Zhihu
A Chinese question-and-answer community for knowledge sharing.
Zhihu at a glance
Zhihu is a social media website and one of the most visited sites in China, currently ranked #116 in the country. It was founded in 2011 by Zhou Yuan, Huang Jibin and is headquartered in Beijing, China. Today Zhihu is owned by Zhihu Inc.. Our estimates put its audience at ≈ 300 million visits per month. The business earns money mainly through advertising, memberships, paid content. Its closest rivals include weibo.com, douban.com, baidu.com.
Traffic statistics
Traffic history
| Period | Visits | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | ≈ 282 million / month | +2% |
| Q2 | ≈ 291 million / month | +3% |
| Q3 | ≈ 300 million / month | +3% |
| Q4 | ≈ 318 million / month | +6% |
Traffic sources
- Direct76%
- Organic search13%
- Referral6%
- Paid3%
- Email2%
Audience & demographics
- Men52%
- Women48%
- Age 18-2430%
- Age 25-3429%
- Age 35-4420%
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
- ≈ 90 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 |
| login | Top 10 | High | — |
| sign up | Top 10 | High | — |
| download app | 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
- ≈ 88% mobile
- Position in country
- Among the leading social media apps in China
Company information
- Website
- zhihu.com
- Sector
- Social Media
- Owner
- Zhihu Inc.
- Owner type
- Public company
- Founders
- Zhou Yuan, Huang Jibin
- Founded
- 2011
- Headquarters
- Beijing, China
- Employees
- 3,000+
- Ownership
- Zhihu Inc. controls the platform. Ownership details are based on public filings and press reporting.
- Revenue
- ≈ $450 million annual revenue (est.)
- Languages
- Chinese
- Top traffic sources
- direct, organic search, referral
Financials
- Revenue
- ≈ $450 million annual revenue (est.)
- Ownership
- Public company
- Reporting
- Figures based on public filings, press reports and market estimates
Business model & revenue
Zhihu operates a social platform focused on China. A Chinese question-and-answer community for knowledge sharing. Revenue comes mainly from advertising, supported by the other lines listed below.
- Advertising
- Memberships
- Paid content
Products & services
International presence
- Primary market
- China
- Expansion
- Regional and diaspora audiences beyond the home market
Employee statistics
Customer statistics
Website rankings
- Country rank (China)
- #116 in this index
- Sector rank
- Leading social media site in China
- Global rank
- 120
Main competitors
Website comparisons
| Website | Monthly visits | Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| weibo.com | ≈ 180 million / month | #117 class competitor | — |
| douban.com | ≈ 135 million / month | #118 class competitor | — |
| baidu.com | ≈ 90 million / month | #119 class competitor | — |
What is Zhihu?
Zhihu (zhihu.com) is a social platform serving users in China. A Chinese question-and-answer community for knowledge sharing. It ranks #116 among the most visited websites in the country in this index, within the social media category.
Who owns Zhihu?
The site is operated by Zhihu Inc., founded by Zhou Yuan, Huang Jibin. 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 300 million visits per month, about 10 million per day. Around 88% mobile of sessions come from mobile devices, and visitors view about 11.4 pages per visit with an average session of 12 min.
How Zhihu makes money
Revenue comes primarily from advertising, alongside memberships, paid content.
Competitors in China
Its closest rivals include weibo.com, douban.com, baidu.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 social media offering and moves to a mobile-first product.
- Today
Ranks #116 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
- Very high daily engagement
- Strong creator and community ecosystem
- Free to use with broad reach
- Self-serve advertising for small businesses
Cons
- Moderation and misinformation criticism
- Privacy and data-use concerns
- Algorithm changes hurt organic reach
- Ad load increases over time
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 by Zhou Yuan, Huang Jibin.
How many employees does Zhihu have?
Zhihu employs approximately 3,000+ people.
What is Zhihu's revenue?
Zhihu's revenue: ≈ $450 million annual revenue (est.).
Who are Zhihu's competitors?
Main competitors in China include weibo.com, douban.com, baidu.com.
How does Zhihu make money?
Mainly advertising, memberships, paid content.
Is Zhihu publicly traded?
Zhihu's ownership: Public company.
How many visitors does Zhihu get?
Third-party estimates place Zhihu at roughly 300 million visits per month, mostly from China, with 88% mobile traffic.
Is Zhihu safe?
Zhihu is an established social media site founded in 2011 and ranked #116 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