Free Press Journal Classified Ads – Mumbai's Cheapest English Newspaper Alternative in 2026

I get rate cards for TOI and the person who hands them to me is surprised when I show them the rate card for Free Press Journal.

The gap is real. For example, FPJ charges a 30-word classified for name change in the newspaper starting at around ₹350 (Mumbai edition) or a discounted rate of ₹400 for a combo (which includes Navshakti, a Marathi daily newspaper) in the same booking. That's two newspapers. One payment. Under ₹400.

In Times of India Mumbai it costs more than three times that. Not because there's anything wrong with TOI — it is the biggest-selling English daily in the country and you pay for that. But when it comes to notifications, public notices, name changes and deaths, not everybody needs the reach of TOI. They need a legal, accepted English newspaper at the cheapest newspaper advertising rate possible.

Free Press Journal is that newspaper for Mumbai. Has been for decades. And you can save up to 20–30% compared to most people's search on the tariff rates, by booking with RiyoAdvertising.

So here's what you need to know.

1. Why Choose Free Press Journal Classified Ads

FPJ is 88+ years old. Started by Swaminath Sadanand, it's one of the oldest English dailies out of Mumbai, with editions in Mumbai, Indore, Ujjain, and Bhopal. For Mumbai-based advertisers, it's the go-to for three specific categories: public notice, name change, and obituary ads.

Why those three? Because FPJ has the lowest charges for these categories among the established English newspapers in Mumbai. The publication makes no secret of this. The paper's positioning in the legal notice business is as an affordable provider.

For classified advertisement in newspaper today purposes — urgent requirement, same-week publications — FPJ also has a quicker turnaround than most other classified ad newspapers. Riyo bookings for obituary and name change can also be done close to the date of publication for urgent categories.

2. 2026 Classified Ad Rates & Comparison

Let me give you actual numbers, not ranges that don't help anyone.

Free Press Journal — Mumbai Edition

Times of India — Mumbai Edition (for comparison)

The difference for public notice is the one that surprises most people. FPJ's public notice rate for a standard 5×4 cm ad sits around ₹1,860. TOI's public notice rate is ₹4,066 per sq cm — meaning a comparable size ad in TOI costs several times more.

For personal announcements, name corrections, and legal filings where the law requires print proof but doesn't specify which newspaper, FPJ is the clear cost choice.

3. Ad Types: Text vs Display vs Public Notice

Three distinct formats. Each priced differently, used for different purposes.

Classified Text Ads

Simple running text. Per line or per word. 30 words minimum in FPJ. No images. You can pay a little more to add embellishments like bold type, background colour, or a check mark at the beginning. Best for: name change, lost & found, matrimonial (low budget), obituary (simple mention).

The FPJ classifieds section publishes every day. Popular categories are matrimonial (Sundays), property (Saturday–Sunday) and recruitment (weekdays and Sundays).

Classified Display Ads

Allows images, logos, multiple fonts, colours. Charged per sq cm, not per word. Higher cost, but significantly more visible on the page. Best for: recruitment (if you want brand presence), property promotions, business announcements where design matters.

Public Notice / Legal Notice Ads

Here is where FPJ has made its mark in Mumbai. Notices of property purchases, court notices, company announcements, insolvency notices, tenders, etc. must be published in a newspaper. Its rates are the lowest of any legally valid English newspaper in Mumbai.

Most public notices must be published in at least two newspapers — a national and a local. The FPJ + Navshakti package (English + Marathi) was created for this purpose. Riyo's one booking gives you both newspapers at a rate lower than two separate bookings.

4. RiyoAdvertising Booking Process

Not complicated. Here's the actual flow:

1. Pick your category. Name change, public notice, obituary, matrimonial, recruitment, property — each has slightly different requirements.
2. Get a Riyo quote. Call 9821984000 or email info@riyoadvertising.com with your ad content and the category. Riyo gives you the rate with the agency discount applied, not the public tariff. This is where the 20–30% saving happens.
3. Prepare documents. For name change: affidavit copy or gazette copy (required by FPJ — they won't process without it). For public notice: content draft, sometimes a supporting document. Obituary: minimal — basic contact verification.
4. Compose and preview. Riyo shares a proof before the ad goes to print. You see exactly what will appear, check spellings, confirm format. Errors in a published notice can require republication.
5. Pay and confirm. UPI, cards, net banking, bank transfer — all accepted. You get a booking confirmation with publication date.
6. Publication. FPJ publishes on the confirmed date. For urgent categories (obituary, name change), same-week and sometimes next-day publication is possible if booked before the cut-off.
7. Collect tearsheets. Buy a few copies of FPJ on publication date. For passport name change submissions, legal filings, or official records — you'll need physical proof copies.

5. Mumbai-Specific Advantages

FPJ is published in Mumbai. This seems like a no-brainer but it's important for two reasons.

First, its audience is Mumbai and the surrounding suburbs — Thane, Navi Mumbai, the suburbs. For local advertisements, local jobs, local real estate, you're not paying for the national audience you're not reaching.

Second, FPJ is accepted by Mumbai's legal and government authorities — passport offices, RTO, courts, co-operative society registrars. I've seen it used by clients from Bandra, Mulund, Bhandup, Andheri, for name change passports, with no problem.

6. Cost-Saving Tips & Combos

7. Deadlines & Requirements

General classified deadline: 2 days before publication for most categories. Weekends and premium page positions need more lead time.

Urgent categories (obituary, name change): FPJ and Riyo accommodate closer-to-deadline bookings. Confirm timing when you call.

Document Checklist by Category

Language: FPJ classifieds are in English only. Navshakti (the Marathi combo partner) handles the Marathi language notice.

Minimum ad size: 30 words for classified text in FPJ Mumbai edition.

How to Book Free Press Journal Classified Ads at Lowest Rates in Mumbai 2026

Short answer: call Riyo at 9821984000 before you book anywhere else.

Longer answer: have your ad copy and documents prepared. Call or email Riyo, get a Free Press Journal quote at the agency rate. You'll be quoted a price less than the tariff. Confirm the publication date. Pay. Done.

What people do wrong is look for a book ad in newspaper sites online, find a site and pay the public rate without knowing there is such a thing as agency rates. Riyo has been working with FPJ for 20 years and the rates are different — it's not a rounding.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)