ZDNET

What ZDNET does

ZDNET is a digital-first technology news and advice publication operating the website zdnet.com and a portfolio of editorial sub-brands including ZDNET Recommends, ZDNET In Depth, and dedicated verticals for Deals, How-To guides, Product Comparisons, and Reviews. The platform serves two primary audiences: general technology consumers seeking product reviews, buying guides, and practical how-to assistance, and business and IT professionals looking for enterprise technology analysis, AI coverage, cybersecurity reporting, and digital transformation insights. The underlying technology is a standard web-based content publishing platform; no proprietary software product, API, SDK, or mobile application is offered to third parties. ZDNET does not sell subscriptions or licenses; all content is free to readers.

The business model is a two-stream digital advertising and affiliate commerce operation. ZDNET earns revenue from display, sponsored, and promotional advertising across its web and newsletter inventory, and from affiliate commissions when readers purchase products through retailer links embedded in editorial content (notably Amazon and Samsung). Distribution is exclusively online through owned digital properties (zdnet.com plus regional editions in France, Germany, Korea, and Japan), email newsletters, YouTube video, and social channels (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X). ZDNET operates as a brand within Ziff Davis, which was acquired by Red Ventures in 2025, alongside other media properties sharing corporate infrastructure. Headcount, revenue, and profitability are not publicly disclosed; the publication is not a standalone funded entity but rather a property within a diversified media conglomerate.

Name

ZDNET

Legal name

ZDNET

Website

https://zdnet.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

ZDNET is a digital technology news and advice publication serving consumers and IT professionals with reviews, buying guides, and how-to content, monetized through advertising and affiliate commerce. It operates under Ziff Davis, recently acquired by Red Ventures.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations

Revenue model

1. Affiliate Commerce Revenue: ZDNET earns commissions when readers purchase products through affiliate links to retailers such as Amazon, Samsung, and other merchants. The site clearly discloses this model: 'When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or service, we may earn an affiliate commission. This helps support our work, but does not affect what we cover or how.'
2. Display and Digital Advertising: Standard digital advertising revenue through display ads, sponsored content placements, and promotional features across the zdnet.com website and its various topic pages and article sections.

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ZDNET is a free digital technology media publication that produces and distributes technology news, expert product reviews, buying guides, how-to tutorials, deal roundups, and product comparisons through zdnet.com and regional editions. The publication is free to readers and monetizes via digital advertising and affiliate commissions from retailers such as Amazon; it does not sell software, subscriptions, or its own products.

Product overview

ZDNET is a technology news and advice publication that operates as a content platform, not a software product company. The core offering consists of technology journalism, expert product reviews, buying guides, deals coverage, how-to articles, and product comparisons. The company publishes content across multiple topic areas including Tech, Innovation (covering Artificial Intelligence, AR+VR, Cloud, Digital Transformation, Energy, Robotics, Sustainability, Transportation), Business, Security, and specialized Buying Guides. ZDNET does not develop, sell, or license technology products or platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ZDNET Recommends: Product recommendation and review platform where ZDNET editors curate and recommend best products and services based on testing and research.
• ZDNET In Depth
• ZDNET France
• ZDNET Germany
• ZDNET Korea
• ZDNET Japan

