ProPublica
A nonprofit investigative newsroom producing in-depth public-interest journalism.
ProPublica at a glance
ProPublica is a news & media website and one of the most visited sites in United States, currently ranked #352 in the country. It was founded in 2007 by Paul Steiger, Herbert Sandler, Marion Sandler and is headquartered in New York, NY, USA. Today ProPublica is owned by Pro Publica, Inc.. Our estimates put its audience at ≈ 10 million visits per month. The business earns money mainly through donations, grants. Its closest rivals include nytimes.com, washingtonpost.com, theatlantic.com.
Traffic statistics
Traffic history
| Period | Visits | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | ≈ 9.4 million / month | +2% |
| Q2 | ≈ 9.7 million / month | +3% |
| Q3 | ≈ 10 million / month | +3% |
| Q4 | ≈ 10.6 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 States, skewing urban and mobile, with usage peaks in the evening hours.
Geographic reach
- United States86%
Home market
- Diaspora and neighbouring markets7%
- Europe3%
- North America2%
- Rest of world2%
SEO profile
- Estimated organic traffic
- ≈ 3 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 States
Top organic keywords
| Keyword | Position | Volume | Traffic share |
|---|---|---|---|
| propublica | 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 States 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 States
Company information
- Website
- propublica.org
- Sector
- News & Media
- Owner
- Pro Publica, Inc.
- Owner type
- Nonprofit
- Founders
- Paul Steiger, Herbert Sandler, Marion Sandler
- Founded
- 2007
- Headquarters
- New York, NY, USA
- Employees
- 400+
- Ownership
- Pro Publica, Inc. controls the platform. Ownership details are based on public filings and press reporting.
- Revenue
- ≈ $90 million annual revenue (est.)
- Languages
- English, Spanish
- Top traffic sources
- direct, organic search, social
Financials
- Revenue
- ≈ $90 million annual revenue (est.)
- Ownership
- Nonprofit
- Reporting
- Figures based on public filings, press reports and market estimates
Business model & revenue
ProPublica operates a news and media publisher focused on United States. A nonprofit investigative newsroom producing in-depth public-interest journalism. Revenue comes mainly from donations, supported by the other lines listed below.
- Donations
- Grants
Products & services
International presence
- Primary market
- United States
- Expansion
- Regional and diaspora audiences beyond the home market
Employee statistics
Customer statistics
Website rankings
- Country rank (United States)
- #352 in this index
- Sector rank
- Leading news & media site in United States
- Global rank
- 6000
Main competitors
Website comparisons
| Website | Monthly visits | Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| nytimes.com | ≈ 6 million / month | #353 class competitor | — |
| washingtonpost.com | ≈ 4.5 million / month | #354 class competitor | — |
| theatlantic.com | ≈ 3 million / month | #355 class competitor | — |
What is ProPublica?
ProPublica (propublica.org) is a news and media publisher serving users in United States. A nonprofit investigative newsroom producing in-depth public-interest journalism. It ranks #352 among the most visited websites in the country in this index, within the news & media category.
Who owns ProPublica?
The site is operated by Pro Publica, Inc., founded by Paul Steiger, Herbert Sandler, Marion Sandler. The company was established in 2007 and is headquartered in New York, NY, USA. It employs around 400+.
Traffic and audience
Traffic estimates place ProPublica at roughly 10 million visits per month, about 0.3 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 ProPublica makes money
Revenue comes primarily from donations, alongside grants.
Competitors in United States
Its closest rivals include nytimes.com, washingtonpost.com, theatlantic.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
- 2007
ProPublica is founded in New York, NY, USA.
- Growth phase
Expands its news & media offering and moves to a mobile-first product.
- Today
Ranks #352 among the most visited websites in United States.
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 ProPublica?
ProPublica is operated by Pro Publica, Inc.. Nonprofit structure, based on public filings and press reporting.
Where is ProPublica headquartered?
ProPublica is headquartered in New York, NY, USA.
When was ProPublica founded?
ProPublica was founded in 2007 by Paul Steiger, Herbert Sandler, Marion Sandler.
How many employees does ProPublica have?
ProPublica employs approximately 400+ people.
What is ProPublica's revenue?
ProPublica's revenue: ≈ $90 million annual revenue (est.).
Who are ProPublica's competitors?
Main competitors in United States include nytimes.com, washingtonpost.com, theatlantic.com.
How does ProPublica make money?
Mainly donations, grants.
Is ProPublica publicly traded?
No — ProPublica is not listed as an independent public company; it is operated by Pro Publica, Inc..
How many visitors does ProPublica get?
Third-party estimates place ProPublica at roughly 10 million visits per month, mostly from United States, with 79% mobile traffic.
Is ProPublica safe?
ProPublica is an established news & media site founded in 2007 and ranked #352 in United States; use the official domain propublica.org and HTTPS.
Popular searches
Data sources & confidence
- Company website and public announcementspropublica.org
- Third-party traffic estimation providersSimilarweb-class estimates
Visit figures are modelled, not measured
- App store listingsApple App Store, Google Play
- Press and market coverageUnited States 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