How to Subscribe to or Get News Alerts from the Houston Herald

Updated

The Houston Herald offers two ways to stay informed: a free newsletter and free text alerts. Both are accessed from the homepage at houstonherald.com. The newsletter signup is described as free, and the text alert program is also labeled free on the site. A separate "Subscribe" link points to houstonherald.com/subscribe/, which is the main subscription entry point. If you want local news delivered to you rather than checking the site, either the newsletter or the text alerts will do it.

Getting the free newsletter

The homepage includes a newsletter section with this description: "Subscribe to the free newsletter for up-to-date news and other useful information for Texas County and the region."

Steps:

  1. Go to houstonherald.com.
  2. Find the newsletter signup section on the homepage (it appears near the alerts section, under the heading about Houston Herald newsletters and alerts).
  3. Enter your email address and submit the form.
  4. Expected result: you receive the Houston Herald newsletter by email with news for Texas County and the surrounding region.

The site does not state a publishing frequency for the newsletter, so treat delivery timing as unconfirmed.

Signing up for free text alerts

The homepage also promotes text alerts: "Sign up for free text alerts from the Houston Herald and other area sponsors."

Steps:

  1. Go to houstonherald.com.
  2. Locate the notifications section labeled "Houston Herald notifications."
  3. Use the "SIGN UP" link in that section.
  4. Expected result: you receive free text alerts, which the site notes may come from the Houston Herald and other area sponsors.

Because sponsors are involved, expect occasional messages that are not strictly news. The site does not specify how many messages you will get or how to opt out, so check the signup form for those details before submitting your number.

Using the subscription page

The site's "Subscribe" link leads to houstonherald.com/subscribe/. The homepage does not state a price, plan tiers, or whether a login is required, so those details are not confirmed here. If you need a paid or full-access subscription, start at that page and review what it offers before entering payment information.

What you get either way

Option Entry point Cost as stated What it delivers
Newsletter Homepage signup section Free Up-to-date news and useful information for Texas County and the region
Text alerts Homepage notifications section Free Text alerts from the Houston Herald and other area sponsors
Subscription page houstonherald.com/subscribe/ Not stated on homepage Details determined by the subscription page itself

Common snags

  • The newsletter and text alert forms are separate. Signing up for one does not enroll you in the other.
  • The text alert program includes sponsor messages, so it is not purely news.
  • The homepage does not list newsletter frequency, alert volume, or opt-out steps. Look for those terms on the signup forms.
  • If you want full subscription access rather than free updates, go directly to houstonherald.com/subscribe/ instead of the homepage forms.

For a quick start: use the newsletter if you prefer email and want regional news; use text alerts if you want messages on your phone and can accept sponsor content; use the subscribe page if you are looking for the publication's subscription offering.