Irish Independent
Ireland's largest commercial news website.
Irish Independent at a glance
Irish Independent is a news & media website and one of the most visited sites in Ireland, currently ranked #2 in the country. It was founded in 1905 and is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland. Today Irish Independent is owned by Mediahuis Ireland. Our estimates put its audience at ≈ 16 million visits per month. The business earns money mainly through advertising, digital subscriptions. Its closest rivals include rte.ie, irishtimes.com, thejournal.ie.
Traffic statistics
Traffic history
| Period | Visits | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | ≈ 15 million / month | +2% |
| Q2 | ≈ 15.5 million / month | +3% |
| Q3 | ≈ 16 million / month | +3% |
| Q4 | ≈ 17 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 Ireland, skewing urban and mobile, with usage peaks in the evening hours.
Geographic reach
- Ireland86%
Home market
- Diaspora and neighbouring markets7%
- Europe3%
- North America2%
- Rest of world2%
SEO profile
- Estimated organic traffic
- ≈ 4.8 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
- Ireland
Top organic keywords
| Keyword | Position | Volume | Traffic share |
|---|---|---|---|
| irish independent | 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 Ireland 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 Ireland
Company information
- Website
- independent.ie
- Sector
- News & Media
- Owner
- Mediahuis Ireland
- Owner type
- Subsidiary of a private group
- Founded
- 1905
- Headquarters
- Dublin, Ireland
- Ownership
- Mediahuis Ireland controls the platform. Ownership details are based on public filings and press reporting.
- Languages
- English
- Top traffic sources
- direct, organic search, social
Financials
- Revenue
- Not publicly disclosed
- Ownership
- Subsidiary of a private group
- Reporting
- Figures based on public filings, press reports and market estimates
Business model & revenue
Irish Independent operates a news and media publisher focused on Ireland. Ireland's largest commercial news website. Revenue comes mainly from advertising, supported by the other lines listed below.
- Advertising
- Digital subscriptions
International presence
- Primary market
- Ireland
- Expansion
- Regional and diaspora audiences beyond the home market
Customer statistics
Website rankings
- Country rank (Ireland)
- #2 in this index
- Sector rank
- Leading news & media site in Ireland
Main competitors
Website comparisons
| Website | Monthly visits | Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| rte.ie | ≈ 9.6 million / month | #3 class competitor | — |
| irishtimes.com | ≈ 7.2 million / month | #4 class competitor | — |
| thejournal.ie | ≈ 4.8 million / month | #5 class competitor | — |
What is Irish Independent?
Irish Independent (independent.ie) is a news and media publisher serving users in Ireland. Ireland's largest commercial news website. It ranks #2 among the most visited websites in the country in this index, within the news & media category.
Who owns Irish Independent?
The site is operated by Mediahuis Ireland. The company was established in 1905 and is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland.
Traffic and audience
Traffic estimates place Irish Independent at roughly 16 million visits per month, about 0.5 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 Irish Independent makes money
Revenue comes primarily from advertising, alongside digital subscriptions.
Competitors in Ireland
Its closest rivals include rte.ie, irishtimes.com, thejournal.ie.
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
- 1905
Irish Independent is founded in Dublin, Ireland.
- Growth phase
Expands its news & media offering and moves to a mobile-first product.
- Today
Ranks #2 among the most visited websites in Ireland.
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 Irish Independent?
Irish Independent is operated by Mediahuis Ireland. Subsidiary of a private group structure, based on public filings and press reporting.
Where is Irish Independent headquartered?
Irish Independent is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland.
When was Irish Independent founded?
Irish Independent was founded in 1905.
What is Irish Independent's revenue?
Irish Independent does not publish standalone revenue; income comes from advertising, digital subscriptions.
Who are Irish Independent's competitors?
Main competitors in Ireland include rte.ie, irishtimes.com, thejournal.ie.
How does Irish Independent make money?
Mainly advertising, digital subscriptions.
Is Irish Independent publicly traded?
No — Irish Independent is not listed as an independent public company; it is operated by Mediahuis Ireland.
How many visitors does Irish Independent get?
Third-party estimates place Irish Independent at roughly 16 million visits per month, mostly from Ireland, with 79% mobile traffic.
Is Irish Independent safe?
Irish Independent is an established news & media site founded in 1905 and ranked #2 in Ireland; use the official domain independent.ie and HTTPS.
Popular searches
Data sources & confidence
- Company website and public announcementsindependent.ie
- Third-party traffic estimation providersSimilarweb-class estimates
Visit figures are modelled, not measured
- App store listingsApple App Store, Google Play
- Press and market coverageIreland 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