OutSmart
OutSmart Media Company is a Houston-based LGBTQ media company, founded in 1994, that publishes a monthly print magazine and digital platform serving LGBTQ readers and advertisers across Texas and nationally. It operates a hybrid for-profit/nonprofit model, with revenue from print and digital advertising, subscriptions, and the 501(c)(3) OutSmart Foundation.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1994
- HeadquartersHouston, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What OutSmart does
OutSmart Media Company is a privately held, Houston-based LGBTQ media company founded in 1994 that operates a monthly print magazine, the OutSmartMagazine.com digital platform, an events calendar, weekly e-newsletters, and an annual readers' choice awards program. The publication covers local Houston and Texas LGBTQ news, arts and entertainment, nightlife, health, politics, and culture, and distributes free print copies across Houston, Galveston, Beaumont, and College Station with additional placement sites in Austin, Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Dallas, El Paso, and San Antonio, plus paid national print subscriptions. Its technology stack is conventional digital publishing infrastructure: a WordPress website, Issuu for hosted digital magazine editions, and Constant Contact for email marketing, with active social channels on Facebook, X, LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok. Revenue is generated primarily through display and branded-content advertising across print and digital formats — sold by an in-house sales team and national rep Rivendell Media — supplemented by print/digital subscriptions, advertising partnership programs, and tax-deductible donations and grants channeled through the wholly owned OutSmart Foundation 501(c)(3) nonprofit. The core customer base is Houston-area LGBTQ consumers and allies on the reader side, and local and national LGBTQ-friendly businesses on the advertiser side, with the company's 33-year continuous operation and national-award-winning journalism forming the basis of its brand position.
OutSmart firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- OutSmart
- Legal name
- OutSmart Media Company
- Website
- https://outsmartmagazine.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1994
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- OutSmart Media Company is a Houston-based LGBTQ media company, founded in 1994, that publishes a monthly print magazine and digital platform serving LGBTQ readers and advertisers across Texas and nationally. It operates a hybrid for-profit/nonprofit model, with revenue from print and digital advertising, subscriptions, and the 501(c)(3) OutSmart Foundation.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
OutSmart industry classification
Industry- Product category
- LGBTQ Community Media Publishing
- NAICS
- Periodical Publishers (513120), Book Retailers and News Dealers (4592)
- SIC
- Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Newsletters & Email-Based News Publishers (B2B/B2C) (MPAJADAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Magazine & Newspaper Subscriptions / Delivery Retail (CRALAAAH), LGBTQ+ Rights & Advocacy Organizations (BPAGAFAE)
Keywords
Where OutSmart is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Houston
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
OutSmart business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Advertising Sales: Primary revenue stream from display advertising, branded content, sponsored features, and digital ad placements. The magazine offers homepage hero banners, sidebar display ads, online banner sizes (Showcase, Half Page, Billboard, Jumbo Inline), high-impact series (Top Scroller Billboard, Video Billboard, Sneaker Leaderboard, Slide In), sticky notes, and real estate gallery series. Branded community content includes online features, print features, and combo print+online packages. 89% of readers actively purchase products and services advertised in OutSmart.
- Print and Digital Subscriptions: Free print distribution in Houston and surrounding areas with paid subscription options for out-of-area readers. The magazine is distributed across Texas cities including Austin, Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Dallas, El Paso, and San Antonio.
- OutSmart Foundation Donations and Grants: 501(c)(3) nonprofit arm that receives tax-deductible donations and grants to support independent LGBTQ journalism. Partnerships through the foundation offer tax benefits to businesses while supporting the mission.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Free print distribution to readers |
| Subscription | Annual | Annual subscription for national/extended coverage |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
OutSmart product offering
Product offeringCore offering
OutSmart publishes a monthly LGBTQ-focused print magazine and operates its companion digital platform OutSmartMagazine.com, delivering local news, arts/entertainment, lifestyle, and community content to readers in Houston and across Texas since 1994. The company sells targeted print and digital advertising placements, branded community content, and high-impact digital ad formats to businesses seeking to reach the LGBTQ consumer market. It also operates the OutSmart Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arm that accepts tax-deductible donations and business partnerships to sustain LGBTQ journalism, and runs the annual Gayest & Greatest Readers' Choice Awards community event.
