Ele.me
Alibaba's on-demand food delivery and local services platform.
Ele.me at a glance
Ele.me is a food & delivery website and one of the most visited sites in China, currently ranked #131 in the country. It was founded in 2008 by Zhang Xuhao, Kang Jiahui and is headquartered in Shanghai, China. Today Ele.me is owned by Alibaba Group. Our estimates put its audience at ≈ 200 million visits per month. The business earns money mainly through commissions, delivery fees. Its closest rivals include meituan.com, dianping.com, taobao.com.
Traffic statistics
Traffic history
| Period | Visits | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | ≈ 188 million / month | +2% |
| Q2 | ≈ 194 million / month | +3% |
| Q3 | ≈ 200 million / month | +3% |
| Q4 | ≈ 212 million / month | +6% |
Traffic sources
- Direct62%
- Organic search22%
- Paid search9%
- Social5%
- Referral2%
Audience & demographics
- Men51%
- Women49%
- Age 18-2429%
- Age 25-3433%
- Age 35-4420%
The audience is concentrated in China, skewing urban and mobile, with usage peaks in the evening hours.
Geographic reach
- China86%
Home market
- Diaspora and neighbouring markets7%
- Europe3%
- North America2%
- Rest of world2%
SEO profile
- Estimated organic traffic
- ≈ 60 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
- China
Top organic keywords
| Keyword | Position | Volume | Traffic share |
|---|---|---|---|
| ele.me | 1 | Very high | Dominant |
| food delivery | Top 10 | High | — |
| grocery delivery | Top 10 | High | — |
| discount code | Top 10 | High | — |
Backlink profile
- Referring domains
- Tens of thousands
- Link profile
- News coverage, directories, blogs and partner sites
- Authority
- High within the China 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
- ≈ 89% mobile
- Position in country
- Among the leading food & delivery apps in China
Company information
- Website
- ele.me
- Sector
- Food & Delivery
- Owner
- Alibaba Group
- Owner type
- Subsidiary of public company
- Founders
- Zhang Xuhao, Kang Jiahui
- Founded
- 2008
- Headquarters
- Shanghai, China
- Employees
- 10,000+
- Ownership
- Alibaba Group controls the platform. Ownership details are based on public filings and press reporting.
- Revenue
- ≈ $8 billion annual revenue (est.)
- Languages
- Chinese
- Top traffic sources
- direct, organic search, paid search
Financials
- Revenue
- ≈ $8 billion annual revenue (est.)
- Ownership
- Subsidiary of public company
- Reporting
- Figures based on public filings, press reports and market estimates
Business model & revenue
Ele.me operates a food and grocery delivery platform focused on China. Alibaba's on-demand food delivery and local services platform. Revenue comes mainly from commissions, supported by the other lines listed below.
- Commissions
- Delivery fees
Products & services
International presence
- Primary market
- China
- Expansion
- Regional and diaspora audiences beyond the home market
Employee statistics
Customer statistics
Website rankings
- Country rank (China)
- #131 in this index
- Sector rank
- Leading food & delivery site in China
- Global rank
- 300
Main competitors
Website comparisons
| Website | Monthly visits | Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| meituan.com | ≈ 120 million / month | #132 class competitor | — |
| dianping.com | ≈ 90 million / month | #133 class competitor | — |
| taobao.com | ≈ 60 million / month | #134 class competitor | — |
What is Ele.me?
Ele.me (ele.me) is a food and grocery delivery platform serving users in China. Alibaba's on-demand food delivery and local services platform. It ranks #131 among the most visited websites in the country in this index, within the food & delivery category.
Who owns Ele.me?
The site is operated by Alibaba Group, founded by Zhang Xuhao, Kang Jiahui. The company was established in 2008 and is headquartered in Shanghai, China. It employs around 10,000+.
Traffic and audience
Traffic estimates place Ele.me at roughly 200 million visits per month, about 6.7 million per day. Around 89% mobile of sessions come from mobile devices, and visitors view about 6.1 pages per visit with an average session of 5 min.
How Ele.me makes money
Revenue comes primarily from commissions, alongside delivery fees.
Competitors in China
Its closest rivals include meituan.com, dianping.com, taobao.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
- 2008
Ele.me is founded in Shanghai, China.
- Growth phase
Expands its food & delivery offering and moves to a mobile-first product.
- Today
Ranks #131 among the most visited websites in China.
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
- Wide restaurant and store coverage in cities
- Fast delivery windows
- Frequent discounts and loyalty programmes
- Live order tracking
Cons
- Delivery and service fees add up
- Restaurant prices higher than in store
- Courier working conditions criticised
- Coverage thin outside major cities
Key statistics
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Ele.me?
Ele.me is operated by Alibaba Group. Subsidiary of public company structure, based on public filings and press reporting.
Where is Ele.me headquartered?
Ele.me is headquartered in Shanghai, China.
When was Ele.me founded?
Ele.me was founded in 2008 by Zhang Xuhao, Kang Jiahui.
How many employees does Ele.me have?
Ele.me employs approximately 10,000+ people.
What is Ele.me's revenue?
Ele.me's revenue: ≈ $8 billion annual revenue (est.).
Who are Ele.me's competitors?
Main competitors in China include meituan.com, dianping.com, taobao.com.
How does Ele.me make money?
Mainly commissions, delivery fees.
Is Ele.me publicly traded?
Ele.me's ownership: Subsidiary of public company.
How many visitors does Ele.me get?
Third-party estimates place Ele.me at roughly 200 million visits per month, mostly from China, with 89% mobile traffic.
Is Ele.me safe?
Ele.me is an established food & delivery site founded in 2008 and ranked #131 in China; use the official domain ele.me and HTTPS.
Popular searches
Data sources & confidence
- Company website and public announcementsele.me
- Third-party traffic estimation providersSimilarweb-class estimates
Visit figures are modelled, not measured
- App store listingsApple App Store, Google Play
- Press and market coverageChina 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