De Luisterlijn
De Luisterlijn is a Dutch nonprofit foundation founded in 1958 that provides 24/7 anonymous emotional support via phone, chat, and email through trained volunteers, serving members of the Dutch public experiencing loneliness, distress, or other life challenges.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1958
- HeadquartersUtrecht, Netherlands
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What De Luisterlijn does
De Luisterlijn (legal entity: Stichting de Luisterlijn) is a Dutch nonprofit foundation founded in 1958 and headquartered in Utrecht, Netherlands. It provides 24/7 anonymous emotional support to members of the Dutch public who need someone to talk to, delivered through three communication channels: telephone (088 0767 000, 24/7), online chat (10:00–22:00), and email (response within four working days). The service is operated entirely by trained volunteers who offer empathetic, non-judgmental listening rather than professional advice, and it covers a broad range of emotional and practical topics including loneliness, grief, relationships, mental health, financial concerns, identity, and life events. The organization previously operated under the name Sensoor Nederland.
The organization's underlying technology is modest and operational rather than productized: a website (deluisterlijn.nl) for information and donor/volunteer recruitment, a dedicated chat client (chat-client-luisterlijn.serviant.nl) for text-based sessions, and presence across Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube. There is no mobile app, no public API, and no disclosed AI/ML capability. The volunteer pipeline is supported by a network of professional trainers based in at least 12 regional academies across the Netherlands (Amsterdam, Nijmegen, Apeldoorn, Tilburg, Groningen, Leiden, Alkmaar, Middelburg, Amersfoort, Borne, and Zwolle, plus a national location), who annually train and guide hundreds of volunteers.
De Luisterlijn is funded through donations from individuals and corporate supporters, plus subsidies from public or quasi-public bodies (referred to in the privacy policy as 'subsidiegever'). It holds ANBI (Algemeen Nut Beogende Instelling) status from the Dutch Tax Authorities and is GDPR (AVG) compliant. The organization is part of the national 'Een tegen Eenzaamheid' (One Against Loneliness) movement and, as of March 2026, operates an ambassadors program in partnership with Rabobank Utrecht to extend reach to young adults. Revenue is not publicly disclosed; headcount is reported at 101–250 paid staff, supplemented by a much larger volunteer workforce.
De Luisterlijn firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- De Luisterlijn
- Legal name
- Stichting de Luisterlijn
- Website
- https://deluisterlijn.nl
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1958
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- De Luisterlijn is a Dutch nonprofit foundation founded in 1958 that provides 24/7 anonymous emotional support via phone, chat, and email through trained volunteers, serving members of the Dutch public experiencing loneliness, distress, or other life challenges.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where De Luisterlijn is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Utrecht
- HQ country
- Netherlands
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices12 records
Markets served
De Luisterlijn business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Charitable Support: De Luisterlijn is a charitable organization (ANBI - Algemeen Nut Beogende Instelling) that relies on donations from the public and support from partners to fund its operations. The organization also receives subsidies for reporting and accountability purposes.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free emotional support services |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
De Luisterlijn product offering
Product offeringCore offering
De Luisterlijn provides 24/7 anonymous emotional support and active listening via telephone (088 0767 000), online chat (10:00–22:00), and email (response within 4 working days). Services are delivered person-to-person by trained volunteers across the Netherlands and are completely free and confidential. The organization also recruits, trains, and supervises volunteer listeners at multiple regional training academies.
Product overview
De Luisterlijn is a Dutch helpline organization offering anonymous emotional support through three core communication channels: telephone (24/7), chat (10:00-22:00), and email (response within 4 working days). The service is provided by trained volunteers who offer a listening ear without judgment. The organization also provides educational content through its Ear-openers articles and Luistertips resources, shares real user stories, and recruits and trains volunteers through its professional volunteer program. The core value proposition is human-to-human connection through active listening.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Phone Support (Telefoon) 24/7 anonymous telephone listening service (088 0767 000) where trained volunteers provide active, non-judgmental listening and emotional support to any caller in the Netherlands, free of charge.
- Chat Support (Chatten) Anonymous text-based chat service available daily from 10:00 to 22:00 for people seeking emotional support who prefer writing over calling. Conversations are conducted by trained volunteers.
