O'Reilly
O'Reilly Media is a privately held technology learning platform founded in 1984 that provides subscription-based access to expert-authored books, videos, courses, certifications, and live events. It serves more than 5,000 enterprise customers and millions of individual users across technology, finance, retail, government, and academic segments globally.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1984
- HeadquartersSebastopol, United States
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingSoftware
What O'Reilly does
O'Reilly Media, Inc. is a privately held technology learning company founded in 1984 and headquartered in Sebastopol/Santa Rosa, California, with additional offices in Boston, Farnham (UK), Tokyo, and Beijing. The company operates a subscription-based online learning platform that provides individuals and organizations access to expert-authored books, videos, online courses, live events, interactive learning sandboxes, certifications, AI-powered Q&A, and organizational reporting dashboards. Content spans cloud computing, data engineering, AI/ML, programming, software architecture, IT operations, security, design, business, and soft skills. The platform is structured around modular offerings including AI Academy, Academies (role-based learning journeys), Superstreams (bite-size virtual conferences), and Insights reporting for enterprise administrators.
O'Reilly monetizes primarily through recurring subscription licenses sold to enterprise teams (quote-based, annual), individual professionals (monthly/annual self-serve with a free trial), government agencies, and higher-education institutions, supplemented by printed and electronic book sales via retail channels, bulk licensing programs for training departments, and historical conference/event fees. The company employs a hybrid go-to-market combining direct enterprise field sales, product-led self-serve, and channel partners (Amazon, libraries, app stores, affiliate program). It serves more than 5,000 enterprise customers — including Google, Amazon, Netflix, Tesla, Airbnb, Nasdaq, TCS, Infosys, and ABN AMRO — and millions of end users across B2B, consumer, government, and library channels.
The business has been strategically refocused in recent years: the in-person conference business was wound down in 2020 following COVID-19, Maker Media was spun out as a separate venture-backed company in 2012, and full ownership of the Safari Books Online platform was consolidated in 2014 when O'Reilly acquired Pearson's stake. O'Reilly remains founder-controlled under Tim O'Reilly (CEO and Chairman) with Laura Baldwin serving as President. The company is self-funded through operations and venture activities conducted through its wholly-owned subsidiary O'Reilly AlphaTech Ventures (OATV), and has not disclosed private equity or institutional investment in the available source material.
O'Reilly firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- O'Reilly
- Legal name
- O'Reilly Media, Inc.
- Website
- https://oreilly.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1984
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- O'Reilly Media is a privately held technology learning platform founded in 1984 that provides subscription-based access to expert-authored books, videos, courses, certifications, and live events. It serves more than 5,000 enterprise customers and millions of individual users across technology, finance, retail, government, and academic segments globally.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
O'Reilly industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Online Learning Platform
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (5132), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (516210), Web Search Portals and All Other Information Services (519290)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Online Learning Content & Course Publishing Platforms (BPAMAJAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Learning Content Bundling & Subscription Passes (All-Access Libraries) (MPACALAL), Digital Learning & Course Subscriptions (CRAFAIAD), Interactive Video & Video-Based Learning Authoring (EDAFAHAC)
Keywords
Where O'Reilly is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sebastopol
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices6 records
Markets served
O'Reilly business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Enterprise/Team Subscription: Annual or multi-year subscription licensing for organizations, providing platform-wide access for employees. Pricing is quote-based and tiered by organization size and feature set.
- Individual Subscription: Personal/individual subscription plans for self-directed professionals, typically billed monthly or annually.
- Book and Video Sales: Sale of printed books, ebooks, and video training products, including through retail channels (Amazon, physical bookstores) and the O'Reilly shop.
- Conference and Event Fees: Registration fees for live online workshops, Superstreams, and historically in-person conferences (Strata, AI Conference, OSCON).
- Bulk and Corporate Licensing: Bulk purchasing program for work groups, training departments, and co-branded trade show premiums, with volume discounts.
