Yesterday, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DNSB

Given that a 403 error is an authorization failure, I tried opening https://www.economist.com in a web browser and clicked on Try for free, the only options are paid subscriptions after a 4 week free trial. There is a free trial banner at the bottom of the screen which takes you to a subscription page which offers a 4 week free trial and then $31.90 Cdn per 4 weeks. For Espresso, the offer is a 4 week free trial then $11.90 Cdn every 4 weeks. Perhaps the Economist no longer has a free tier?

There was never a free tier to begin with. The recipe was a workaround solution, grey area.

DNSB · Yesterday, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2late

There was never a free tier to begin with. The recipe was a workaround solution, grey area.

So it looks as if The Economist has plugged that leak.

2late · Yesterday, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DNSB

So it looks as if The Economist has plugged that leak.

Yes, it is unfortunately game over for non-subscribers. If you are in an area that has great public library system, you might as well check if they have digital access to it. That's probably going to be my next step.

eastonfmly · Yesterday, 07:56 PM

Is there any way to ask Calibre to change the recipe to allow a login?

theducks · Yesterday, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eastonfmly

Is there any way to ask Calibre to change the recipe to allow a login?

That is a task for the PI author. Calibre PI structure supports Login required

kovidgoyal · Yesterday, 11:04 PM

The economist servers are blocking calibre, sadly it doesnt seem to be subscription related, the block is happening even with a valid subscription, seems like some kind of anti-bot protection. Will have to look into workarounds, may be a while.

yoyoisbest · Today, 01:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

The economist servers are blocking calibre, sadly it doesnt seem to be subscription related, the block is happening even with a valid subscription, seems like some kind of anti-bot protection. Will have to look into workarounds, may be a while.

I have subscription but also fail

Thanks for all the work you have done, hope the solution would find soon.

Yesterday, 08:13 AM	#17
eastonfmly Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2014 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	Downloading the economist with .httperror_seek_wrapper: HTTP Error 403: Forbidden HI I have been using calibre for years to get the Economist into my Kindle. Lot easier to read. Any ideas on why I am getting this error? I have tried multiple machines with the same results Thanks Jim

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06-20-2025, 11:24 PM	#16
DNSB Bibliophagist Posts: 45,687 Karma: 168959600 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Vancouver Device: Kobo Sage, Libra Colour, Lenovo M8 FHD, Paperwhite 4, Tolino epos	Given that a 403 error is an authorization failure, I tried opening https://www.economist.com in a web browser and clicked on Try for free, the only options are paid subscriptions after a 4 week free trial. There is a free trial banner at the bottom of the screen which takes you to a subscription page which offers a 4 week free trial and then $31.90 Cdn per 4 weeks. For Espresso, the offer is a 4 week free trial then $11.90 Cdn every 4 weeks. Perhaps the Economist no longer has a free tier?

Yesterday, 09:32 AM	#18
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 30,989 Karma: 60358908 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	Do you have a paid account? (the free trial has closed) 403 says you need to log in.

Yesterday, 11:52 AM	#19
joer2786 Member Posts: 12 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2024 Device: kindle	A ton of us have been using the economist download process for a very long time. This is the first time we are seeing these errors pop up - so something must have changed on the economist side of things.

Yesterday, 12:03 PM	#20
joer2786 Member Posts: 12 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2024 Device: kindle	Also is there any recipe that allows people to authenticate their account with the economist? I didnt notice any?

Yesterday, 01:01 PM	#21
eastonfmly Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2014 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	I have never had to use my account info before adn there is no log in screen from within Calibre. I hate reading it on my phone or tablet and there is no way to download from the site for ebook

Yesterday, 03:48 PM	#22
DNSB Bibliophagist Posts: 45,687 Karma: 168959600 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Vancouver Device: Kobo Sage, Libra Colour, Lenovo M8 FHD, Paperwhite 4, Tolino epos	If someone wants to try the subscription using the 4 week free trial, is there even a place to add login information? Given the free version gives a 403 Not Authorized error, it would appear that The Economist no longer supports non-subscriber access to their content.

Yesterday, 04:34 PM	#23
2late Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2025 Device: Kindle Scribe	Unfortunately, this just mean that without a paid subscription, you cannot access it. You all need to remember that The Economist weekly/Espresso are actually paid subscriptions, they just never cared to enforce it until now. Someone will need to update the recipe to add login info (like WSJ).

Yesterday, 07:56 PM	#27
eastonfmly Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2014 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	Is there any way to ask Calibre to change the recipe to allow a login?

Yesterday, 11:04 PM	#29
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,279 Karma: 27111060 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	The economist servers are blocking calibre, sadly it doesnt seem to be subscription related, the block is happening even with a valid subscription, seems like some kind of anti-bot protection. Will have to look into workarounds, may be a while.