Products and services

• ZDNET News and Advice Platform Free digital publication delivering technology news, advice, product recommendations, and editorial coverage across Tech, Innovation, Business, Security, and Buying Guides topics for general technology readers.
• ZDNET Product Recommendations (Reviews and Buying Guides) Expert-tested product reviews and curated buying guides spanning smartphones, laptops, tablets, smartwatches, TVs, accessories, VPNs, and other consumer technology categories, helping buyers choose between competing products.
• ZDNET Deals Editorial deals section surfacing discounted technology products with editor ratings, designed to drive affiliate commerce referrals to retailers such as Amazon.
• ZDNET How-To Guides Tutorial and troubleshooting content helping readers use technology products, perform configuration tasks, and apply best practices across devices and platforms.
• ZDNET Product Comparisons Editorial head-to-head product comparison articles that help readers evaluate competing technology products across features, performance, and value.
• ZDNET Recommends Editor-curated product recommendation platform where ZDNET editors highlight best products and services based on testing and research.
• ZDNET In Depth Special features and in-depth reporting on technology topics, distinct from standard news coverage.
• ZDNET Newsletters Email-based newsletter subscriptions delivering regular technology news, deal alerts, and featured articles to opted-in readers.
• ZDNET Video Content Video reviews, hands-on product demonstrations, and comparison videos complementing ZDNET's written editorial coverage, distributed on zdnet.com and YouTube.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• The YGS GroupminorOthersReprint requests for ZDNET content are handled by The YGS Group, a reprint licensing service. Organizations seeking permission to republish ZDNET articles must contact The YGS Group through their licensing portal located at 3650 West Market Street, York, PA 17404.
• AmazoncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorZDNET maintains affiliate commerce partnerships with Amazon for product recommendations. When readers purchase products such as Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 cases via Amazon links from ZDNET articles, the publication earns affiliate commissions. This relationship is disclosed transparently in editorial content.
• Ziff DaviscoreOthersZDNET is owned and operated by Ziff Davis, a digital media company. Ziff Davis owns multiple technology and lifestyle digital publications and brands. ZDNET operates alongside sister sites and shares corporate infrastructure including privacy policy, terms of use, and advertising sales operations under the Ziff Davis umbrella.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• PCMag: PCMag is a technology reviews and advice publication covering software, hardware, and internet services. It is a direct peer to ZDNET in consumer and prosumer tech reviews, and operates as a sister property within the same Ziff Davis / Red Ventures portfolio.
• The Verge: The Verge is a technology, science, and culture publication covering consumer electronics, AI, and platform news with deep reviews and original reporting. It is a direct peer to ZDNET in the consumer and enterprise tech editorial space, monetizing through advertising, affiliate, and events.
• Mashable: Mashable is a digital media publication covering technology, entertainment, and culture with strong social distribution. It directly overlaps with ZDNET's tech and innovation editorial coverage and is also a sister property under Ziff Davis / Red Ventures.
• Digital Trends: Digital Trends is a consumer technology reviews and news site covering smartphones, computing, home entertainment, and EVs. It directly competes with ZDNET for affiliate revenue in consumer electronics and shares the same buying guide and reviews format.
• Engadget: Engadget is a consumer technology publication focused on gadgets, gaming, and entertainment tech. It directly competes with ZDNET in consumer electronics reviews, buying guides, and how-to coverage with similar affiliate and display advertising monetization.
• Ars Technica: Ars Technica is a technology news publication known for deep technical analysis across IT, science, and policy. It is a direct peer to ZDNET in the enterprise and prosumer tech editorial category, monetizing via subscriptions and display advertising.
• CNET: CNET is a long-running technology news, reviews, and buying guide publication covering consumer electronics, software, and digital culture. It is the most direct peer to ZDNET, sharing the same product review, affiliate commerce, and display advertising revenue model; notably CNET is also owned by Red Ventures following the Ziff Davis acquisition, making it a sister property.
• Wired: Wired is a long-established technology and culture magazine covering innovation, business technology, and security. It directly competes with ZDNET for enterprise tech readership and advertising, with overlapping coverage of AI, cybersecurity, and product reviews.
• Tom's Guide: Tom's Guide is a consumer technology reviews and buying-advice site covering phones, laptops, TVs, and smart home. It is a direct peer to ZDNET in the affiliate-driven product recommendation category with extensive how-to and best-of content.
• TechCrunch: TechCrunch is a leading technology media outlet covering startups, enterprise technology, and emerging products. It overlaps with ZDNET's enterprise/business technology coverage and shares display advertising and affiliate revenue models.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ZDNet
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/ZDNET
• Facebookfacebook.com/ZDNet
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/3044984
• Instagraminstagram.com/zdnet

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments9 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ZDNET