RÚV
Iceland's public broadcaster with news and streaming.
RÚV at a glance
RÚV is a news & media website and one of the most visited sites in Iceland, currently ranked #3 in the country. It was founded in 1930 and is headquartered in Reykjavík, Iceland. Today RÚV is owned by Icelandic State Broadcasting Service. Our estimates put its audience at ≈ 7 million visits per month. The business earns money mainly through licence fee funding, limited advertising, content licensing. Its closest rivals include visir.is, mbl.is.
Traffic statistics
Traffic history
| Period | Visits | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | ≈ 6.6 million / month | +2% |
| Q2 | ≈ 6.8 million / month | +3% |
| Q3 | ≈ 7 million / month | +3% |
| Q4 | ≈ 7.4 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 Iceland, skewing urban and mobile, with usage peaks in the evening hours.
Geographic reach
- Iceland86%
Home market
- Diaspora and neighbouring markets7%
- Europe3%
- North America2%
- Rest of world2%
SEO profile
- Estimated organic traffic
- ≈ 2.1 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
- Iceland
Top organic keywords
| Keyword | Position | Volume | Traffic share |
|---|---|---|---|
| rúv | 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 Iceland 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 Iceland
Company information
- Website
- ruv.is
- Sector
- News & Media
- Owner
- Icelandic State Broadcasting Service
- Owner type
- Public broadcaster
- Founded
- 1930
- Headquarters
- Reykjavík, Iceland
- Employees
- 300+
- Ownership
- Icelandic State Broadcasting Service controls the platform. Ownership details are based on public filings and press reporting.
- Languages
- Icelandic, English
- Top traffic sources
- direct, organic search, social
Financials
- Revenue
- Not publicly disclosed
- Ownership
- Public broadcaster
- Reporting
- Figures based on public filings, press reports and market estimates
Business model & revenue
RÚV operates a news and media publisher focused on Iceland. Iceland's public broadcaster with news and streaming. Revenue comes mainly from licence fee funding, supported by the other lines listed below.
- Licence fee funding
- Limited advertising
- Content licensing
International presence
- Primary market
- Iceland
- Expansion
- Regional and diaspora audiences beyond the home market
Employee statistics
Customer statistics
Website rankings
- Country rank (Iceland)
- #3 in this index
- Sector rank
- Leading news & media site in Iceland
Main competitors
Website comparisons
| Website | Monthly visits | Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| visir.is | ≈ 4.2 million / month | #4 class competitor | — |
| mbl.is | ≈ 3.1 million / month | #5 class competitor | — |
What is RÚV?
RÚV (ruv.is) is a news and media publisher serving users in Iceland. Iceland's public broadcaster with news and streaming. It ranks #3 among the most visited websites in the country in this index, within the news & media category.
Who owns RÚV?
The site is operated by Icelandic State Broadcasting Service. The company was established in 1930 and is headquartered in Reykjavík, Iceland. It employs around 300+.
Traffic and audience
Traffic estimates place RÚV at roughly 7 million visits per month, about 0.2 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 RÚV makes money
Revenue comes primarily from licence fee funding, alongside limited advertising, content licensing.
Competitors in Iceland
Its closest rivals include visir.is, mbl.is.
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
- 1930
RÚV is founded in Reykjavík, Iceland.
- Growth phase
Expands its news & media offering and moves to a mobile-first product.
- Today
Ranks #3 among the most visited websites in Iceland.
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 RÚV?
RÚV is operated by Icelandic State Broadcasting Service. Public broadcaster structure, based on public filings and press reporting.
Where is RÚV headquartered?
RÚV is headquartered in Reykjavík, Iceland.
When was RÚV founded?
RÚV was founded in 1930.
How many employees does RÚV have?
RÚV employs approximately 300+ people.
What is RÚV's revenue?
RÚV does not publish standalone revenue; income comes from licence fee funding, limited advertising, content licensing.
Who are RÚV's competitors?
Main competitors in Iceland include visir.is, mbl.is.
How does RÚV make money?
Mainly licence fee funding, limited advertising, content licensing.
Is RÚV publicly traded?
RÚV's ownership: Public broadcaster.
How many visitors does RÚV get?
Third-party estimates place RÚV at roughly 7 million visits per month, mostly from Iceland, with 79% mobile traffic.
Is RÚV safe?
RÚV is an established news & media site founded in 1930 and ranked #3 in Iceland; use the official domain ruv.is and HTTPS.
Popular searches
Data sources & confidence
- Company website and public announcementsruv.is
- Third-party traffic estimation providersSimilarweb-class estimates
Visit figures are modelled, not measured
- App store listingsApple App Store, Google Play
- Press and market coverageIceland 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