Thomas Nelson
Thomas Nelson is a Nashville-based Christian publisher, founded in 1798 and now a division of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, producing Bibles (including the NKJV), trade books, and children's titles across multiple imprints and distributing in 100+ countries via print and the BibleGateway digital platform.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1798
- HeadquartersNashville, United States
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Thomas Nelson does
Thomas Nelson is one of the largest Christian publishers in the United States, founded in 1798 and now operating as a division of HarperCollins Christian Publishing (News Corp). The company is headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, with an office in Orlando, and publishes Bibles, trade books, gift books, and children's titles through imprints including Nelson Books, W Publishing, Tommy Nelson, WestBow Press (self-publishing services), and Grupo Nelson (Spanish-language). Its catalog is anchored by the New King James Version Bible translation (launched 1982) and the Jesus Calling devotional series, which has surpassed 50 million copies sold. The firm releases more than 250 new titles per year and licenses rights in 100+ countries across 65+ languages.
The company's digital infrastructure centers on BibleGateway, a Bible-reading platform reporting more than 23 million monthly unique users, supplemented by FaithGateway, ChurchSource (a church-curriculum platform), and Study Gateway's streaming video. BibleGateway offers free and premium access, reading plans, audio Bibles, and recently expanded anti-piracy and streaming initiatives, positioning the company as a hybrid print-digital publisher with significant owned direct-to-consumer distribution. Its author portfolio spans pastors (Max Lucado, Greg Laurie), worship leaders (Phil Wickham), and entertainment personalities (Sadie Robertson Huff, Savannah Chrisley, Dude Perfect), reflecting a deliberate cross-segment audience strategy.
Thomas Nelson's business model is built on three revenue streams: (1) wholesale and direct-to-consumer sales of Bibles and trade books through retailers, churches, and its own platforms, with Bibles priced from approximately $19.99 to $94.99 and study Bibles around $39.99; (2) rights licensing internationally through Grupo Nelson and partners; and (3) digital revenue from BibleGateway advertising, premium content, and audio. Church and institutional distribution is a notable channel, alongside consumer retail and the company's own Boys and Girls Book Club community, which serves parents, teachers, and young readers.
Thomas Nelson firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Thomas Nelson
- Legal name
- Thomas Nelson (as part of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc.)
- Website
- https://thomasnelson.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1798
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Thomas Nelson is a Nashville-based Christian publisher, founded in 1798 and now a division of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, producing Bibles (including the NKJV), trade books, and children's titles across multiple imprints and distributing in 100+ countries via print and the BibleGateway digital platform.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Thomas Nelson industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Christian Publishing
- NAICS
- Book Publishers (51313)
- SIC
- Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sacred Texts & Scripture Publishing (Bibles, Qur’ans, Vedas, Torah, Sutras) (MPAJAHAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Religious Nonfiction & Theology Publishing (Apologetics, Doctrine, Ethics) (MPAJAHAG), Religious Fiction & Inspirational Literature Publishing (MPAJAHAF), Devotional & Prayer Publishing (Devotionals, Prayer Books, Meditation Guides) (MPAJAHAB), Children’s Religious & Values-Based Publishing (MPAJAFAL)
Keywords
Where Thomas Nelson is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Nashville
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Thomas Nelson business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Book Sales: Core revenue from sales of more than 250 new, original books and Bibles published each year, across multiple formats including hardcover, paperback, eBook, audiobook, and special editions; distributed in more than 100 countries with content in more than 65 different languages.
- Rights and Licensing: Licensing of foreign and domestic publication rights including UK, translation, magazine, newspaper, book club, audio, paperback reprint, hardcover reprint, large print, television, motion picture, radio, dramatic, public readings, and electronic reproduction. Multi-territory licensing through a network of co-agents.
- Study Gateway Video Streaming Subscription: Recurring subscription revenue from Study Gateway, an online streaming video service offering instant access to hundreds of video Bible and topical studies from bestselling authors, pastors, and Bible teachers.
- Audiobook Sales: Audiobook sales across major distribution platforms including Audible and Spotify, with dedicated HarperCollins Christian branded storefronts and ongoing new-release audio catalog.
