Philstar
News, sports and business from the Philippine Star group.
Philstar at a glance
Philstar is a news & media website and one of the most visited sites in Philippines, currently ranked #8 in the country. It was founded in 1986 and is headquartered in Manila, Philippines. Today Philstar is owned by Philstar Media Group. Our estimates put its audience at ≈ 20 million visits per month. The business earns money mainly through display and video advertising, native and sponsored content, digital subscriptions. Its closest rivals include inquirer.net, rappler.com.
Traffic statistics
Traffic history
| Period | Visits | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | ≈ 18.8 million / month | +2% |
| Q2 | ≈ 19.4 million / month | +3% |
| Q3 | ≈ 20 million / month | +3% |
| Q4 | ≈ 21.2 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 Philippines, skewing urban and mobile, with usage peaks in the evening hours.
Geographic reach
- Philippines86%
Home market
- Diaspora and neighbouring markets7%
- Europe3%
- North America2%
- Rest of world2%
SEO profile
- Estimated organic traffic
- ≈ 6 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
- Philippines
Top organic keywords
| Keyword | Position | Volume | Traffic share |
|---|---|---|---|
| philstar | 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 Philippines 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 Philippines
Company information
- Website
- philstar.com
- Sector
- News & Media
- Owner
- Philstar Media Group
- Owner type
- Private company
- Founded
- 1986
- Headquarters
- Manila, Philippines
- Ownership
- Philstar Media Group 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
- Private company
- Reporting
- Figures based on public filings, press reports and market estimates
Business model & revenue
Philstar operates a news and media publisher focused on Philippines. News, sports and business from the Philippine Star group. Revenue comes mainly from display and video advertising, supported by the other lines listed below.
- Display and video advertising
- Native and sponsored content
- Digital subscriptions
- Content syndication
International presence
- Primary market
- Philippines
- Expansion
- Regional and diaspora audiences beyond the home market
Customer statistics
Website rankings
- Country rank (Philippines)
- #8 in this index
- Sector rank
- Leading news & media site in Philippines
Main competitors
Website comparisons
| Website | Monthly visits | Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| inquirer.net | ≈ 12 million / month | #9 class competitor | — |
| rappler.com | ≈ 9 million / month | #10 class competitor | — |
What is Philstar?
Philstar (philstar.com) is a news and media publisher serving users in Philippines. News, sports and business from the Philippine Star group. It ranks #8 among the most visited websites in the country in this index, within the news & media category.
Who owns Philstar?
The site is operated by Philstar Media Group. The company was established in 1986 and is headquartered in Manila, Philippines.
Traffic and audience
Traffic estimates place Philstar at roughly 20 million visits per month, about 0.7 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 Philstar makes money
Revenue comes primarily from display and video advertising, alongside native and sponsored content, digital subscriptions, content syndication.
Competitors in Philippines
Its closest rivals include inquirer.net, rappler.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
- 1986
Philstar is founded in Manila, Philippines.
- Growth phase
Expands its news & media offering and moves to a mobile-first product.
- Today
Ranks #8 among the most visited websites in Philippines.
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 Philstar?
Philstar is operated by Philstar Media Group. Private company structure, based on public filings and press reporting.
Where is Philstar headquartered?
Philstar is headquartered in Manila, Philippines.
When was Philstar founded?
Philstar was founded in 1986.
What is Philstar's revenue?
Philstar does not publish standalone revenue; income comes from display and video advertising, native and sponsored content, digital subscriptions, content syndication.
Who are Philstar's competitors?
Main competitors in Philippines include inquirer.net, rappler.com.
How does Philstar make money?
Mainly display and video advertising, native and sponsored content, digital subscriptions, content syndication.
Is Philstar publicly traded?
No — Philstar is not listed as an independent public company; it is operated by Philstar Media Group.
How many visitors does Philstar get?
Third-party estimates place Philstar at roughly 20 million visits per month, mostly from Philippines, with 79% mobile traffic.
Is Philstar safe?
Philstar is an established news & media site founded in 1986 and ranked #8 in Philippines; use the official domain philstar.com and HTTPS.
Popular searches
Data sources & confidence
- Company website and public announcementsphilstar.com
- Third-party traffic estimation providersSimilarweb-class estimates
Visit figures are modelled, not measured
- App store listingsApple App Store, Google Play
- Press and market coveragePhilippines 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