- Safari Books Online (Legacy JV): Safari Books Online was originally launched in 2001 as a joint venture with Pearson Technology Group; O'Reilly acquired Pearson's interest in 2014 and rebranded as O'Reilly online learning.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Individual subscription plans |
| Subscription | Annual | Enterprise/Team subscription |
| Subscription | Annual | Government plans |
| Subscription | Annual | Academic/Higher Education plans |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Multi-year contract | Bulk/Volume licensing |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels9 records
O'Reilly product offering
Product offeringCore offering
O'Reilly operates a subscription-based online learning platform that aggregates expert-authored books, videos, courses, interactive sandboxes, certifications, live events, and AI-powered Q&A for technology and business professionals. The platform supports both individual self-serve subscriptions and enterprise team licensing, with dedicated government and higher education tiers. It also sells printed and electronic technical books through retail channels including Amazon and physical bookstores.
Product overview
O'Reilly Media operates a unified learning platform offering subscription-based access to multiple content formats including online courses, books, videos, live training, certifications, and interactive learning experiences. The platform is structured around core offerings (online learning, certifications, live events) supplemented by specialized modules (AI Academy, Academies, Superstreams, Answers, Insights Reporting). Content spans technical and business topics across cloud computing, data engineering, data science, AI & ML, programming languages, software architecture, IT/Ops, security, design, business, and soft skills. The company also provides mobile applications for iOS, Android, Apple TV, and Roku, and historically operated Safari Books Online (acquired in 2014) before rebranding to O' Reilly Online Learning.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- O'Reilly AlphaTech Ventures (OATV): Seed-stage investor in the business of funding disruptors, innovators, and hackers of the status quo.
Products and services
- O'Reilly Online Learning Platform A subscription-based learning platform providing access to online courses, books, videos, certifications, live events, interactive learning experiences, Superstream conferences, expert Answers, and Insights reporting for technical and business topics. Available to enterprise teams, government, higher education, and individual professionals.
- AI Academy A dedicated learning track focused on AI adoption and integration, providing structured courses and resources for organizations to build AI competencies across technical and non-technical teams.
- Academies Structured learning programs for managers, soft skills, and data literacy, designed to accelerate team growth through personalized learning pathways.
- Superstreams Bite-size virtual tech conferences providing condensed expert-led content on emerging technologies and industry trends, accessible on-demand.
- Live Events Interactive workshops and expert-led live courses featuring hands-on experience and real-time Q&A with industry practitioners.
- Certifications Certification programs enabling learners to validate skills and earn credentials recognized in the technology industry.
- Interactive Learning Hands-on learning experiences with sandboxes, notebooks, and scenario-based training environments for practical skill development.
- O'Reilly Books (Print and eBooks) Printed and electronic technical books on programming, computer technology, and business topics, sold through Amazon, other online retailers, physical bookstores, and the O'Reilly shop. Includes iconic animal-cover technical books.
Quantifiable outcome
- ABN AMRO achieved 180% increase in engaged users and 48% rise in live event attendance
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use O'Reilly
Customer profileNamed customers25 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
O'Reilly technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature8 records
O'Reilly partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- Pearson Technology GroupminorSafari Books Online was launched in 2001 as a joint venture between O'Reilly Media and the Pearson Technology Group, providing subscription-based access to ebooks. In 2014, O'Reilly acquired Pearson's interest and rebranded the service as O'Reilly online learning, now a wholly owned subsidiary.
- Maker MediaminorIn 2004, O'Reilly named and launched the 'Maker movement' with Make: magazine and, in 2005, Maker Faire. In 2012, O'Reilly spun out the Make: properties into a separate venture-backed company, Maker Media, headed by former O'Reilly executive Dale Dougherty.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
O'Reilly competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Pluralsight: Technology skills platform (Vista Equity-owned) targeting enterprise developers and IT professionals with video courses, hands-on labs, and skill assessments. Directly comparable to O'Reilly on enterprise tech upskilling, certifications, and role-based learning pathways.