Product overview
OutSmart is Houston's award-winning LGBTQ media company operating primarily through its flagship monthly print magazine (serving readers since 1994, now in its 33rd year), supplemented by its digital platform OutSmartMagazine.com. The company offers a dual revenue model combining for-profit advertising sales across print and digital formats with nonprofit fundraising through the OutSmart Foundation. The core product portfolio includes the print magazine with companion digital editions via Issuu, online advertising solutions (display ads, branded content, high-impact formats), and the OutSmart Business Impact Partnership program for tax-deductible sponsorships. Secondary offerings include the annual Gayest & Greatest Awards, the Queer Things to Do events calendar, weekly e-newsletters, and print subscriptions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- OutSmart Magazine (print subscription) Houston's award-winning monthly LGBTQ magazine covering local and national news, politics, health, arts/entertainment, food/dining, and community issues. Sold as a paid mail subscription nationally; free at distribution points in Houston and select Texas cities.
- OutSmart Digital Advertising Online advertising solutions sold to businesses targeting LGBTQ consumers, including homepage hero banners, sidebar display ads, branded community content features, top scroller billboards, video billboards, sneaker leaderboards, slide-in ads, sticky notes, and standard banner sizes (Showcase 800x450, Half Page 300x600, Billboard 300x250, Jumbo Inline 619x80).
- OutSmart Print Advertising Print advertising placements within OutSmart Magazine reaching engaged LGBTQ readers in Houston and across Texas, offered in multiple ad sizes and placement options for businesses targeting the LGBTQ market.
- OutSmart Business Impact Partnership Tax-deductible partnership program through the OutSmart Foundation (501(c)(3)) allowing businesses to support LGBTQ journalism while demonstrating commitment to equality and inclusion, with expanded reach through sponsored features and authentic collaborations.
- OutSmart E-Newsletters Weekly email newsletters delivering curated LGBTQ Houston news, arts, events, and business spotlights directly to subscribers' inboxes via Constant Contact.
- Gayest & Greatest Awards Annual readers' choice awards program (currently in 28th year) celebrating the best people, places, and businesses in Houston's LGBTQ community, with a public awards ceremony open to community participation and business sponsorship.
Quantifiable outcome
- 89% of readers will 'go out of their way to buy products and services advertised in OutSmart'
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use OutSmart
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
OutSmart technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration7 records
Feature1 record
OutSmart partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- National LGBTQ Task ForcecoreOutSmart actively promotes DEI through partnerships with organizations including the National LGBTQ Task Force. The partnership supports OutSmart's mission of amplifying underrepresented voices and providing a platform for diverse perspectives.
- Human Rights CampaigncorePartnership with Human Rights Campaign supports OutSmart's diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and community engagement efforts.
- Equality TexascorePartnership with Equality Texas supports LGBTQ advocacy coverage and community visibility initiatives.
- GLAADcoreGLAAD partnership supports media advocacy and responsible LGBTQ representation in journalism. OutSmart was nominated for a GLAAD Media Award.
- NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ+ JournalistscorePartnership with NLGJA supports journalistic excellence and LGBTQ media standards. OutSmart received a 2026 Excellence in Journalism Award from NLGJA for Montrose crosswalk coverage.
- OutSmart FoundationcoreThe OutSmart Foundation is the 501(c)(3) nonprofit arm of OutSmart Media Company. It enables tax-deductible partnerships and donations to support LGBTQ journalism, provides business partnership opportunities with tax benefits, and drives the organization's community impact initiatives.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights4 records
OutSmart competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Dallas Voice: Dallas Voice is Texas's other major LGBTQ local media outlet, serving the Dallas-Fort Worth market with a weekly print newspaper and digital platform. It is the most direct peer to OutSmart given overlapping Texas geography, similar print + digital + advertising model, and shared advertiser base targeting the LGBTQ community in the state.
