The Tablet
The Tablet is a privately held UK-based Catholic weekly newspaper, founded in 1840 and now Britain's sole surviving Catholic weekly, serving individual lay and clergy readers plus Catholic institutions globally through subscription print, digital, and archive products.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1840
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What The Tablet does
The Tablet, legally The Tablet Publishing Company Ltd, is a privately held UK-based Catholic weekly news publication founded in 1840 by Frederick Lucas and currently led by CEO Amanda Davison-Young. Headquartered in London, it operates as Britain's last surviving Catholic weekly newspaper and describes itself as the leading independent English-language Catholic weekly, with correspondents in Britain, Ireland, and Rome and a reader base spanning the UK, Ireland, the US, Albania, and Australia.
The company's core product is a subscription-based weekly publication delivered through three tiers: a combined Digital & Print Edition (from £37.50 quarterly), a Digital Only Edition (from £23 quarterly), and bespoke Institutional Subscriptions providing site-wide IP access for schools, parishes, and religious organizations. Supporting products include the Pastoral Review theological journal, The Tablet Podcast, the Inspire lifestyle/spirituality section, and a digitized 180+ year archive accessible via the Exact Editions mobile app. The technology stack is a WordPress website with Stripe payment processing, Google Analytics tracking, Google reCAPTCHA bot protection, and the Exactly Editions platform for mobile distribution; no proprietary AI or ML capabilities are evidenced.
The Tablet generates revenue primarily through recurring subscriptions (quarterly Direct Debit and annual billing), supplemented by display and recruitment advertising (outsourced to Ottway Media Solutions), institutional licensing, and reader donations via its Development Fund. Multi-channel marketing spans social media (Twitter/X, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, Bluesky), email newsletters, website content, podcasts, and co-produced webinars with partners including the New Hall Festival and the World Community for Christian Meditation. The company is independent of venture capital or private equity ownership and self-describes as lacking deep institutional funding.
The Tablet firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Tablet
- Legal name
- The Tablet Publishing Company Ltd
- Website
- https://thetablet.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1840
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Tablet is a privately held UK-based Catholic weekly newspaper, founded in 1840 and now Britain's sole surviving Catholic weekly, serving individual lay and clergy readers plus Catholic institutions globally through subscription print, digital, and archive products.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Tablet industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Religious News Publication
- NAICS
- Newspaper Publishers (513110), Periodical Publishers (513120), Periodical Publishers (51312), Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131)
- SIC
- Newspapers: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2711), Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Denominational & Community Periodicals (Church Magazines, Diocesan/Temple Newsletters) (MPAJAHAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Religious Education & Catechetical Publishing (Sunday School, Catechism, Study Guides) (MPAJAHAC), Religious Nonfiction & Theology Publishing (Apologetics, Doctrine, Ethics) (MPAJAHAG)
Keywords
Where The Tablet is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Tablet business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Subscriptions: Recurring subscription revenue from digital and print editions. Quarterly billing via Direct Debit or annual payment. Includes individual and institutional tiers.
- Advertising: Display and recruitment advertising handled by Ottway Media Solutions. Third-party ad network (ServedByAdbutler) for institutional subscription redirects.
- Development Fund Donations: Charitable donations from readers supporting independent Catholic journalism. Monthly recurring giving option.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Quarterly | Digital & Print Edition |
| Subscription | Quarterly | Digital Only Edition |
| Subscription | Annual | Institutional Subscription |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | 30-Day Access Trial |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels7 records
The Tablet product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Tablet is a Catholic weekly newspaper published since 1842, providing news, commentary, and analysis on the Catholic Church, faith, theology, and culture. It is sold via individual and institutional subscriptions in both digital and combined print-and-digital editions, supported by a podcast, a sister publication (Pastoral Review), and a digital archive.
Product overview
The Tablet is a weekly Catholic news publication offering content through multiple channels. The core product is its subscription model, with three tiers: Digital & Print Edition (combined print weekly plus full digital access), Digital Edition (online-only access), and Institutional Subscription (organisational site-wide access). Supporting products include The Tablet Podcast (audio discussions), Pastoral Review (theological journal), Inspire (lifestyle/spirituality section), and The Tablet Archive (180+ years of back issues via Exact Editions). The Development Fund enables reader donations to support independent Catholic journalism. The publication covers news, features, arts, books, blogs, podcasts, and opinion across Catholic and global affairs.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Pastoral Review: A theological journal published by The Tablet covering Catholic theology, social teaching, and Church matters
- The Tablet Podcast
- Inspire
Products and services
- Tablet+ (Digital + Print Subscription) A bundled weekly subscription product that gives individual readers access to The Tablet's full digital content on the website and apps, together with the printed weekly newspaper delivered to their address. Suited to Catholic readers and clergy who want both the print reading experience and online access.
