The Economist
A weekly newspaper and website offering analysis of world affairs, business and science.
The Economist at a glance
The Economist is a news & media website and one of the most visited sites in United Kingdom, currently ranked #107 in the country. It was founded in 1843 by James Wilson and is headquartered in London, UK. Today The Economist is owned by The Economist Group. Our estimates put its audience at ≈ 60 million visits per month. The business earns money mainly through subscriptions, events, advertising. Its closest rivals include ft.com, economist.com, theatlantic.com.
Traffic statistics
Traffic history
| Period | Visits | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | ≈ 56.4 million / month | +2% |
| Q2 | ≈ 58.2 million / month | +3% |
| Q3 | ≈ 60 million / month | +3% |
| Q4 | ≈ 63.6 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 Kingdom, skewing urban and mobile, with usage peaks in the evening hours.
Geographic reach
- United Kingdom86%
Home market
- Diaspora and neighbouring markets7%
- Europe3%
- North America2%
- Rest of world2%
SEO profile
- Estimated organic traffic
- ≈ 18 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 Kingdom
Top organic keywords
| Keyword | Position | Volume | Traffic share |
|---|---|---|---|
| the economist | 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 Kingdom 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 Kingdom
Company information
- Website
- economist.com
- Sector
- News & Media
- Owner
- The Economist Group
- Owner type
- Private company
- Founders
- James Wilson
- Founded
- 1843
- Headquarters
- London, UK
- Employees
- 1,000+
- Ownership
- The Economist Group controls the platform. Ownership details are based on public filings and press reporting.
- Revenue
- ≈ $450 million annual revenue (est.)
- Languages
- English
- Top traffic sources
- direct, organic search, social
Financials
- Revenue
- ≈ $450 million annual revenue (est.)
- Ownership
- Private company
- Reporting
- Figures based on public filings, press reports and market estimates
Business model & revenue
The Economist operates a news and media publisher focused on United Kingdom. A weekly newspaper and website offering analysis of world affairs, business and science. Revenue comes mainly from subscriptions, supported by the other lines listed below.
- Subscriptions
- Events
- Advertising
Products & services
International presence
- Primary market
- United Kingdom
- Expansion
- Regional and diaspora audiences beyond the home market
Employee statistics
Customer statistics
Website rankings
- Country rank (United Kingdom)
- #107 in this index
- Sector rank
- Leading news & media site in United Kingdom
- Global rank
- 700
Main competitors
Website comparisons
| Website | Monthly visits | Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ft.com | ≈ 36 million / month | #108 class competitor | — |
| economist.com | ≈ 27 million / month | #109 class competitor | — |
| theatlantic.com | ≈ 18 million / month | #110 class competitor | — |
What is The Economist?
The Economist (economist.com) is a news and media publisher serving users in United Kingdom. A weekly newspaper and website offering analysis of world affairs, business and science. It ranks #107 among the most visited websites in the country in this index, within the news & media category.
Who owns The Economist?
The site is operated by The Economist Group, founded by James Wilson. The company was established in 1843 and is headquartered in London, UK. It employs around 1,000+.
Traffic and audience
Traffic estimates place The Economist at roughly 60 million visits per month, about 2 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 The Economist makes money
Revenue comes primarily from subscriptions, alongside events, advertising.
Competitors in United Kingdom
Its closest rivals include ft.com, economist.com, theatlantic.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
- 1843
The Economist is founded in London, UK.
- Growth phase
Expands its news & media offering and moves to a mobile-first product.
- Today
Ranks #107 among the most visited websites in United Kingdom.
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 The Economist?
The Economist is operated by The Economist Group. Private company structure, based on public filings and press reporting.
Where is The Economist headquartered?
The Economist is headquartered in London, UK.
When was The Economist founded?
The Economist was founded in 1843 by James Wilson.
How many employees does The Economist have?
The Economist employs approximately 1,000+ people.
What is The Economist's revenue?
The Economist's revenue: ≈ $450 million annual revenue (est.).
Who are The Economist's competitors?
Main competitors in United Kingdom include ft.com, economist.com, theatlantic.com.
How does The Economist make money?
Mainly subscriptions, events, advertising.
Is The Economist publicly traded?
No — The Economist is not listed as an independent public company; it is operated by The Economist Group.
How many visitors does The Economist get?
Third-party estimates place The Economist at roughly 60 million visits per month, mostly from United Kingdom, with 79% mobile traffic.
Is The Economist safe?
The Economist is an established news & media site founded in 1843 and ranked #107 in United Kingdom; use the official domain economist.com and HTTPS.
Popular searches
Data sources & confidence
- Company website and public announcementseconomist.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 Kingdom 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