BigSpark

What BigSpark does

BigSpark B.V. is a privately held Dutch online publisher founded in 2013 and headquartered in Nijmegen, Netherlands, operating a portfolio of technology-focused media brands targeting Dutch and Belgian consumers. The company's brand portfolio includes Android Planet (largest Android platform in the Benelux, founded 2009), iPhoned (Apple-focused, founded 2007), Androidworld (Android community, acquired January 2024), iCulture (Apple website, acquired January 2025), and Smartphone.nl, supplemented by OnlySim.nl (SIM-only telecom comparison, 2016) and LieverPrivateLease.nl (private lease auto comparison, 2022). The company employs 11-50 people and reaches an aggregate audience of approximately 6.1 million monthly visitors across 8.8 million page views, with 45,000+ newsletter subscribers and 280,000+ social followers. Core technology consists of proprietary, in-house-developed price comparison software that aggregates and compares 290,000+ product prices monthly across Dutch webshops for smartphones, telecom subscriptions, and private lease vehicles, supported by native iOS and Android applications.

The underlying platform architecture combines editorial publishing with structured comparison technology powered by Elastic search and AngularJS in the case of OnlySim.nl, with mobile-native applications on the Apple App Store and Google Play. BigSpark monetizes through two primary streams: (1) advertising revenue across display (€10-19 CPM for billboards/HPA/rectangles), native (€2,000-4,250 weekly for featured headers and sponsored content), and performance formats (€1.55-1.75 CPC for in-read ads and highlighted deals); and (2) affiliate/referral commissions generated when users transact through comparison-driven links to Dutch retailers. The customer base spans large Dutch advertisers including KPN, Odido, Vodafone, Coolblue, Bol.com, BelSimpel, Amac, and Samsung, with the BigSpark Advertising Network serving as the consolidated monetization layer. The go-to-market motion is product-led: owned media properties and comparison tools attract organic SEO traffic, which is then monetized via a combination of brand advertisers and affiliate partnerships, with sister company F&L Media providing content collaboration for automotive and adjacent verticals.

Name

BigSpark

Legal name

BigSpark B.V.

Website

https://bigspark.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

BigSpark B.V. is a privately held Dutch online publisher operating a portfolio of technology media brands (Android Planet, iPhoned, Androidworld, iCulture, Smartphone.nl) and proprietary price comparison tools, monetizing through advertising and affiliate commissions to reach 6.1 million monthly Dutch tech consumers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Technology Media Publishing

akta.pro primary industry

Affiliate & Partner Media Buying (BPAFABAJ)

Keywords

• Technology media publishing
• Price comparison tools
• Digital advertising network
• Smartphone news platform
• Affiliate marketing

Headquarters

HQ city

Nijmegen

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Advertising revenue: BigSpark generates revenue through multiple advertising formats including display ads (billboards, HPA, rectangles), native advertising (sponsored content, featured headers), and performance advertising (in-read ads, highlighted deals). Advertisers include major telecom providers, electronics retailers, and consumer brands targeting Dutch tech enthusiasts.
2. Affiliate/Referral revenue: Price comparison tools drive affiliate commissions when users purchase products or services through partner links. The company offers both direct campaigns with advertisers and affiliate-based referral revenue through product comparisons.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

BigSpark is an online publisher operating a portfolio of Dutch technology media brands (Android Planet, iPhoned, Androidworld, iCulture, Smartphone.nl) that deliver news, reviews, tips and buying guides to millions of monthly users. The company also runs proprietary price comparison tools for smartphones, telecom subscriptions, and private lease vehicles, and sells advertising and affiliate placements across its network to brands such as KPN, Coolblue, Samsung, Vodafone, and Bol.com.

Product overview

BigSpark is an online publisher operating a portfolio of technology media brands focused on smartphones, technology, and gadgets in the Netherlands. The core offerings include Android Planet (largest Android platform in Benelux), iPhoned (major Apple platform), Androidworld (Android community), Smartphone.nl (smartphone advice), and iCulture (acquired Apple site). Supporting services include proprietary price comparison tools for devices and subscriptions, and a multi-platform advertising network reaching 6.11 million monthly visitors. In 2022, BigSpark expanded into adjacent verticals with LieverPrivateLease.nl, adapting their comparison technology for private auto leasing. The company also developed OnlySim.nl (2016) for SIM-only telecom comparisons. All platforms offer native apps, newsletters, video content, and social media engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• LieverPrivateLease.nl: Private lease vehicle price comparison platform launched in May 2022, utilizing the same comparison software developed for smartphone and subscription comparisons.