- Email Support (Mailen) Asynchronous email support service for people who prefer written correspondence, with a response guaranteed within 4 working days. Conversations are anonymous and conducted by trained volunteers.
Companies that use De Luisterlijn
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
De Luisterlijn technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
De Luisterlijn partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Rabobank UtrechtminorRabobank Utrecht supports the mission of the Luisterlijn with an ambassadors network for young adults, helping to extend reach to younger demographics experiencing loneliness.
- Een tegen Eenzaamheid (One Against Loneliness)coreDe Luisterlijn is part of the 'Een tegen Eenzaamheid' initiative, a national movement against loneliness in the Netherlands, demonstrating commitment to addressing social isolation.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
De Luisterlijn competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- 7 Cups: Global online platform connecting users with trained volunteer listeners for emotional support via chat. Closely comparable peer-support, anonymous listening model delivered through a digital-first channel.
- 113 Zelfmoordpreventie: Dutch suicide prevention helpline offering 24/7 crisis support via phone and chat. Directly comparable as a Dutch nonprofit emotional support service using trained volunteers, with overlapping audience and channel mix.
- Sensoor: Dutch listening and support helpline offering anonymous conversations by phone, chat, and email. Effectively De Luisterlijn's historical sibling brand (De Luisterlijn was previously known as Sensoor Nederland) operating the same peer-support model.
- De Kindertelefoon: Dutch children's helpline providing anonymous phone and chat support to young people. Operates the same volunteer-driven, donation-funded emotional support model targeting a youth subset of the same addressable need.
- Crisis Text Line: US-based 24/7 text-based crisis support service powered by trained volunteers. Comparable mission and operational model, differentiated primarily by text-first delivery and US geographic focus.
Others
- Mind (UK mental health charity): UK mental health nonprofit providing information, support, and advocacy. Adjacent rather than directly competitive; comparable in mission space but offers broader services beyond the helpline-only peer-support model.
Regional players
- Lifeline Australia: Australian 24/7 crisis support and suicide prevention service using trained volunteers. Comparable volunteer-driven, donation-funded emotional support model in a different national market.
- Telefonseelsorge Deutschland: German national crisis helpline providing 24/7 anonymous phone, chat, and email support via trained volunteers. Comparable structural model and channel mix to De Luisterlijn, operating in a neighboring German-speaking market.
- Samaritans (UK & Ireland): Long-running UK and Ireland emotional support helpline operating 24/7 via phone, email, and letter using trained volunteers. Closest international analog to De Luisterlijn's model and value proposition in a different geography.
- Open Up (UK): UK-based digital mental wellbeing platform offering anonymous peer support via trained volunteers. Comparable volunteer-driven anonymous support model with a digital-first delivery approach in a different geography.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
De Luisterlijn social profiles
Digital presenceDe Luisterlijn compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
De Luisterlijn financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
De Luisterlijn leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles14 records
De Luisterlijn funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
De Luisterlijn 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 De Luisterlijn
What does De Luisterlijn do?
De Luisterlijn provides 24/7 anonymous emotional support and active listening via telephone (088 0767 000), online chat (10:00–22:00), and email (response within 4 working days). Services are delivered person-to-person by trained volunteers across the Netherlands and are completely free and confidential. The organization also recruits, trains, and supervises volunteer listeners at multiple regional training academies.
Is De Luisterlijn a public or private company?
De Luisterlijn is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was De Luisterlijn founded?
De Luisterlijn was founded in 1958. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is De Luisterlijn based?
De Luisterlijn is headquartered in Utrecht, Netherlands, in the Europe region.
How does De Luisterlijn make money?
One revenue line is on record: donations and Charitable Support.
Who are De Luisterlijn's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are 7 Cups, 113 Zelfmoordpreventie, Sensoor, De Kindertelefoon and Crisis Text Line. Mind (UK mental health charity) is listed as an others. Regional players are Lifeline Australia, Telefonseelsorge Deutschland, Samaritans (UK & Ireland) and Open Up (UK).
Does De Luisterlijn have an API?
No public API is recorded for De Luisterlijn.