Libération
A left-leaning French daily newspaper and news site known for investigative reporting and opinion.
Libération at a glance
Libération is a news & media website and one of the most visited sites in France, currently ranked #102 in the country. It was founded in 1973 by Jean-Paul Sartre, Serge July and is headquartered in Paris, France. Today Libération is owned by Presse Indépendante (Altice). Our estimates put its audience at ≈ 35 million visits per month. The business earns money mainly through subscriptions, digital advertising, print sales. Its closest rivals include lemonde.fr, lefigaro.fr, mediapart.fr.
Traffic statistics
Traffic history
| Period | Visits | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | ≈ 32.9 million / month | +2% |
| Q2 | ≈ 33.9 million / month | +3% |
| Q3 | ≈ 35 million / month | +3% |
| Q4 | ≈ 37.1 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 France, skewing urban and mobile, with usage peaks in the evening hours.
Geographic reach
- France86%
Home market
- Diaspora and neighbouring markets7%
- Europe3%
- North America2%
- Rest of world2%
SEO profile
- Estimated organic traffic
- ≈ 10.5 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
- France
Top organic keywords
| Keyword | Position | Volume | Traffic share |
|---|---|---|---|
| libération | 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 France 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 France
Company information
- Website
- liberation.fr
- Sector
- News & Media
- Owner
- Presse Indépendante (Altice)
- Owner type
- Private company
- Founders
- Jean-Paul Sartre, Serge July
- Founded
- 1973
- Headquarters
- Paris, France
- Employees
- 300+
- Ownership
- Presse Indépendante (Altice) controls the platform. Ownership details are based on public filings and press reporting.
- Revenue
- ≈ $80 million annual revenue (est.)
- Languages
- French
- Top traffic sources
- direct, organic search, social
Financials
- Revenue
- ≈ $80 million annual revenue (est.)
- Ownership
- Private company
- Reporting
- Figures based on public filings, press reports and market estimates
Business model & revenue
Libération operates a news and media publisher focused on France. A left-leaning French daily newspaper and news site known for investigative reporting and opinion. Revenue comes mainly from subscriptions, supported by the other lines listed below.
- Subscriptions
- Digital advertising
- Print sales
Products & services
International presence
- Primary market
- France
- Expansion
- Regional and diaspora audiences beyond the home market
Employee statistics
Customer statistics
Website rankings
- Country rank (France)
- #102 in this index
- Sector rank
- Leading news & media site in France
- Global rank
- 2000
Main competitors
Website comparisons
| Website | Monthly visits | Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| lemonde.fr | ≈ 21 million / month | #103 class competitor | — |
| lefigaro.fr | ≈ 15.7 million / month | #104 class competitor | — |
| mediapart.fr | ≈ 10.5 million / month | #105 class competitor | — |
What is Libération?
Libération (liberation.fr) is a news and media publisher serving users in France. A left-leaning French daily newspaper and news site known for investigative reporting and opinion. It ranks #102 among the most visited websites in the country in this index, within the news & media category.
Who owns Libération?
The site is operated by Presse Indépendante (Altice), founded by Jean-Paul Sartre, Serge July. The company was established in 1973 and is headquartered in Paris, France. It employs around 300+.
Traffic and audience
Traffic estimates place Libération at roughly 35 million visits per month, about 1.2 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 Libération makes money
Revenue comes primarily from subscriptions, alongside digital advertising, print sales.
Competitors in France
Its closest rivals include lemonde.fr, lefigaro.fr, mediapart.fr.
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
- 1973
Libération is founded in Paris, France.
- Growth phase
Expands its news & media offering and moves to a mobile-first product.
- Today
Ranks #102 among the most visited websites in France.
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 Libération?
Libération is operated by Presse Indépendante (Altice). Private company structure, based on public filings and press reporting.
Where is Libération headquartered?
Libération is headquartered in Paris, France.
When was Libération founded?
Libération was founded in 1973 by Jean-Paul Sartre, Serge July.
How many employees does Libération have?
Libération employs approximately 300+ people.
What is Libération's revenue?
Libération's revenue: ≈ $80 million annual revenue (est.).
Who are Libération's competitors?
Main competitors in France include lemonde.fr, lefigaro.fr, mediapart.fr.
How does Libération make money?
Mainly subscriptions, digital advertising, print sales.
Is Libération publicly traded?
No — Libération is not listed as an independent public company; it is operated by Presse Indépendante (Altice).
How many visitors does Libération get?
Third-party estimates place Libération at roughly 35 million visits per month, mostly from France, with 79% mobile traffic.
Is Libération safe?
Libération is an established news & media site founded in 1973 and ranked #102 in France; use the official domain liberation.fr and HTTPS.
Popular searches
Data sources & confidence
- Company website and public announcementsliberation.fr
- Third-party traffic estimation providersSimilarweb-class estimates
Visit figures are modelled, not measured
- App store listingsApple App Store, Google Play
- Press and market coverageFrance 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