Products and services

• Android Planet The largest Google and Android-focused website in the Benelux, offering news, tips, reviews, price comparisons, and guides covering the Android ecosystem for smartphones, tablets, wearables, and gadgets. Contains over 23,000 articles and more than 450 product reviews.
• iPhoned One of the largest Apple-focused websites in the Netherlands, covering news, tips, app reviews, and Apple device reviews across iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, MacBook, Apple TV, and software, with device and price comparison tools for Apple products.
• Androidworld The largest Android community in the Netherlands, providing news, tips, reviews, and community content focused on Android devices and the Android ecosystem.
• iCulture The largest Apple-focused website in the Netherlands, providing news, tips, and reviews for Apple products and software; operates alongside iPhoned and F&L Media's iCreate brand.
• Smartphone.nl Smartphone advice platform serving a broad audience aged 12-75, offering accessible news, tips, reviews, and purchase advice for Android, iOS, and Windows users.
• LieverPrivateLease.nl Private lease price comparison website for the Dutch automotive market, using BigSpark's proprietary comparison software adapted from its smartphone and telecom comparison stack and developed in partnership with F&L Media and Auto Review for automotive editorial content.
• OnlySim.nl SIM-only telecom price comparison brand operating in the Dutch market, leveraging proprietary comparison and search technology to aggregate subscription offers.
• BigSpark Advertising Network Multi-platform advertising network across Android Planet, iPhoned, Smartphone.nl and other properties, offering display advertising (billboards, HPA, rectangles), native advertising (featured headers, sponsored content, monthly themes), performance advertising (in-read ads, highlighted deals), contests, and sponsorship opportunities for enterprise advertisers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reach 3 million monthly visitors across the network
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• iCulturecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025BigSpark acquired iCulture, the largest Apple website in the Netherlands, effective January 1, 2025. This acquisition strengthens BigSpark and sister company F&L Media's position as the leading Apple information provider in the Netherlands. iCulture joins iPhoned (BigSpark) and iCreate (F&L Media) in their Apple media portfolio.
• AndroidworldcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024BigSpark acquired Androidworld, the largest Android community in the Netherlands, effective January 2024. This acquisition expanded BigSpark's Android coverage and community engagement capabilities.
• F&L MediacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with F&L Media, publisher of Auto Review, for the LieverPrivateLease.nl private lease comparison platform. F&L Media provides automotive content expertise while BigSpark provides comparison technology.
• Auto ReviewminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAuto Review provides automotive editorial content including articles, news, and reviews for the LieverPrivateLease.nl private lease comparison website operated by BigSpark.
• O-DroidminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAndroid Planet served as news partner for O-Droid, the first Android store in the Netherlands. Partnership included a news corner in the physical store and joint promotional activities.
• BrightminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAndroid Planet was media partner for Bright website, a Dutch technology media outlet.
• DroidConminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAndroid Planet served as media partner for DroidCon, the largest Android developer event in the Benelux.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Bright: Dutch consumer-technology media outlet covering gadgets, smartphones, and home tech. Comparable Dutch-language tech publisher competing for the same advertisers and audiences as Android Planet and iPhoned.
• Pricewise: Dutch comparison site across telecom, energy, insurance and financial products. Comparable on affiliate-revenue business model and price-comparison technology stack, though broader vertical coverage.
• Tweakers: Largest Dutch tech community and price-comparison site, now part of DPG Media. Direct competitor on Dutch tech editorial, price comparison, and advertising reach, with deeper forums and broader coverage verticals.
• Hardware.info: Dutch/Belgian tech reviews community with detailed product benchmarks and comparison tools. Direct peer on Dutch-language deep-dive tech content, comparison data, and advertiser-sold display inventory.
• Kieskeurig.nl: Major Dutch price-comparison platform owned by DMGT. Direct peer on affiliate-driven comparison revenue for consumer electronics and appliances, with overlapping advertiser relationships.

Broad incumbents

• Tom's Guide: International tech reviews and how-to publisher owned by Future plc. Comparable on the editorial-plus-affiliate model targeting smartphone buyers and competing for the same global advertisers as BigSpark's network.
• The Verge: Large US-based consumer-tech publisher under Vox Media. Comparable on tech-news editorial, video reviews, and native/display ad sales to the same enterprise advertisers BigSpark serves (Samsung, telecom).
• CNET: Long-established global tech publisher with reviews, comparison tools, and affiliate revenue. Comparable on the combination of editorial content plus affiliate commerce, but operating at much larger scale and broader geography.

Emerging players

• 9to5Mac: Apple-focused international tech news site. Comparable to iPhoned and iCulture on Apple-vertical editorial, sponsor-based monetization, and high-intent Apple audience for advertisers like Vodafone and Samsung.
• Android Authority: International Android-focused tech publisher. Comparable to Android Planet and Androidworld on Android-vertical editorial, deal content, and advertiser relationships with device OEMs and carriers.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bigspark
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/AndroidPlanetNL
• Facebookfacebook.com/bigsparkbv
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bigspark
• Instagraminstagram.com/bigsparkcom

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries4 records

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 BigSpark