- Coursera: Public online learning platform (NYSE: COUR) offering courses, certifications, and enterprise learning programs across technical and business topics. Closely comparable to O'Reilly in subscription-based access to multi-instructor course catalogs, enterprise sales motion, and academic/government distribution.
- Udacity: Technology upskilling platform focused on AI, data science, cloud, and programming with enterprise programs and nanodegree credentials. Comparable to O'Reilly's AI Academy and technical certification offerings for enterprise tech teams.
- Skillsoft: Enterprise-focused digital learning company offering courses, books (via Books24x7), videos, and compliance training. Comparable to O'Reilly in enterprise L&D sales motion, multi-format content, and Fortune 500 customer base.
- Udemy: Public marketplace (NASDAQ: UDMY) with Udemy Business serving enterprise L&D and a consumer course catalog spanning technical and business topics. Comparable on subscription model, multi-instructor catalog breadth, and dedicated enterprise tier.
Emerging players
- Codecademy: Interactive coding and programming skills platform with individual Pro subscriptions and enterprise Codecademy for Business. Comparable to O'Reilly on programming-language learning, interactive sandboxes, and tiered consumer/enterprise pricing.
- DataCamp: Subscription learning platform specializing in data science, AI, and analytics with interactive coding exercises and enterprise teams offering. Comparable to O'Reilly on data/AI learning content depth and hands-on practice but narrower in subject coverage.
- A Cloud Guru: Cloud skills training platform (Pluralsight-owned) covering AWS, Azure, GCP, and DevOps with hands-on labs and certifications. Comparable to O'Reilly's cloud computing skill tracks, certification outcomes, and enterprise upskilling use cases.
Broad incumbents
- MasterClass: Subscription video learning platform featuring expert-led courses across creative, business, and technology topics with consumer-focused pricing. Comparable to O'Reilly on all-access subscription model and expert-instructor brand, though skewed toward consumer rather than enterprise.
- LinkedIn Learning: Microsoft-owned learning library distributed via the LinkedIn professional network, offering video courses across technology, business, and creative topics. Overlaps O'Reilly on enterprise distribution, professional audience, and subscription-based access but operates as part of a broader platform.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
O'Reilly social profiles
Digital presenceO'Reilly financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
O'Reilly leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
O'Reilly subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
O'Reilly funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
O'Reilly M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A2 records
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about O'Reilly
What does O'Reilly do?
O'Reilly operates a subscription-based online learning platform that aggregates expert-authored books, videos, courses, interactive sandboxes, certifications, live events, and AI-powered Q&A for technology and business professionals. The platform supports both individual self-serve subscriptions and enterprise team licensing, with dedicated government and higher education tiers. It also sells printed and electronic technical books through retail channels including Amazon and physical bookstores.
Is O'Reilly a public or private company?
O'Reilly is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was O'Reilly founded?
O'Reilly was founded in 1984. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is O'Reilly based?
O'Reilly is headquartered in Sebastopol, United States, in the North America region.
How does O'Reilly make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Enterprise/Team Subscription is the primary driver. The others are individual Subscription, book and Video Sales, conference and Event Fees, bulk and Corporate Licensing and safari Books Online (Legacy JV).
Who are O'Reilly's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Pluralsight, Coursera, Udacity, Skillsoft and Udemy. Emerging players are Codecademy, DataCamp and A Cloud Guru. Broad incumbents are MasterClass and LinkedIn Learning.
Does O'Reilly have an API?
No public API is recorded for O'Reilly.
What industry is O'Reilly in?
O'Reilly's product category is Online Learning Platform. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAMAJAL, Online Learning Content & Course Publishing Platforms, with a secondary code of MPACALAL, Learning Content Bundling & Subscription Passes (All-Access Libraries). Its NAICS code is 5132 and its SIC code is 8200.