Metro
A free UK news site and commuter newspaper covering news, entertainment and lifestyle.
Metro at a glance
Metro is a news & media website and one of the most visited sites in United Kingdom, currently ranked #109 in the country. It was founded in 1999 by Associated Newspapers and is headquartered in London, UK. Today Metro is owned by DMGT. Our estimates put its audience at ≈ 100 million visits per month. The business earns money mainly through digital advertising, print advertising. Its closest rivals include mirror.co.uk, standard.co.uk, independent.co.uk.
Traffic statistics
Traffic history
| Period | Visits | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | ≈ 94 million / month | +2% |
| Q2 | ≈ 97 million / month | +3% |
| Q3 | ≈ 100 million / month | +3% |
| Q4 | ≈ 106 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
- ≈ 30 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| metro | 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
- metro.co.uk
- Sector
- News & Media
- Owner
- DMGT
- Owner type
- Private company
- Founders
- Associated Newspapers
- Founded
- 1999
- Headquarters
- London, UK
- Employees
- 300+
- Ownership
- DMGT controls the platform. Ownership details are based on public filings and press reporting.
- Revenue
- ≈ $120 million annual revenue (est.)
- Languages
- English
- 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
Metro operates a news and media publisher focused on United Kingdom. A free UK news site and commuter newspaper covering news, entertainment and lifestyle. Revenue comes mainly from digital advertising, supported by the other lines listed below.
- Digital advertising
- Print 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)
- #109 in this index
- Sector rank
- Leading news & media site in United Kingdom
- Global rank
- 450
Main competitors
Website comparisons
| Website | Monthly visits | Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| mirror.co.uk | ≈ 60 million / month | #110 class competitor | — |
| standard.co.uk | ≈ 45 million / month | #111 class competitor | — |
| independent.co.uk | ≈ 30 million / month | #112 class competitor | — |
What is Metro?
Metro (metro.co.uk) is a news and media publisher serving users in United Kingdom. A free UK news site and commuter newspaper covering news, entertainment and lifestyle. It ranks #109 among the most visited websites in the country in this index, within the news & media category.
Who owns Metro?
The site is operated by DMGT, founded by Associated Newspapers. The company was established in 1999 and is headquartered in London, UK. It employs around 300+.
Traffic and audience
Traffic estimates place Metro at roughly 100 million visits per month, about 3.3 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 Metro makes money
Revenue comes primarily from digital advertising, alongside print advertising.
Competitors in United Kingdom
Its closest rivals include mirror.co.uk, standard.co.uk, independent.co.uk.
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
- 1999
Metro is founded in London, UK.
- Growth phase
Expands its news & media offering and moves to a mobile-first product.
- Today
Ranks #109 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 Metro?
Metro is operated by DMGT. Private company structure, based on public filings and press reporting.
Where is Metro headquartered?
Metro is headquartered in London, UK.
When was Metro founded?
Metro was founded in 1999 by Associated Newspapers.
How many employees does Metro have?
Metro employs approximately 300+ people.
What is Metro's revenue?
Metro's revenue: ≈ $120 million annual revenue (est.).
Who are Metro's competitors?
Main competitors in United Kingdom include mirror.co.uk, standard.co.uk, independent.co.uk.
How does Metro make money?
Mainly digital advertising, print advertising.
Is Metro publicly traded?
No — Metro is not listed as an independent public company; it is operated by DMGT.
How many visitors does Metro get?
Third-party estimates place Metro at roughly 100 million visits per month, mostly from United Kingdom, with 79% mobile traffic.
Is Metro safe?
Metro is an established news & media site founded in 1999 and ranked #109 in United Kingdom; use the official domain metro.co.uk and HTTPS.
Popular searches
Data sources & confidence
- Company website and public announcementsmetro.co.uk
- 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