Scientific American
A long-running science magazine and site with news, features and podcasts.
Scientific American at a glance
Scientific American is an education website and one of the most visited sites in United States, currently ranked #430 in the country. It was founded in 1845 by Rufus Porter and is headquartered in New York, NY, USA. Today Scientific American is owned by Springer Nature. Our estimates put its audience at ≈ 25 million visits per month. The business earns money mainly through subscriptions, digital advertising. Its closest rivals include nationalgeographic.com, livescience.com, nature.com.
Traffic statistics
Traffic history
| Period | Visits | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | ≈ 23.5 million / month | +2% |
| Q2 | ≈ 24.3 million / month | +3% |
| Q3 | ≈ 25 million / month | +3% |
| Q4 | ≈ 26.5 million / month | +6% |
Traffic sources
- Organic search44%
- Direct36%
- Referral10%
- Social6%
- Paid4%
Audience & demographics
- Women51%
- Men49%
- Age 18-2434%
- Age 25-3427%
- Age 35-4419%
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
- ≈ 7.5 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
- United States
Top organic keywords
| Keyword | Position | Volume | Traffic share |
|---|---|---|---|
| scientific american | 1 | Very high | Dominant |
| exam results | Top 10 | High | — |
| past papers | Top 10 | High | — |
| online courses | 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
- ≈ 66% mobile
- Position in country
- Among the leading education apps in United States
Company information
- Website
- scientificamerican.com
- Sector
- Education
- Owner
- Springer Nature
- Owner type
- Subsidiary of private company
- Founders
- Rufus Porter
- Founded
- 1845
- Headquarters
- New York, NY, USA
- Employees
- 100+
- Ownership
- Springer Nature controls the platform. Ownership details are based on public filings and press reporting.
- Revenue
- ≈ $50 million annual revenue (est.)
- Languages
- English, many others
- Top traffic sources
- organic search, direct, referral
Financials
- Revenue
- ≈ $50 million annual revenue (est.)
- Ownership
- Subsidiary of private company
- Reporting
- Figures based on public filings, press reports and market estimates
Business model & revenue
Scientific American operates an education platform focused on United States. A long-running science magazine and site with news, features and podcasts. Revenue comes mainly from subscriptions, supported by the other lines listed below.
- Subscriptions
- Digital advertising
Products & services
Related deals on Amazon
As an Amazon Associate, Global Site Index earns from qualifying purchases.
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)
- #430 in this index
- Sector rank
- Leading education site in United States
- Global rank
- 3000
Main competitors
Website comparisons
| Website | Monthly visits | Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| nationalgeographic.com | ≈ 15 million / month | #431 class competitor | — |
| livescience.com | ≈ 11.2 million / month | #432 class competitor | — |
| nature.com | ≈ 7.5 million / month | #433 class competitor | — |
What is Scientific American?
Scientific American (scientificamerican.com) is an education platform serving users in United States. A long-running science magazine and site with news, features and podcasts. It ranks #430 among the most visited websites in the country in this index, within the education category.
Who owns Scientific American?
The site is operated by Springer Nature, founded by Rufus Porter. The company was established in 1845 and is headquartered in New York, NY, USA. It employs around 100+.
Traffic and audience
Traffic estimates place Scientific American at roughly 25 million visits per month, about 0.8 million per day. Around 66% mobile of sessions come from mobile devices, and visitors view about 5.2 pages per visit with an average session of 9 min.
How Scientific American makes money
Revenue comes primarily from subscriptions, alongside digital advertising.
Competitors in United States
Its closest rivals include nationalgeographic.com, livescience.com, nature.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
- 1845
Scientific American is founded in New York, NY, USA.
- Growth phase
Expands its education offering and moves to a mobile-first product.
- Today
Ranks #430 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
- Free or low-cost access to study material
- Content aligned with the national curriculum
- Works on low-end devices
- Exam and result services in one place
Cons
- Peak-period slowdowns around exam dates
- Uneven content quality between subjects
- Limited personalised feedback
- Some features locked behind subscriptions
Key statistics
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Scientific American?
Scientific American is operated by Springer Nature. Subsidiary of private company structure, based on public filings and press reporting.
Where is Scientific American headquartered?
Scientific American is headquartered in New York, NY, USA.
When was Scientific American founded?
Scientific American was founded in 1845 by Rufus Porter.
How many employees does Scientific American have?
Scientific American employs approximately 100+ people.
What is Scientific American's revenue?
Scientific American's revenue: ≈ $50 million annual revenue (est.).
Who are Scientific American's competitors?
Main competitors in United States include nationalgeographic.com, livescience.com, nature.com.
How does Scientific American make money?
Mainly subscriptions, digital advertising.
Is Scientific American publicly traded?
No — Scientific American is not listed as an independent public company; it is operated by Springer Nature.
How many visitors does Scientific American get?
Third-party estimates place Scientific American at roughly 25 million visits per month, mostly from United States, with 66% mobile traffic.
Is Scientific American safe?
Scientific American is an established education site founded in 1845 and ranked #430 in United States; use the official domain scientificamerican.com and HTTPS.
Popular searches
Data sources & confidence
- Company website and public announcementsscientificamerican.com
- 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