- Philadelphia Gay News: Philadelphia Gay News is one of the longest-running LGBTQ local publications in the US, serving the Philadelphia market with print and digital content plus community events. Directly comparable to OutSmart as an independent, community-anchored LGBTQ local media brand with similar revenue model and audience profile.
- Washington Blade: Washington Blade is a long-established LGBTQ local newspaper serving Washington, DC with print, digital, and events. Directly comparable to OutSmart in operating model (local LGBTQ news + advertising + community events) and in serving as the flagship LGBTQ publication for its metropolitan market.
- Bay Area Reporter: Bay Area Reporter is San Francisco's longstanding LGBTQ newspaper, operating with a print + digital + events model serving the Bay Area LGBTQ community. Comparable to OutSmart in scope, niche media positioning, and community-anchor role within a major US metropolitan market.
- Windy City Times: Windy City Times is Chicago's LGBTQ newspaper and digital publication, founded in 1984. Comparable to OutSmart as a long-running local LGBTQ media outlet operating print, digital, events, and community programming with advertising-supported revenue.
- Georgia Voice: Georgia Voice serves Atlanta's LGBTQ community with print and digital content, operating a similar local LGBTQ media model to OutSmart with advertising, events, and community coverage. Comparable in scale and market position as a regional LGBTQ publication serving a major Southern US metro.
- Watermark: Watermark is an LGBTQ media outlet serving Central Florida (Orlando) with print and digital content plus community events. Comparable to OutSmart as a regional LGBTQ publication with similar advertiser-supported model and community-anchor role in its metro market.
Broad incumbents
- The Advocate: The Advocate is a national LGBTQ digital and (historically) print publication with significantly broader reach and resources than OutSmart. It is a broad incumbent in the same space, competing for LGBTQ audience attention and national advertising budgets that could otherwise flow to local LGBTQ outlets like OutSmart.
- Out Magazine: Out Magazine is a national LGBTQ lifestyle and news publication with much broader geographic reach than OutSmart. As a broad incumbent, it competes for the same national LGBTQ advertising spend and audience attention, particularly among younger and more nationally-oriented LGBTQ readers.
- PinkNews: PinkNews is one of the largest LGBTQ digital news publishers globally, with a primarily digital and social distribution model. It is a broad incumbent competitor to OutSmart for LGBTQ audience attention and digital advertising share, especially among younger readers.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
OutSmart social profiles
Digital presenceOutSmart financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
OutSmart leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
OutSmart subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
OutSmart funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
OutSmart 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 OutSmart
What does OutSmart do?
OutSmart publishes a monthly LGBTQ-focused print magazine and operates its companion digital platform OutSmartMagazine.com, delivering local news, arts/entertainment, lifestyle, and community content to readers in Houston and across Texas since 1994. The company sells targeted print and digital advertising placements, branded community content, and high-impact digital ad formats to businesses seeking to reach the LGBTQ consumer market. It also operates the OutSmart Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arm that accepts tax-deductible donations and business partnerships to sustain LGBTQ journalism, and runs the annual Gayest & Greatest Readers' Choice Awards community event.
Is OutSmart a public or private company?
OutSmart is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was OutSmart founded?
OutSmart was founded in 1994. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is OutSmart based?
OutSmart is headquartered in Houston, United States, in the North America region.
How does OutSmart make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Advertising Sales are the primary driver. The others are print and Digital Subscriptions and outSmart Foundation Donations and Grants.
Who are OutSmart's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Dallas Voice, Philadelphia Gay News, Washington Blade, Bay Area Reporter, Windy City Times, Georgia Voice and Watermark. Broad incumbents are The Advocate, Out Magazine and PinkNews.
Does OutSmart have an API?
No public API is recorded for OutSmart.
What industry is OutSmart in?
OutSmart's product category is LGBTQ Community Media Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJADAJ, Newsletters & Email-Based News Publishers (B2B/B2C), with a secondary code of CRALAAAH, Magazine & Newspaper Subscriptions / Delivery Retail. Its NAICS code is 513120 and its SIC code is 2721.