El Universal
One of Mexico's oldest national dailies, covering politics, economy, culture and sport online.
El Universal at a glance
El Universal is a news & media website and one of the most visited sites in Mexico, currently ranked #100 in the country. It was founded in 1916 by Félix Palavicini and is headquartered in Mexico City, Mexico. Today El Universal is owned by Compañía Periodística Nacional. Our estimates put its audience at ≈ 90 million visits per month. The business earns money mainly through digital advertising, print sales, subscriptions. Its closest rivals include milenio.com, excelsior.com.mx, jornada.com.mx.
Traffic statistics
Traffic history
| Period | Visits | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | ≈ 84.6 million / month | +2% |
| Q2 | ≈ 87.3 million / month | +3% |
| Q3 | ≈ 90 million / month | +3% |
| Q4 | ≈ 95.4 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 Mexico, skewing urban and mobile, with usage peaks in the evening hours.
Geographic reach
- Mexico86%
Home market
- Diaspora and neighbouring markets7%
- Europe3%
- North America2%
- Rest of world2%
SEO profile
- Estimated organic traffic
- ≈ 27 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
- Mexico
Top organic keywords
| Keyword | Position | Volume | Traffic share |
|---|---|---|---|
| el universal | 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 Mexico 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 Mexico
Company information
- Website
- eluniversal.com.mx
- Sector
- News & Media
- Owner
- Compañía Periodística Nacional
- Owner type
- Private company
- Founders
- Félix Palavicini
- Founded
- 1916
- Headquarters
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Employees
- 1,000+
- Ownership
- Compañía Periodística Nacional controls the platform. Ownership details are based on public filings and press reporting.
- Revenue
- ≈ $120 million annual revenue (est.)
- Languages
- Spanish
- Top traffic sources
- direct, organic search, social
Financials
- Revenue
- ≈ $120 million annual revenue (est.)
- Ownership
- Private company
- Reporting
- Figures based on public filings, press reports and market estimates
Business model & revenue
El Universal operates a news and media publisher focused on Mexico. One of Mexico's oldest national dailies, covering politics, economy, culture and sport online. Revenue comes mainly from digital advertising, supported by the other lines listed below.
- Digital advertising
- Print sales
- Subscriptions
Products & services
International presence
- Primary market
- Mexico
- Expansion
- Regional and diaspora audiences beyond the home market
Employee statistics
Customer statistics
Website rankings
- Country rank (Mexico)
- #100 in this index
- Sector rank
- Leading news & media site in Mexico
- Global rank
- 900
Main competitors
Website comparisons
| Website | Monthly visits | Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| milenio.com | ≈ 54 million / month | #101 class competitor | — |
| excelsior.com.mx | ≈ 40.5 million / month | #102 class competitor | — |
| jornada.com.mx | ≈ 27 million / month | #103 class competitor | — |
What is El Universal?
El Universal (eluniversal.com.mx) is a news and media publisher serving users in Mexico. One of Mexico's oldest national dailies, covering politics, economy, culture and sport online. It ranks #100 among the most visited websites in the country in this index, within the news & media category.
Who owns El Universal?
The site is operated by Compañía Periodística Nacional, founded by Félix Palavicini. The company was established in 1916 and is headquartered in Mexico City, Mexico. It employs around 1,000+.
Traffic and audience
Traffic estimates place El Universal at roughly 90 million visits per month, about 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 El Universal makes money
Revenue comes primarily from digital advertising, alongside print sales, subscriptions.
Competitors in Mexico
Its closest rivals include milenio.com, excelsior.com.mx, jornada.com.mx.
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
- 1916
El Universal is founded in Mexico City, Mexico.
- Growth phase
Expands its news & media offering and moves to a mobile-first product.
- Today
Ranks #100 among the most visited websites in Mexico.
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 El Universal?
El Universal is operated by Compañía Periodística Nacional. Private company structure, based on public filings and press reporting.
Where is El Universal headquartered?
El Universal is headquartered in Mexico City, Mexico.
When was El Universal founded?
El Universal was founded in 1916 by Félix Palavicini.
How many employees does El Universal have?
El Universal employs approximately 1,000+ people.
What is El Universal's revenue?
El Universal's revenue: ≈ $120 million annual revenue (est.).
Who are El Universal's competitors?
Main competitors in Mexico include milenio.com, excelsior.com.mx, jornada.com.mx.
How does El Universal make money?
Mainly digital advertising, print sales, subscriptions.
Is El Universal publicly traded?
No — El Universal is not listed as an independent public company; it is operated by Compañía Periodística Nacional.
How many visitors does El Universal get?
Third-party estimates place El Universal at roughly 90 million visits per month, mostly from Mexico, with 79% mobile traffic.
Is El Universal safe?
El Universal is an established news & media site founded in 1916 and ranked #100 in Mexico; use the official domain eluniversal.com.mx and HTTPS.
Popular searches
Data sources & confidence
- Company website and public announcementseluniversal.com.mx
- Third-party traffic estimation providersSimilarweb-class estimates
Visit figures are modelled, not measured
- App store listingsApple App Store, Google Play
- Press and market coverageMexico 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