- Self-Publishing Partnership Revenue (WestBow Press): Through an established alliance between HarperCollins Christian Publishing and Authors Solutions, LLC, WestBow Press offers publishing packages that have enabled thousands of authors to self-publish Christian books, with revenue from publishing packages and ancillary services.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | New Releases Hardcover/Paperback/eBook/Audiobook |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Premium Bible Editions (Leathersoft / Thumb Indexed) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Audiobooks |
| Subscription | Monthly | Study Gateway Streaming Subscription |
Go-to-market motion5 records
Distribution channels10 records
Marketing channels9 records
Thomas Nelson product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Thomas Nelson is a Christian publishing house that publishes more than 250 new Bibles, books, gift books, children's titles, and curriculum each year, distributed in over 100 countries and 65+ languages across multiple imprints (Thomas Nelson Bibles, Nelson Books, W Publishing, Tommy Nelson, Thomas Nelson Fiction, Thomas Nelson Gift, Emanate Books, Grupo Nelson, Catholic Bible Press). It also operates digital platforms including BibleGateway.com, FaithGateway, ChurchSource, and Study Gateway, and licenses rights for foreign and domestic publication in print, audio, video, and electronic formats.
Product overview
Thomas Nelson is a world-leading Christian content publisher (founded over 200 years ago, headquartered in Nashville, TN) operating as a division of HarperCollins Christian Publishing. Its offering is not a single software product but a multi-imprint publishing portfolio of Bibles, trade books, fiction, gift books, and children's titles, distributed in more than 100 countries and translated into more than 65 languages, with over 250 new, original books and Bibles published each year. The portfolio includes core imprints: Thomas Nelson Bibles (KJV, NKJV, NIV editions including NKJV Foundation Study Bible, Color Code Study Bible, Woman's Study Bible, Sketchbook Bible), Nelson Books (Christian nonfiction with authors like Max Lucado, Lysa TerKeurst, Bob Goff), W Publishing Group (commercial nonfiction with authors like Dr. David Jeremiah, Sarah Jakes Roberts), Tommy Nelson (children's books including Dude Perfect + Panda series), Thomas Nelson Fiction (Colleen Coble, Charles Martin), Thomas Nelson Gift (devotionals/journals), Emanate Books (charismatic), Grupo Nelson (Spanish-language), and Catholic Bible Press. Digital and community platforms extend the offering: Bible Gateway (largest Christian website, 80+ languages, 200+ translations, 23M+ monthly visitors), FaithGateway (online Christian community and retail store), ChurchSource (church/ministry B2B resource platform), Study Gateway (streaming video Bible studies on iOS/Android/web), Author Gateway (author proposal resource), and WestBow Press (self-publishing imprint via Author Solutions). Audiobooks are distributed via Audible and podcasts via Spotify, and Link-Busters is engaged for anti-piracy protection of digital content.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Tommy Nelson: Thomas Nelson's children's division publishing a wide variety of high quality, enjoyable products consistent with the teachings found in the Bible.
- Nelson Books
- W Publishing Group
- Emanate Books
- Thomas Nelson Fiction
- Grupo Nelson
- Catholic Bible Press
- Thomas Nelson Gift
Products and services
- Thomas Nelson Bibles Bible publishing line producing study, reference, journal, teen, and devotional Bibles in the King James tradition (KJV, NKJV, NIV, NET, Catholic editions), available in standard, compact, large, and giant print formats. Target audience: individual Christian consumers seeking Bibles for personal study, devotional use, and gift-giving.
- Tommy Nelson (Children's Imprint) Children's publishing division producing board books, picture books, chapter books, middle-grade fiction (e.g., Dude Perfect + Panda series for ages 8-12), devotionals, and homeschool resources designed to nurture children's faith. Target audience: parents, grandparents, and gift-givers of Christian children aged 0-12.
