Zhihu
China's leading question-and-answer knowledge community.
Zhihu at a glance
Zhihu is a blogs & forums website and one of the most visited sites in China, currently ranked #9 in the country. It was founded in 2011 and is headquartered in Beijing, China. Today Zhihu is owned by Zhihu Inc.. Our estimates put its audience at ≈ 180 million visits per month. The business earns money mainly through advertising, paid memberships. Its closest rivals include baidu.com, weibo.com.
Traffic statistics
Traffic history
| Period | Visits | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | ≈ 169 million / month | +2% |
| Q2 | ≈ 175 million / month | +3% |
| Q3 | ≈ 180 million / month | +3% |
| Q4 | ≈ 191 million / month | +6% |
Traffic sources
- Organic search47%
- Direct33%
- Social12%
- Referral6%
- Paid2%
Audience & demographics
- Men58%
- Women42%
- Age 18-2429%
- Age 25-3432%
- Age 35-4419%
The audience is concentrated in China, skewing urban and mobile, with usage peaks in the evening hours.
Geographic reach
- China86%
Home market
- Diaspora and neighbouring markets7%
- Europe3%
- North America2%
- Rest of world2%
SEO profile
- Estimated organic traffic
- ≈ 54 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
- China
Top organic keywords
| Keyword | Position | Volume | Traffic share |
|---|---|---|---|
| zhihu | 1 | Very high | Dominant |
| forum | Top 10 | High | — |
| reviews | Top 10 | High | — |
| how to | Top 10 | High | — |
Backlink profile
- Referring domains
- Tens of thousands
- Link profile
- News coverage, directories, blogs and partner sites
- Authority
- High within the China 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
- ≈ 70% mobile
- Position in country
- Among the leading blogs & forums apps in China
Company information
- Website
- zhihu.com
- Sector
- Blogs & Forums
- Owner
- Zhihu Inc.
- Owner type
- Public company
- Founded
- 2011
- Headquarters
- Beijing, China
- Employees
- 3,000+
- Ownership
- Zhihu Inc. controls the platform. Ownership details are based on public filings and press reporting.
- Languages
- Chinese
- Top traffic sources
- organic search, direct, social
Financials
- Revenue
- Not publicly disclosed
- Ownership
- Public company
- Reporting
- Figures based on public filings, press reports and market estimates
Business model & revenue
Zhihu operates a community, blog and forum platform focused on China. China's leading question-and-answer knowledge community. Revenue comes mainly from advertising, supported by the other lines listed below.
- Advertising
- Paid memberships
International presence
- Primary market
- China
- Expansion
- Regional and diaspora audiences beyond the home market
Employee statistics
Customer statistics
Website rankings
- Country rank (China)
- #9 in this index
- Sector rank
- Leading blogs & forums site in China
Main competitors
Website comparisons
| Website | Monthly visits | Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| baidu.com | ≈ 108 million / month | #10 class competitor | — |
| weibo.com | ≈ 81 million / month | #11 class competitor | — |
What is Zhihu?
Zhihu (zhihu.com) is a community, blog and forum platform serving users in China. China's leading question-and-answer knowledge community. It ranks #9 among the most visited websites in the country in this index, within the blogs & forums category.
Who owns Zhihu?
The site is operated by Zhihu Inc.. The company was established in 2011 and is headquartered in Beijing, China. It employs around 3,000+.
Traffic and audience
Traffic estimates place Zhihu at roughly 180 million visits per month, about 6 million per day. Around 70% mobile of sessions come from mobile devices, and visitors view about 6.4 pages per visit with an average session of 9 min.
How Zhihu makes money
Revenue comes primarily from advertising, alongside paid memberships.
Competitors in China
Its closest rivals include baidu.com, weibo.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
- 2011
Zhihu is founded in Beijing, China.
- Growth phase
Expands its blogs & forums offering and moves to a mobile-first product.
- Today
Ranks #9 among the most visited websites in China.
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
- Large archive of user-generated answers
- Active community with fast replies
- Strong long-tail search visibility
- Free participation
Cons
- Moderation quality varies by section
- Outdated threads rank in search
- Advertising density on popular pages
- Tone can be hostile to newcomers
Key statistics
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Zhihu?
Zhihu is operated by Zhihu Inc.. Public company structure, based on public filings and press reporting.
Where is Zhihu headquartered?
Zhihu is headquartered in Beijing, China.
When was Zhihu founded?
Zhihu was founded in 2011.
How many employees does Zhihu have?
Zhihu employs approximately 3,000+ people.
What is Zhihu's revenue?
Zhihu does not publish standalone revenue; income comes from advertising, paid memberships.
Who are Zhihu's competitors?
Main competitors in China include baidu.com, weibo.com.
How does Zhihu make money?
Mainly advertising, paid memberships.
Is Zhihu publicly traded?
Zhihu's ownership: Public company.
How many visitors does Zhihu get?
Third-party estimates place Zhihu at roughly 180 million visits per month, mostly from China, with 70% mobile traffic.
Is Zhihu safe?
Zhihu is an established blogs & forums site founded in 2011 and ranked #9 in China; use the official domain zhihu.com and HTTPS.
Popular searches
Data sources & confidence
- Company website and public announcementszhihu.com
- Third-party traffic estimation providersSimilarweb-class estimates
Visit figures are modelled, not measured
- App store listingsApple App Store, Google Play
- Press and market coverageChina 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