Scuba Diving

What Scuba Diving does

Scuba Diving is a privately held scuba diving magazine and digital publishing platform founded in 1992 and operating as a wholly owned publication of PADI Worldwide. The company produces editorial content covering dive travel destinations, gear reviews, training resources, underwater photography, marine life, and ocean conservation, organized into dedicated content hubs (Gear, Travel, Training, Photo & Video, Marine Life, Community). It serves a global audience of recreational scuba divers ranging from beginners through gear enthusiasts and underwater photographers, alongside advertising clients including dive resorts, liveaboard operators, and gear manufacturers such as Aggressor Adventures, Explorer Ventures, Buddy Dive Resort, Anse Chastanet Resort, SCUBAPRO, Shearwater, and SeaLife.

The underlying technology is a standard digital publishing platform with a content management system supporting articles, gear reviews, photo galleries, video integration, and a searchable gear database containing 140+ products across multiple manufacturers. Scuba Diving operates three notable sub-brands: ScubaLab (proprietary hands-on gear testing division), Through Your Lens (annual underwater photo contest), and Sea Heroes (conservation recognition program). The platform also integrates educational content from the Divers Alert Network (DAN) for safety and training material. No proprietary AI, ML, or novel technology stack is disclosed.

Revenue is generated through four primary streams: digital and print magazine subscriptions (sold through the PADI store), advertising and sponsored content from dive operators and gear manufacturers, PADI Club membership cross-promotion (a recurring subscription product tied to the parent PADI ecosystem), and transaction fees from the annual Through Your Lens photo contest. The go-to-market is content-led and community-led, with SEO-driven organic acquisition, email newsletters, social media distribution, and community events converting readers into subscribers and PADI Club members. Geographic reach spans the United States, Australia, Mexico, Indonesia, Egypt, Maldives, Honduras, Cuba, Poland, and other international markets.

Name

Scuba Diving

Legal name

Scuba Diving

Website

https://scubadiving.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Scuba Diving is a privately held PADI Worldwide-owned scuba diving magazine and digital publishing platform serving global recreational divers with editorial content, gear reviews, dive travel guides, training resources, and community programs including ScubaLab testing and the Through Your Lens photo contest.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Recreational Diving Media

NAICS

Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131), Other Publishers (51319)

SIC

Miscellaneous Publishing (2741), Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Diving Experiences (Scuba Dives, Dive Trips, PADI/SSI Courses) (THAJAJAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Dive Centers & Scuba Training (PADI/SSI, certifications) (THAAAIAA), Underwater Photography & Videography Tours/Workshops (THAAAIAK)

Keywords

• Scuba diving magazine
• Dive gear reviews
• Dive travel guides
• Underwater photography
• Marine conservation news

Headquarters

HQ city

Winter Park

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, Operations, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Magazine Subscriptions: Digital and physical magazine subscriptions offering exclusive dive content, training resources, and member benefits. Subscriptions provide recurring revenue with tiered access to content.
2. Advertising and Sponsored Content: Promoted content from dive resorts, liveaboards, tour operators, and gear manufacturers. Native advertising placements throughout the site and magazine featuring partner destinations and products.
3. PADI Club Membership: Partnership with PADI for club membership offerings, including certification cards, exclusive content, and community features. Scuba Diving magazine serves as promotional channel for PADI Club.
4. Photo Contest Entry Fees: Annual Through Your Lens photo contest generates revenue through entry fees and provides prizes from partner sponsors including liveaboard trips and gear.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Scuba Diving is a print and digital magazine published by PADI Worldwide covering recreational scuba diving. Core editorial content includes dive destination guides, gear reviews through the ScubaLab testing program, training resources for new and experienced divers, underwater photography features, and marine conservation reporting. Distribution spans a website, print magazine, email newsletters, and social channels.