- Nelson Books Christian nonfiction imprint publishing biblically-informed and spiritually fresh books from bestselling authors such as Max Lucado, Lysa TerKeurst, Bob Goff, John Eldredge, Jennie Allen, Tim Tebow, and Jefferson Bethke across spiritual growth, inspiration, practical living, memoir, biography, history, and culture. Target audience: individual Christian readers and gift-givers.
- W Publishing Group Commercial nonfiction imprint publishing faith-based and secular memoirs and transformative storytelling. Home to authors such as Sarah Jakes Roberts, Savannah Guthrie, Dr. David Jeremiah, Ann Voskamp, Louie Giglio, and Billy Graham's publishing catalog, with recent bestsellers including The Awe of God, The Great Disappearance, Becoming Free Indeed, and Heaven Is for Real. Target audience: general Christian readers plus crossover general-market readers.
- Emanate Books Imprint publishing content for the nondenominational, charismatic community, including topical Christian living titles, personal memoirs, and one historical title per year, by authors with a passion for Jesus and trust in the Scriptures. Target audience: charismatic and nondenominational Christian readers.
- Thomas Nelson Fiction Fiction publishing division producing romance, historical, thriller, suspense, humor, southern, mystery, and general fiction from bestselling and award-winning Christian fiction authors. Target audience: Christian fiction readers seeking clean, wholesome, and entertaining stories with Christian values embedded in genre fiction.
- Grupo Nelson Spanish-language division publishing Bibles and best-selling books emphasizing Christian inspiration in business, culture, fiction, and family-value themes, with product distributed in more than 100 countries. Target audience: Spanish-speaking Christians in the U.S. and Latin America.
- Thomas Nelson Gift Gift division publishing devotionals, personal organization books, journals, high-design, coffee table, holiday, and occasional books from notable authors including Sarah Young, Billy Graham, Max Lucado, O.S. Hawkins, Emily Ley, and Charles Stanley. Target audience: gift-givers for occasions such as graduation, Mother's Day, Christmas, and birthdays.
- Catholic Bible Press Specialty Bible and resource publisher creating Bibles that provide a deeper understanding of God through the Sacred Scriptures of the Christian faith, for Catholic audiences. Target audience: Catholic Christian consumers.
- Bible Gateway Online platform offering free access to the Bible in more than 80 languages and 200 different translations, with more than 23 million unique visitors per month to the website and app. Target audience: global individual Christian readers and seekers.
- FaithGateway Online Christian community and e-commerce store hosting daily blog posts, devotionals, Bible studies, free downloads, giveaways, and integrated access to popular Christian authors. Target audience: Christian readers seeking spiritual growth resources and product discovery.
- ChurchSource Online B2B resource for churches and ministries offering Bible translations, reference resources for Bible study, sermon preparation, discipleship training, and personal enrichment, handpicked by ministry experts. Target audience: churches, ministries, and ministry leaders.
- Study Gateway Online streaming video subscription service offering instant access to hundreds of video Bible and topical studies from bestselling authors, pastors, and Bible teachers, accessible on web and iOS/Android. Target audience: individuals, small groups, and churches for Bible study and discipleship.
- WestBow Press Self-publishing imprint offering publishing packages and a broad range of services (illustrations, editorial, marketing) for authors seeking to publish books focused on Christian morals, inspirational themes, and family values, operated in alliance with Author Solutions, LLC. Target audience: aspiring Christian authors seeking self-publishing.
- Thomas Nelson Audio / Audiobooks Audiobook division offering Audible editions of Thomas Nelson titles and a Listen Hear branded podcast channel on Spotify, with a dedicated audiobook newsletter for exclusive content, giveaways, and deals. Target audience: audiobook consumers and podcast listeners.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 250 new, original books and Bibles published each year, distributed in 100+ countries across 65+ languages
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Thomas Nelson
Customer profileSegments7 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Thomas Nelson technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
AI capability1 record
Feature5 records
Thomas Nelson partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship / parent and minor.
- Museum of the BiblecoreThomas Nelson, a division of HarperCollins Christian Publishing (HCCP), extended its partnership with Museum of the Bible to sponsor more than 200 events at their renowned World Stage Theater in Washington, DC. This is a continuing sponsorship/marketing relationship, with Museum of the Bible providing event audiences and Thomas Nelson providing publishing expertise and content alignment.
