PolitiFact
PolitiFact is a nonprofit fact-checking website operated by The Poynter Institute that rates claims by U.S. politicians, pundits, and public figures using its Truth-O-Meter scale, serving the general public, journalists, and political researchers with free editorial content.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersWashington, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What PolitiFact does
PolitiFact is a nonprofit, nonpartisan fact-checking organization founded in 2007 and operated as a service of The Poynter Institute, a 501(c)(3) foundation headquartered in St. Petersburg, Florida. The organization researches and rates the accuracy of claims made by politicians, media figures, pundits, and other public figures, publishing its findings on politifact.com in English and Spanish. Its core product is the Truth-O-Meter, a six-tier rating scale (True, Mostly True, Half True, Mostly False, False, and Pants on Fire) backed by documented methodology using primary sources and expert consultation. The product portfolio extends beyond the core website to include 12 U.S. state-specific fact-checking editions, the PunditFact sub-brand for media commentary, a suite of promise trackers (Obameter, Trump-O-Meter, MAGA-Meter, Biden Promise Tracker) that longitudinally monitor politician commitments, and PolitiFact Videos.
PolitiFact distributes its content exclusively through digital channels, including its main website, state edition sites, weekly and daily email newsletters, and RSS feeds. All fact-checking content is freely accessible to the public without paywalls, registration, or subscription requirements. The organization does not run advertising against its content and does not sell premium data tiers; its funding derives from individual membership contributions, public donations (with one-time, monthly, and yearly options), and implicit support from its parent foundation. The company maintains two physical offices: a Florida headquarters at The Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg and a Washington, D.C. policy office at 1800 I Street NW.
The company operates with a small staff (11-50 employees) and is led by co-founder Bill Adair and Executive Director Aaron Sharockman. As a nonprofit fact-checker, PolitiFact is part of the broader international fact-checking community, participating in initiatives such as the GlobalFact conference. Its competitive positioning is built on methodological transparency, editorial independence from political parties, a multi-year content archive, and cross-referential usage by journalists, academics, and the general public.
PolitiFact firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- PolitiFact
- Legal name
- PolitiFact (service of The Poynter Institute)
- Website
- https://politifact.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- PolitiFact is a nonprofit fact-checking website operated by The Poynter Institute that rates claims by U.S. politicians, pundits, and public figures using its Truth-O-Meter scale, serving the general public, journalists, and political researchers with free editorial content.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
PolitiFact industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Political Fact-Checking
- NAICS
- Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (54191)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Public Relations Measurement, Analytics & Monitoring (BPAFADAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Political & Public Affairs Channels (MPABAIAC), Spam, Fake Engagement & Content Abuse Prevention (HDADALAG)
Keywords
Where PolitiFact is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Washington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
PolitiFact business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Membership and Donations: PolitiFact operates as a nonprofit service of The Poynter Institute (501(c)(3)) and relies on membership contributions and donations from the public. The website features a 'Donate' option and 'Join Now' membership tiers, suggesting a recurring membership model.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Free access to all fact-checks and articles |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
PolitiFact product offering
Product offeringCore offering
PolitiFact is a nonpartisan fact-checking website that researches and rates the accuracy of claims made by U.S. politicians, media figures, and other public figures using a six-tier Truth-O-Meter rating system (True, Mostly True, Half True, Mostly False, False, Pants on Fire). The organization extends its coverage through 12 state-specific editions, related sub-brand PunditFact for media commentary, and promise trackers (MAGA-Meter, Biden Promise Tracker, Trump-O-Meter, Obameter) that monitor political campaign pledges over time. All fact-checks are freely accessible to the public without paywalls.
Product overview
PolitiFact is a nonpartisan fact-checking platform operated by The Poynter Institute. The core offering is the PolitiFact website and its Truth-o-Meter rating system that evaluates claims across six accuracy levels. The platform extends through regional State Editions covering 11 U.S. states, related brand PunditFact for media commentary, and Promise Trackers (MAGA-Meter, Biden Promise Tracker, Trump-O-Meter, and Obameter) that monitor political promises over time. Video content is delivered through PolitiFact Videos.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Truth-O-Meter: PolitiFact's rating system for fact-check statements, ranging from True to Pants on Fire
- PunditFact
- MAGA-Meter
- Obameter
- Biden Promise Tracker
- Trump-O-Meter
Products and services
- PolitiFact A nonpartisan fact-checking website operated by The Poynter Institute that researches and rates the accuracy of claims made by politicians, media outlets, and other public figures using a Truth-O-Meter rating scale. Designed for U.S. citizens, voters, journalists, and political analysts.
- Truth-O-Meter PolitiFact's proprietary rating system used to evaluate the accuracy of claims, featuring six ratings: True, Mostly True, Half True, Mostly False, False, and Pants on Fire. Each ruling is accompanied by detailed analysis explaining the rating. Used across all PolitiFact fact-checks, promise trackers, and state editions.
- PunditFact A fact-checking service within PolitiFact that rates statements made by pundits, media personalities, bloggers, and political commentators. Targets media consumers and journalists who want to assess commentary accuracy.
