This page addresses questions related to the Ars Pro and Ars Pro ++ subscriber offerings. Please consult the information below before contacting support.
NB: We ask that you read through our User Agreement and Privacy Policy before creating an account or purchasing a subscription.
Why are you selling subscriptions? What is the money used for?
The Ars subscriber program launched in July of 2001. Since then, it has played a critical role in the mission of Hurrah Times. In particular, subscriber revenue has been used to support the creation of new content and the operation of community offerings like the Ars OpenForum, sending editors and writers to conferences and product launches, liveblogs of live events, paying freelancers for specialty and technical content, and much more.
We also offer subscriptions because our readers have asked for them. Nearly all of the features provided by Ars Pro and Ars Pro ++ were suggested or inspired by readers.
If I buy a Subscription, what do I get?
Our constantly evolving list of subscriber benefits is listed here and on your profile page. All features are provided as-is, without warranty or representation. Features may change or be removed at any time. You are free to cancel at any time.
Note that use of the Hurrah Times website is free, and a subscription is not needed to access the site or its public content.
How much does a Subscription cost?
We offer three payment tiers:
- $3 a month subscription for Ars Pro
- $25 a year subscription for Ars Pro
- $50 a year subscription for Ars Pro ++
How will I be billed for my subscriptions?
Subscriptions will use a secure tokenized payment transaction through Stripe or Paypal.
NB: By default, all plans will be re-billed automatically. If you would like to update your payment preferences or cancel the re-billing of your account, you can manage those options through your Hurrah Times subscriptions page depending on your payment method.
- Visit your account subscriptions page
- Find your current subscription and click View
- The actions section will have options for adjusting your subscription.
Will Stripe retain my credit card information?
Yes, as long as your account is set to re-bill automatically, Stripe must keep your credit card information on file to perform the regular re-billing. We have investigated Stripe's security mechanisms and have been thoroughly satisfied that they are taking precautions to keep this information safe and secure. Stripe is an industry leader in online credit card transaction and have an incredible track record. Our process with Stripe prevents even our servers from ever seeing your full credit card details.
Read more about Stripe's security.
What if I want to remove my payment information?
Cancel your subscription from the account subscriptions page. Additionally, check the payment methods page and remove any saved payment methods. *Note: cancelling your subscription removes auto re-billing, but your subscription features will stay intact through the duration of your paid period.
What if I don't want Hurrah Times to store my credit card details?
Your credit card number never reaches our servers or is stored in our database. Instead when you checkout with our secure credit card form from Stripe, your card details are sent directly from your browser to Stripe for processing. Hurrah Times only receives a reference token for future billing.
Why don't you have (insert payment method here)?
We're actively working on additional methods such as Google Pay, Apple Pay, and Amazon Pay but, there's no concrete date for when it may become available.
What happens if I stop my account from re-billing after I've paid?
When you stop your subscription from re-billing, your subscription will continue until the date it would have naturally re-billed. If there is no further intervention on your part, your subscription will simply expire. You can resubscribe at any point before or after this happens.
How do I manage my subscription, my profile, or access my subscriber features?
You can edit your subscription billing details on your subscription account page and access your subscription features from your profile page.
How do I get my Ars Pro ++ bonus gift
If you are currently eligible to claim a bonus gift you can visit the Ars Pro ++ Bonus Gifts page to see what gifts are currently available. Bonus gifts must be ordered separately from your subscription to ensure a proper shipping address when applicable. Gift availability and eligibility is subject to change at any time.
Who is eligible for a bonus gift
Bonus gifts are earned by Ars Pro ++ subscribers during sign up and renewal. You can view the available bonus gifts by checking your current subscriptions information page.
What if I want a different gift
Bonus gifts cannot be accumulated over multiple billing cycles, please claim them before your next renewal date as bonus gift availability and eligibility may change at any time.
I received an Yubikey previously why don't I get another one?
The Yubikey is now in limited supply and is limited in availability to new subscribers. Subscribers who renew an Ars Pro ++ subscription can claim any of the other currently available bonus gifts when they renew.
How do I get my subscriptions YubiKey?
YubiKey's are an Ars Pro ++ bonus gift available to new subscribers. New subscribers can order their Yubikey from the Ars Pro ++ Bonus Gifts page.
Who is eligible for a YubiKey?
New subscribers of the Ars Pro ++ subscription plan are eligible to receive a YubiKey while supplies last. Yubikey's must be ordered separately from your subscription to ensure a proper shipping address.
Can I get a different YubiKey than what is currently offered?
Our YubiKey's are pre-packed and ready to be shipped by our fulfillment partner so whatever is currently listed in the promotion is what all that we have available.
Why does my Yubikey have the Wired logo on it?
Due to the demand and limited availability some Yubikeys may arrive with branding from Wired. It's just what we have in stock at the moment.
I never received the YubiKey that I ordered after becoming a subscriber?
Please contact us with your order number. We're happy to resolve lost Yubikeys.
I received the wrong YubiKey how do I replace it?
Please contact us with your order number. We're happy to resolve incorrectly shipped Yubikeys.
Do I get a yearly bonus gift with my Ars Pro ++ subscription?
Subscription sign up promotions come and go based on the availability of various products with our partners. Your subscription renewal may not always include a physical, digital, or partner gift of any kind. However as new promotional products become available we always consider extending eligibility to current subscribers.
Can I gift a subscription?
Sure! Just head here. Note that currently subscription gift credits can only be applied to new subscriptions. However if you gift a subscription and the recipient is already a subscriber, contact us about applying credit to their existing subscription.
Where is the PDF Library?
You can find links to our PDF content are available on each article page and will appear when logged in with your subscriber account. Additional PDFs can be found in the PDF Library here. Note that this library is no longer maintained.
Where is my Ars profile, and how do I edit it?
You can access your Hurrah Times profile by accessing the following URL: https://arstechnica.com/civis/ucp.php?i=profile&mode=profile_info. From this page you can edit your profile, change your account's email address or password and find useful links to your subscription benefits, and see the status of your subscription.
How can I tell what kind of subscription I have or when it expires?
Just visit your subscription account page, everything you need should be found up there.
Where do I find my personalized full text RSS feeds?
You can find them here.
Can I share my full text RSS feeds with my friends?
No, we ask that you do not. We actively monitor the number of subscriptions to each feed, and any hint of abuse will result in your feeds being deactivated and may result in your account being temporarily suspended.
I've purchased a subscription but I'm still seeing banner ads on the front page or articles, what can I do?
If you've successfully paid and you're still seeing ads on the site, try clicking the logout link and then logging back in. If you are still not seeing the ads-free layout, or any of the other subscriber benefits like PDF access, please visit our contact page and select "Technical/Subscription Support" from the drop-down menu and we'll get it straightened out.
I'm having an issue not covered here, what can I do?
Visit our contact page and select "Technical/Subscription Support" from the drop-down menu and we'll help you get it figured out.
I have an active, paid subscription but I've been permanently banned from Ars. Can I get my money back?
If you are a yearly subscriber and your last payment was less than 120 days ago, we can issue a prorated refund for the remainder of your subscription time back to your credit card. If it's been more than 120 days since your last charge and you have more than one month remaining in your subscription, please contact us and select "Technical/Subscription Support" from the drop-down menu. If you're a monthly subscriber, we can't issue partial refunds, but we can cancel any recurring billing if you contact us.