- HarperCollins Publishersflagship / parentThomas Nelson was acquired by HarperCollins in 2012 to be one of the two major publishing houses that form HarperCollins Christian Publishing (HCCP). As part of HCCP, the publishing group provides multiple formats of award-winning Bibles, books, gift books, cookbooks, curricula and digital content, with distribution in more than 100 countries. HCCP is headquartered in Nashville, TN, with an additional office in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
- WestBow Press (Author Solutions, LLC)coreHarperCollins Christian Publishing operates a self-publishing imprint, WestBow Press, in alliance with Author Solutions, LLC, a third-party provider. Through this established alliance, WestBow Press offers publishing packages that have enabled thousands of authors to self-publish all genres of books focused on Christian morals, inspirational themes, and family values, with a broad range of services including illustrations, editorial and marketing options.
- Audible (Amazon)coreThomas Nelson distributes audiobooks through a dedicated Audible storefront under the HarperCollins Christian banner (Listen Hear), offering new releases, pre-orders, and sneak-peek audio samples across the audiobook catalog.
- SpotifyminorThomas Nelson hosts a Listen Hear branded channel on Spotify for podcast-style audio content and audiobook distribution.
- The Artemis Agency (Michelle Lin)minorForeign rights co-agent for Chinese-language publication rights for Thomas Nelson books. Located in Taipei, Taiwan.
- MO Literary (Monique Oosterhof)minorForeign rights co-agent covering Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Norwegian, and Swedish publication rights. Based in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
- Maxima Creative AgencyminorForeign rights co-agent for Indonesian publication rights. Based in Gading Serpong-Tangerang, Indonesia.
- Tuttle-Mori AgencyminorForeign rights co-agent for Japanese publication rights, with Manami Tamaoki and Fumika Ogihara as primary contacts. Based in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo.
- rMaeng2 (Hosung Maeng)minorForeign rights co-agent for Korean publication rights. Based in Seoul, Republic of Korea.
- Graal Sp. z o.o. (Lukasz Wrobel)minorForeign rights co-agent for Polish and other Eastern European languages. Based in Warsaw, Poland.
- Silvia Bastos, S.L. Agencia literaria (Pau Centellas)minorForeign rights co-agent for Spanish and Portuguese publication rights. Based in Barcelona, Spain.
- Akcali Agency (Özgür Emir)minorForeign rights co-agent for Turkish publication rights. Based in Kadikoy, Istanbul, Turkey.
- Passion PublishingcoreCo-publishing partnership with W Publishing (an imprint of Thomas Nelson) and Passion Publishing around the Don't Give the Enemy a Seat at Your Table franchise by Louie Giglio. W Publishing and Passion Publishing jointly celebrated the 5-year anniversary of the book, study guide, and curriculum, which have surpassed 1 million units sold and been translated into 12 languages.
- Grupo NelsoncoreGrupo Nelson is the Spanish-language division of Thomas Nelson and a world-leading provider of Spanish-language Christian content. Grupo Nelson publishes and distributes Bibles and best-selling books emphasizing Christian inspiration in business, culture, fiction, and family-value themes, distributing product in more than 100 countries. Operates as an internal division/imprint under Thomas Nelson's umbrella.
Scale indicators13 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Thomas Nelson competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Zondervan: Zondervan is the sister imprint of Thomas Nelson under HarperCollins Christian Publishing; both publish Bibles, Christian nonfiction, fiction, and curriculum with overlapping author rosters and shared Nashville-area operations, making it the closest direct peer by product and customer.
- Tyndale House Publishers: Tyndale House is a leading evangelical Christian publisher (and owner of the New Living Translation Bible) headquartered in Carol Stream, IL, with comparable Bible publishing, fiction, and nonfiction operations targeting the same Christian retail and gift channels as Thomas Nelson.
