Ada Derana
Leading Sri Lankan digital news publisher.
Ada Derana at a glance
Ada Derana is a news & media website and one of the most visited sites in Sri Lanka, currently ranked #3 in the country. It was founded in 2008 and is headquartered in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Today Ada Derana is owned by Derana Media Network. Our estimates put its audience at ≈ 11 million visits per month. The business earns money mainly through advertising, video advertising. Its closest rivals include hirunews.lk, newsfirst.lk.
Traffic statistics
Traffic history
| Period | Visits | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | ≈ 10.3 million / month | +2% |
| Q2 | ≈ 10.7 million / month | +3% |
| Q3 | ≈ 11 million / month | +3% |
| Q4 | ≈ 11.7 million / month | +6% |
Traffic sources
- Direct37%
- Organic search34%
- Social18%
- News aggregators8%
- Email3%
Audience & demographics
- Men55%
- Women45%
- Age 35-4426%
- Age 45-5423%
- Age 25-3422%
The audience is concentrated in Sri Lanka, skewing urban and mobile, with usage peaks in the evening hours.
Geographic reach
- Sri Lanka86%
Home market
- Diaspora and neighbouring markets7%
- Europe3%
- North America2%
- Rest of world2%
SEO profile
- Estimated organic traffic
- ≈ 3.3 million visits / month
- Branded share of search
- High — brand terms lead the keyword profile
- Indexed pages
- Large — category, listing or article level
- Primary search market
- Sri Lanka
Top organic keywords
| Keyword | Position | Volume | Traffic share |
|---|---|---|---|
| ada derana | 1 | Very high | Dominant |
| breaking news | Top 10 | High | — |
| today's headlines | Top 10 | High | — |
| live coverage | Top 10 | High | — |
Backlink profile
- Referring domains
- Tens of thousands
- Link profile
- News coverage, directories, blogs and partner sites
- Authority
- High within the Sri Lanka web
Top referral sources
- News and media31%
- Directories and aggregators24%
- Blogs and forums20%
- Partner sites14%
- Other11%
Technology stack
Website technologies
Advertising & analytics technologies
Stack details are inferred from public front-end signals and engineering communications; internal systems may differ.
Mobile app statistics
Available in the local store
Available in the local store
- App share of traffic
- ≈ 79% mobile
- Position in country
- Among the leading news & media apps in Sri Lanka
Company information
- Website
- adaderana.lk
- Sector
- News & Media
- Owner
- Derana Media Network
- Owner type
- Private media company
- Founded
- 2008
- Headquarters
- Colombo, Sri Lanka
- Ownership
- Derana Media Network controls the platform. Ownership details are based on public filings and press reporting.
- Languages
- Sinhala, English, Tamil
- Top traffic sources
- direct, organic search, social
Financials
- Revenue
- Not publicly disclosed
- Ownership
- Private media company
- Reporting
- Figures based on public filings, press reports and market estimates
Business model & revenue
Ada Derana operates a news and media publisher focused on Sri Lanka. Leading Sri Lankan digital news publisher. Revenue comes mainly from advertising, supported by the other lines listed below.
- Advertising
- Video advertising
International presence
- Primary market
- Sri Lanka
- Expansion
- Regional and diaspora audiences beyond the home market
Customer statistics
Website rankings
- Country rank (Sri Lanka)
- #3 in this index
- Sector rank
- Leading news & media site in Sri Lanka
Main competitors
Website comparisons
| Website | Monthly visits | Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| hirunews.lk | ≈ 6.6 million / month | #4 class competitor | — |
| newsfirst.lk | ≈ 4.9 million / month | #5 class competitor | — |
What is Ada Derana?
Ada Derana (adaderana.lk) is a news and media publisher serving users in Sri Lanka. Leading Sri Lankan digital news publisher. It ranks #3 among the most visited websites in the country in this index, within the news & media category.
Who owns Ada Derana?
The site is operated by Derana Media Network. The company was established in 2008 and is headquartered in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Traffic and audience
Traffic estimates place Ada Derana at roughly 11 million visits per month, about 0.4 million per day. Around 79% mobile of sessions come from mobile devices, and visitors view about 3.1 pages per visit with an average session of 3 min.
How Ada Derana makes money
Revenue comes primarily from advertising, alongside video advertising.
Competitors in Sri Lanka
Its closest rivals include hirunews.lk, newsfirst.lk.
Data and accuracy
Company facts are drawn from public sources. Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or sector benchmarks, marked with ≈ where modelled, and are reviewed periodically.
Company history & milestones
- 2008
Ada Derana is founded in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
- Growth phase
Expands its news & media offering and moves to a mobile-first product.
- Today
Ranks #3 among the most visited websites in Sri Lanka.
User reviews & ratings
| Source | Score | Reviews | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Play | ≈ 4.3 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| App Store | ≈ 4.5 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| Consumer review platforms | Mixed | — | Service and support are common themes |
App store ratings are solid, while consumer review platforms show the usual friction around support and service quality.
Pros & cons
Pros
- Broad daily news coverage with national reach
- Fast breaking-news publishing
- Free access to most articles
- Strong presence in search and social
Cons
- Heavy advertising load on article pages
- Editorial line criticised by parts of the audience
- Clickbait headlines on high-traffic sections
- Paywall limits on premium content
Key statistics
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Ada Derana?
Ada Derana is operated by Derana Media Network. Private media company structure, based on public filings and press reporting.
Where is Ada Derana headquartered?
Ada Derana is headquartered in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
When was Ada Derana founded?
Ada Derana was founded in 2008.
What is Ada Derana's revenue?
Ada Derana does not publish standalone revenue; income comes from advertising, video advertising.
Who are Ada Derana's competitors?
Main competitors in Sri Lanka include hirunews.lk, newsfirst.lk.
How does Ada Derana make money?
Mainly advertising, video advertising.
Is Ada Derana publicly traded?
No — Ada Derana is not listed as an independent public company; it is operated by Derana Media Network.
How many visitors does Ada Derana get?
Third-party estimates place Ada Derana at roughly 11 million visits per month, mostly from Sri Lanka, with 79% mobile traffic.
Is Ada Derana safe?
Ada Derana is an established news & media site founded in 2008 and ranked #3 in Sri Lanka; use the official domain adaderana.lk and HTTPS.
Popular searches
Data sources & confidence
- Company website and public announcementsadaderana.lk
- Third-party traffic estimation providersSimilarweb-class estimates
Visit figures are modelled, not measured
- App store listingsApple App Store, Google Play
- Press and market coverageSri Lanka and international business media
- Data confidence
- Medium for company facts, medium-low for traffic and financial estimates. All modelled figures are rounded and marked with ≈.
- Last updated
- September 2026
Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or derived from sector benchmarks, and are reviewed periodically.
Social media profiles & statistics
Official brand account
Announcements and support
Community and campaigns
Company and hiring updates
Brand and product videos