- Tablet Digital (Digital-only Subscription) A digital-only subscription tier that provides individual readers with online access to The Tablet's weekly content, including news, commentary, and reviews, via the website and the Tablet App. Targeted at Catholic readers who prefer digital consumption rather than print.
- Institutional Subscription A multi-user subscription product designed for Catholic institutions such as schools, parishes, seminaries, religious orders, universities, and libraries. Provides shared access to The Tablet's content for staff, students, or members, with bulk pricing for larger order volumes (e.g., 15+ papers).
- The Tablet Podcast A free podcast featuring interviews and discussions with prominent Catholics, including bishops, clergy, academics, and public figures, accompanying the weekly newspaper. Available for general Catholic audiences via podcast streaming platforms.
- Pastoral Review A sister publication to The Tablet, published six times a year, providing pastoral and theological articles, reviews, and discussion aimed at Catholic clergy, religious, and academics.
- The Tablet Archive A searchable digital archive of past issues of The Tablet, providing readers and institutional subscribers with access to the publication's historical content for research, reference, and reading.
Companies that use The Tablet
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
The Tablet 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
The Tablet partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Ottway Media SolutionsminorAdvertising sales handled by Ottway Media Solutions for display, inserts, and recruitment advertising. Located at 22 Offington Avenue, Worthing BN14 9PH. Contact: Lisa Ottway (Tel: +44 (0)1903 534 041).
- Exactly EditionscoreTechnology partner providing the Exactly Editions app for iOS and Android devices. Subscribers register using customer number to access content on mobile devices via the Exact Editions platform.
- New Hall FestivalminorPartnership for Experience the Tablet/New Hall Festival events. Co-hosted webinar and virtual event content.
- WCCM (World Community for Christian Meditation)minorPartnership for WCCM Theme 2026: The Future of Religion recording and related content.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Tablet competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- America Magazine: Jesuit-published US Catholic weekly covering news, opinion, and culture. Comparable in cadence, format, and editorial mix (news, features, books, arts) to The Tablet.
- Commonweal Magazine: Independent US Catholic opinion magazine with subscription-based model, intellectual editorial positioning, and lay readership comparable to The Tablet's engaged Catholic audience.
- National Catholic Reporter: US-based independent Catholic news publication with a similar weekly format, lay/independent editorial stance, and subscription model targeting engaged Catholic readers seeking serious journalism.
- Catholic Herald: The Catholic Herald is the other leading UK-based Catholic weekly newspaper and The Tablet's closest direct competitor in the British Catholic news market, with overlapping readership of clergy, laity, and institutions.
- Our Sunday Visitor: US Catholic weekly news publication serving parishes and individual subscribers, with similar subscription distribution model and Catholic news/opinion/feature content mix.
Peers
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Tablet social profiles
Digital presenceThe Tablet financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Tablet leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
The Tablet funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Tablet 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 The Tablet
What does The Tablet do?
The Tablet is a Catholic weekly newspaper published since 1842, providing news, commentary, and analysis on the Catholic Church, faith, theology, and culture. It is sold via individual and institutional subscriptions in both digital and combined print-and-digital editions, supported by a podcast, a sister publication (Pastoral Review), and a digital archive.
Is The Tablet a public or private company?
The Tablet is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Tablet founded?
The Tablet was founded in 1840. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Tablet based?
The Tablet is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does The Tablet make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are advertising and development Fund Donations.
Who are The Tablet's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are America Magazine, Commonweal Magazine, National Catholic Reporter, Catholic Herald and Our Sunday Visitor. Catholic News Service is listed as a peer.
Does The Tablet have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Tablet.
What industry is The Tablet in?
The Tablet's product category is Religious News Publication. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAHAI, Denominational & Community Periodicals (Church Magazines, Diocesan/Temple Newsletters), with a secondary code of MPAJAHAC, Religious Education & Catechetical Publishing (Sunday School, Catechism, Study Guides). Its NAICS code is 513110 and its SIC code is 2711.