- Crossway: Crossway publishes the ESV Bible and a focused list of Christian nonfiction and study resources from Wheaton, IL; it is a direct competitor in premium Bible translations and theologically serious Christian nonfiction, overlapping with NKJV and Nelson Books.
- Baker Publishing Group: Baker Publishing Group (Bethany House, Revell, Baker Books, Brazos Press) is a Grand Rapids-based evangelical publisher with comparable Bible-adjacent fiction, romance, and nonfiction titles serving the same Christian retail and church curriculum channels as Thomas Nelson.
- B&H Publishing Group: B&H Publishing Group (Holman Bible Publishers and Broadman & Holman) is the publishing arm of LifeWay Christian Resources, publishing Bibles (HCSB, CSB), curriculum, and Christian books with direct overlap in Bible translation and church resources versus Thomas Nelson.
- WaterBrook & Multnomah: WaterBrook & Multnomah are the Christian imprints of Penguin Random House publishing Christian nonfiction and fiction; they target the same trade and gift channels as Thomas Nelson's Nelson Books and Thomas Nelson Fiction imprints.
- Moody Publishers: Moody Publishers is the publishing arm of Moody Bible Institute, producing Christian nonfiction, Bible study resources, and reference works; it competes directly with Nelson Books and W Publishing in theologically rigorous evangelical nonfiction and curriculum.
- Harvest House Publishers: Harvest House is an Eugene, OR-based evangelical publisher with a strong Christian living, fiction, and gift book list that competes for the same retail shelf space and gift-book buyer as Thomas Nelson Gift and Nelson Books.
Emerging players
- Worthy Books: Worthy Books (Worthy Publishing/Hachette Book Group Christian imprint) is a smaller but growing evangelical publisher with overlapping inspirational nonfiction and gift titles, serving the same retail and gift channels as Thomas Nelson but with a narrower catalog.
Broad incumbents
- Simon & Schuster Christian division: Simon & Schuster publishes select Christian and inspirational titles (including the Howard Books imprint) as part of its broader trade catalog, competing with Thomas Nelson Fiction and W Publishing in mainstream inspirational nonfiction and fiction.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Thomas Nelson social profiles
Digital presenceThomas Nelson financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Thomas Nelson leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
Thomas Nelson subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries7 records
Thomas Nelson funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Thomas Nelson M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Thomas Nelson
What does Thomas Nelson do?
Thomas Nelson is a Christian publishing house that publishes more than 250 new Bibles, books, gift books, children's titles, and curriculum each year, distributed in over 100 countries and 65+ languages across multiple imprints (Thomas Nelson Bibles, Nelson Books, W Publishing, Tommy Nelson, Thomas Nelson Fiction, Thomas Nelson Gift, Emanate Books, Grupo Nelson, Catholic Bible Press). It also operates digital platforms including BibleGateway.com, FaithGateway, ChurchSource, and Study Gateway, and licenses rights for foreign and domestic publication in print, audio, video, and electronic formats.
Is Thomas Nelson a public or private company?
Thomas Nelson is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Thomas Nelson founded?
Thomas Nelson was founded in 1798. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Thomas Nelson based?
Thomas Nelson is headquartered in Nashville, United States, in the North America region.
How does Thomas Nelson make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Book Sales are the primary driver. The others are rights and Licensing, study Gateway Video Streaming Subscription, audiobook Sales and self-Publishing Partnership Revenue (WestBow Press).
Who are Thomas Nelson's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Zondervan, Tyndale House Publishers, Crossway, Baker Publishing Group, B&H Publishing Group, WaterBrook & Multnomah, Moody Publishers and Harvest House Publishers. Worthy Books is listed as an emerging player. Simon & Schuster Christian division is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Thomas Nelson have an API?
No public API is recorded for Thomas Nelson.
What industry is Thomas Nelson in?
Thomas Nelson's product category is Christian Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAHAA, Sacred Texts & Scripture Publishing (Bibles, Qur’ans, Vedas, Torah, Sutras), with a secondary code of MPAJAHAG, Religious Nonfiction & Theology Publishing (Apologetics, Doctrine, Ethics). Its NAICS code is 51313 and its SIC code is 2731.