Product overview

Scuba Diving is a digital media publication providing a comprehensive platform of scuba diving content organized across multiple channels. The core offering is the Scuba Diving Magazine website, which delivers editorial content including gear reviews, travel destination guides, training resources, underwater photography tips, marine life information, and conservation news. The publication integrates related products including the PADI Club membership community, the annual Through Your Lens underwater photo contest, the Sea Heroes conservation recognition program, and specialized content hubs covering Learn to Dive, Gear Reviews, Training, and Conservation topics. The site also offers a newsletter subscription service and connects readers to PADI's certification and training ecosystem.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ScubaLab: The testing and review division of Scuba Diving magazine that conducts gear testing and provides recommendations for dive equipment.
• Through Your Lens
• Sea Heroes

Products and services

• Scuba Diving Magazine Subscription-based print and digital magazine delivering editorial content on dive travel, gear, training, underwater photography, and marine conservation for certified recreational scuba divers.
• Scuba Diving Newsletter Email newsletter delivering regular editorial updates, dive travel features, gear news, and conservation stories to subscribers and registered users.

Quantifiable outcome

• 140+ gear products searchable in database
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, major, minor and core.

• Aggressor AdventuresflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Liveaboard operator providing prizes for Through Your Lens photo contest including Komodo Aggressor itinerary (grand prize), Belize Aggressor V, Red Sea Aggressor V, and Caribbean Explorer II trips. Awarded 100 Readers Choice Awards for 2026.
• Explorer VenturesmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Liveaboard company featured in travel content and recognized for leading liveaboard scuba diving worldwide. Provides Caribbean and Maldives itineraries.
• All Star LiveaboardsmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Liveaboard operator providing prizes for photo contest including All Star Blackbeard's Cruises (Bahamas) and All Star Scuba Scene (Red Sea, Egypt).
• SCUBAPROmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Dive equipment manufacturer providing prizes for photo contest including MK11 EVO/C370 Regulator for second-place winners.
• ShearwatermajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Dive computer manufacturer providing Tern TX dive computer as third-place prizes in photo contest.
• Cape Cali x PADIminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Apparel brand collaboration providing gear prizes for photo contest grand prize and first-place winners.
• BlancpainminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Prestigious Swiss watchmaker partnering with PADI AWARE for Global Shark and Ray Census, with Scuba Diving magazine dedicating a contest category to sharks and rays.
• PADI WorldwidecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) is the parent company of Scuba Diving magazine. The publication serves as a content platform for PADI, promoting diving education, certification cards, and PADI Club membership. Copyright indicates Scuba Diving is a PADI Worldwide company.
• Divers Alert Network (DAN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDAN contributes monthly safety columns to Scuba Diving magazine, providing expert guidance on diving health, medical considerations, and accident prevention. Content includes topics like diving with cold, hangovers, medications, and medical advice.
• Buddy Dive Resort BonairemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerAward-winning dive resort in Bonaire recognized as a Readers Choice Award winner. Featured as a 'home away from home' for divers worldwide.
• Anse Chastanet ResortmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerSt. Lucia resort earning six Readers Choice Awards for exceptional diving and island experience.
• PADI AWARE FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOcean conservation foundation of PADI. Scuba Diving magazine promotes AWARE certification cards (including $10 donation), Global Shark & Ray Census citizen science program, and marine conservation content.

Scale indicators3 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• X-Ray Mag: Independent scuba diving and marine life publication producing editorial on diving destinations, marine science, underwater photography, and dive industry news.
• Sport Diver: Long-running U.S. scuba diving magazine covering destinations, gear, training, and photography; competes directly for the same audience and advertiser set as Scuba Diving magazine.
• Scuba Diver Magazine: International scuba diving publication with destination features, gear reviews, and training content aimed at certified divers; directly comparable editorial model and audience.
• Dive Magazine: UK-based scuba diving magazine with print and digital editions covering training, gear, marine life, and destinations; serves the same enthusiast audience with similar content verticals.
• DeeperBlue: Digital-first scuba diving and freediving media outlet with news, gear reviews, training content, and community forums; competitor for advertising dollars and reader attention in the scuba niche.

Broad incumbents

• Alert Diver (DAN): Divers Alert Network's member publication covering dive medicine, safety, training, and research; overlapping diving audience with editorial focus adjacent to Scuba Diving's training and safety content.
• Adventure Journal: Lifestyle media brand covering outdoor adventure, travel, and gear including diving; competes for advertising from adventure travel and outdoor gear brands targeting the same consumer demographic.

Emerging players

• Underwater Photography Guide: Online publication dedicated to underwater photography news, tutorials, and gear reviews; overlaps with Scuba Diving's photography vertical and competes for the same underwater photographer segment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/scubadivingmag
• Facebookfacebook.com/28202731018
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/scubadivingmag

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Scuba Diving