Question 1

Is BSmeter a Washington Post Fact Checker alternative?

Accepted Answer

Only partly, and it depends what you're after. If you want on-demand checking of video and audio on any topic, BSmeter does something the column never offered — the Fact Checker is a reported column about political statements, not a tool you point at a link. But if you want a verdict backed by a journalist who contacted the speaker and read the source data, BSmeter is not a replacement for that, and we won't pretend otherwise. They're complements more than substitutes.

Question 2

What does BSmeter cost compared to reading the Fact Checker?

Accepted Answer

BSmeter has a free tier; Basic is $3.99/mo and Premium is $8.99/mo, with Roast, Analyze and Learn modes. The Fact Checker is Washington Post journalism, so reading it generally goes through a Post subscription, though some pieces are free to read. You're paying for different things: a subscription funds reporters, a BSmeter plan buys automated checks.

Question 3

Is the Washington Post Fact Checker still running?

Accepted Answer

Glenn Kessler, who wrote the column for 14 years, took a buyout and published his final column on July 31, 2025, and the Post hadn't named a successor at the time. The archive of past fact checks remains a valuable reference regardless. That's part of why automated tools matter — but it's also a reason to value staffed fact-checking desks, not a knock on them.