- PolitiFact State Editions Localized fact-checking editions covering specific U.S. states, including California, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Each edition covers state-level political claims and figures.
- Obameter A promise tracker that monitored Barack Obama's campaign promises using the Truth-O-Meter scale. Designed for political analysts, researchers, and the public tracking presidential accountability.
- MAGA-Meter A promise tracker that monitors and rates Donald Trump's 2024 campaign and administration promises using the Truth-O-Meter scale. Targets political analysts and the public tracking 2024-era accountability.
- Biden Promise Tracker A promise tracker that monitors and rates Joe Biden's campaign and administration promises using the Truth-O-Meter scale. Targets political analysts and the public.
- Trump-O-Meter A promise tracker specifically focused on monitoring Trump's second-term promises and their implementation status using the Truth-O-Meter scale. Targets political analysts and the public.
- PolitiFact Videos Video content featuring fact-checks, interviews, and explanations of PolitiFact's fact-checking methodology. Distributed via the PolitiFact website and social channels.
Companies that use PolitiFact
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
PolitiFact technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
PolitiFact partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
PolitiFact competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- The Washington Post Fact Checker: A newsroom-based political fact-checking column originally founded by Bill Adair (PolitiFact's founder), using a Pinocchio-based rating scale to assess political claims; same niche, overlapping audience, and editorial methodology.
- FactCheck.org: A nonpartisan, nonprofit consumer project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center that monitors the factual accuracy of political claims, particularly in U.S. political advertising and speech; shares PolitiFact's mission, nonprofit structure, and editorial rigor.
- Snopes: One of the earliest and most widely cited independent fact-checking organizations in the U.S., Snopes rates internet rumors and political claims using a tiered rating system; directly comparable to PolitiFact in mission, methodology, and audience.
- Lead Stories: An online fact-checking platform that rates claims circulating online (including viral misinformation and political content) and is a verified signatory of the IFCN Code of Principles; directly comparable as a contemporary digital-native fact-checker.
Emerging players
- Ballotpedia: A nonprofit, nonpartisan digital encyclopedia covering U.S. elections, politicians, and ballot measures; closely comparable as a nonpartisan civic-information nonprofit serving overlapping audience needs around electoral accountability.
- Stanford Internet Observatory / Election Integrity Project: A university-based research initiative studying election-related misinformation, platform abuse, and political claims; comparable in mission (electoral accountability and misinformation research) though operating in academic rather than journalistic mode.
Broad incumbents
- AP Fact Check: The Associated Press's fact-checking initiative, covering political claims and statements from public officials; a legacy wire-service incumbent operating in the same claim-verification niche at significantly larger editorial scale.
- CNN Fact Check: CNN's editorial fact-checking vertical covering political statements and claims; comparable in output and methodology but embedded within a major broadcaster rather than operating as a standalone nonprofit fact-checker.
- Reuters Fact Check: Reuters' dedicated fact-checking unit covering political, social-media, and global misinformation claims; comparable in mission and methodology but operates as part of a global newswire rather than a standalone brand.
Others
- International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN): Housed at PolitiFact's parent (Poynter), the IFCN sets Code-of-Principles standards that certified fact-checkers (including PolitiFact) must follow; an adjacent ecosystem-enabler rather than direct competitor, but tightly tied to PolitiFact's brand credibility.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
PolitiFact social profiles
Digital presencePolitiFact financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
PolitiFact leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
PolitiFact subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
PolitiFact funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
PolitiFact 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 PolitiFact
What does PolitiFact do?
PolitiFact is a nonpartisan fact-checking website that researches and rates the accuracy of claims made by U.S. politicians, media figures, and other public figures using a six-tier Truth-O-Meter rating system (True, Mostly True, Half True, Mostly False, False, Pants on Fire). The organization extends its coverage through 12 state-specific editions, related sub-brand PunditFact for media commentary, and promise trackers (MAGA-Meter, Biden Promise Tracker, Trump-O-Meter, Obameter) that monitor political campaign pledges over time. All fact-checks are freely accessible to the public without paywalls.
Is PolitiFact a public or private company?
PolitiFact is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was PolitiFact founded?
PolitiFact was founded in 2007. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is PolitiFact based?
PolitiFact is headquartered in Washington, United States, in the North America region.
How does PolitiFact make money?
One revenue line is on record: membership and Donations.
Who are PolitiFact's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are The Washington Post Fact Checker, FactCheck.org, Snopes and Lead Stories. Emerging players are Ballotpedia and Stanford Internet Observatory / Election Integrity Project. Broad incumbents are AP Fact Check, CNN Fact Check and Reuters Fact Check. International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) is listed as an others.
Does PolitiFact have an API?
No public API is recorded for PolitiFact.
What industry is PolitiFact in?
PolitiFact's product category is Political Fact-Checking. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAFADAL, Public Relations Measurement, Analytics & Monitoring, with a secondary code of MPABAIAC, Political & Public Affairs Channels. Its NAICS code is 54191.