Axios
A news outlet known for short-form, newsletter-driven reporting on politics, business and technology.
Axios at a glance
Axios is a news & media website and one of the most visited sites in United States, currently ranked #152 in the country. It was founded in 2016 by Jim VandeHei, Mike Allen, Roy Schwartz and is headquartered in Arlington, VA, USA. Today Axios is owned by Cox Enterprises. Our estimates put its audience at ≈ 40 million visits per month. The business earns money mainly through native advertising, subscriptions (pro), events. Its closest rivals include politico.com, thehill.com, businessinsider.com.
Traffic statistics
Traffic history
| Period | Visits | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | ≈ 37.6 million / month | +2% |
| Q2 | ≈ 38.8 million / month | +3% |
| Q3 | ≈ 40 million / month | +3% |
| Q4 | ≈ 42.4 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 United States, skewing urban and mobile, with usage peaks in the evening hours.
Geographic reach
- United States86%
Home market
- Diaspora and neighbouring markets7%
- Europe3%
- North America2%
- Rest of world2%
SEO profile
- Estimated organic traffic
- ≈ 12 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
- United States
Top organic keywords
| Keyword | Position | Volume | Traffic share |
|---|---|---|---|
| axios | 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 United States 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 United States
Company information
- Website
- axios.com
- Sector
- News & Media
- Owner
- Cox Enterprises
- Owner type
- Subsidiary of private company
- Founders
- Jim VandeHei, Mike Allen, Roy Schwartz
- Founded
- 2016
- Headquarters
- Arlington, VA, USA
- Employees
- 500+
- Ownership
- Cox Enterprises controls the platform. Ownership details are based on public filings and press reporting.
- Revenue
- ≈ $150 million annual revenue (est.)
- Languages
- English
- Top traffic sources
- direct, organic search, social
Financials
- Revenue
- ≈ $150 million annual revenue (est.)
- Ownership
- Subsidiary of private company
- Reporting
- Figures based on public filings, press reports and market estimates
Business model & revenue
Axios operates a news and media publisher focused on United States. A news outlet known for short-form, newsletter-driven reporting on politics, business and technology. Revenue comes mainly from native advertising, supported by the other lines listed below.
- Native advertising
- Subscriptions (Pro)
- Events
Products & services
International presence
- Primary market
- United States
- Expansion
- Regional and diaspora audiences beyond the home market
Employee statistics
Customer statistics
Website rankings
- Country rank (United States)
- #152 in this index
- Sector rank
- Leading news & media site in United States
- Global rank
- 1500
Main competitors
Website comparisons
| Website | Monthly visits | Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| politico.com | ≈ 24 million / month | #153 class competitor | — |
| thehill.com | ≈ 18 million / month | #154 class competitor | — |
| businessinsider.com | ≈ 12 million / month | #155 class competitor | — |
What is Axios?
Axios (axios.com) is a news and media publisher serving users in United States. A news outlet known for short-form, newsletter-driven reporting on politics, business and technology. It ranks #152 among the most visited websites in the country in this index, within the news & media category.
Who owns Axios?
The site is operated by Cox Enterprises, founded by Jim VandeHei, Mike Allen, Roy Schwartz. The company was established in 2016 and is headquartered in Arlington, VA, USA. It employs around 500+.
Traffic and audience
Traffic estimates place Axios at roughly 40 million visits per month, about 1.3 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 Axios makes money
Revenue comes primarily from native advertising, alongside subscriptions (pro), events.
Competitors in United States
Its closest rivals include politico.com, thehill.com, businessinsider.com.
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
- 2016
Axios is founded in Arlington, VA, USA.
- Growth phase
Expands its news & media offering and moves to a mobile-first product.
- Today
Ranks #152 among the most visited websites in United States.
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 Axios?
Axios is operated by Cox Enterprises. Subsidiary of private company structure, based on public filings and press reporting.
Where is Axios headquartered?
Axios is headquartered in Arlington, VA, USA.
When was Axios founded?
Axios was founded in 2016 by Jim VandeHei, Mike Allen, Roy Schwartz.
How many employees does Axios have?
Axios employs approximately 500+ people.
What is Axios's revenue?
Axios's revenue: ≈ $150 million annual revenue (est.).
Who are Axios's competitors?
Main competitors in United States include politico.com, thehill.com, businessinsider.com.
How does Axios make money?
Mainly native advertising, subscriptions (pro), events.
Is Axios publicly traded?
No — Axios is not listed as an independent public company; it is operated by Cox Enterprises.
How many visitors does Axios get?
Third-party estimates place Axios at roughly 40 million visits per month, mostly from United States, with 79% mobile traffic.
Is Axios safe?
Axios is an established news & media site founded in 2016 and ranked #152 in United States; use the official domain axios.com and HTTPS.
Popular searches
Data sources & confidence
- Company website and public announcementsaxios.com
- Third-party traffic estimation providersSimilarweb-class estimates
Visit figures are modelled, not measured
- App store listingsApple App Store, Google Play
- Press and market coverageUnited States 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