FedSmith
FedSmith is an independent, advertising-supported online news and information service founded in 2002 that publishes free articles and email newsletters on federal retirement, pay, benefits, TSP, and HR policy for U.S. federal employees and retirees.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2002
- HeadquartersWashington, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What FedSmith does
FedSmith is a privately held, independent online news and information service founded in 2002, focused exclusively on the U.S. federal employee and retiree community. The company operates a content website (fedsmith.com) that publishes articles on federal retirement planning (FERS, CSRS, TSP), pay and benefits, health coverage (FEHB, Medicare), OPM policy updates, court decisions affecting federal workers, HR policy, and career development. Content is produced by a network of expert contributors, including co-founders Ian Smith and Ralph R. Smith, with expertise spanning media and government services and federal HR respectively. The site is organized into topical categories (Retirement, Pay & Benefits, HR, Agency News, Court Cases, Leadership) and features a Daily TSP Performance Data module displaying prices and returns for the major Thrift Savings Plan funds.
The business model is advertising-supported and reader-funded: all articles are free to access, and the site generates revenue primarily through third-party advertising displayed alongside editorial content. A free email newsletter delivers 2-3 article summaries per week plus occasional breaking news alerts, serving as the primary owned engagement channel. Social media sharing (Facebook, X, LinkedIn, Reddit, WhatsApp) and SEO-optimized article publishing drive organic traffic acquisition. There are no paid product tiers, no software products, no APIs, no mobile apps, and no disclosed institutional investment. FedSmith is headquartered in Washington, United States, employs 11-50 people, and remains founder-owned, with no acquisitions, partnerships, or material corporate structural changes identified in the source data.
FedSmith firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- FedSmith
- Legal name
- FedSmith Inc.
- Website
- https://fedsmith.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2002
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- FedSmith is an independent, advertising-supported online news and information service founded in 2002 that publishes free articles and email newsletters on federal retirement, pay, benefits, TSP, and HR policy for U.S. federal employees and retirees.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
FedSmith industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialty Online Media
- NAICS
- Periodical Publishers (513120)
- SIC
- Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)
- akta.pro primary industry
- HR & Employment Law Publishing (Labor, Benefits, Workplace Compliance) (MPAJACAE)
Keywords
Where FedSmith is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Washington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
FedSmith business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Advertising: FedSmith operates as an advertising-supported news platform. The site displays third-party advertisements to readers of its free content. The website is described as 'independent, reader-supported since 2002', suggesting advertising is a primary revenue stream alongside reader support.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Free access to all articles and email newsletters |
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
FedSmith product offering
Product offeringCore offering
FedSmith operates a free online news and information website (fedsmith.com) targeting U.S. federal employees and retirees. The site publishes articles, court case analyses, and Q&As covering FERS/CSRS retirement, TSP fund performance, FEHB coverage, pay and benefits, OPM policy changes, federal HR topics, agency news, and leadership development. It is supported by advertising and reader contributions and has been in continuous publication since 2002.
Product overview
FedSmith operates a single primary news website (fedsmith.com) offering free news and information for federal employees and retirees. The product portfolio consists of three main offerings: (1) the FedSmith News Website itself, providing editorial content on retirement, pay, benefits, HR, and workforce topics; (2) a free email newsletter subscription service delivering 2-3 articles per week plus breaking news alerts; and (3) a Daily TSP Performance Data module displaying real-time fund prices and returns. The company is reader-supported since 2002 and does not offer software products, APIs, or AI-powered tools.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- FedSmith News Website
Companies that use FedSmith
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
FedSmith technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
FedSmith partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators1 record
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights2 records
FedSmith competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Nextgov: Nextgov covers federal technology and digital transformation across agencies—adjacent to FedSmith's HR/policy focus but more tech-oriented; serves a shared federal workforce audience.
Direct peers
- Federal Times: Federal Times is a long-running publication serving current and former federal employees on pay, benefits, and career news, competing head-to-head with FedSmith for the same readership and advertisers.
- Federal News Network: Federal News Network (WFED) covers federal agency news, pay, benefits, and workforce policy, overlapping directly with FedSmith's core topics including OPM, retirement, and HR directives.
- FederalSoup: FederalSoup is a community and news site for federal employees covering pay, benefits, retirement, and HR, directly overlapping with FedSmith's audience and core content categories.
- MyFederalRetirement: MyFederalRetirement is a niche publisher focused specifically on FERS/CSRS retirement planning, TSP strategy, and federal benefits—closely aligned with FedSmith's retirement content vertical.
- Government Executive (GovExec): GovExec is the largest independent newsroom covering federal government management, workforce, and policy—directly comparable to FedSmith's federal employee and retiree coverage, but at a broader, larger scale.
- FedWeek: FedWeek is a federal employee publication focused on pay, retirement, and benefits—offering a comparable product mix to FedSmith, including weekly newsletters and TSP-related content.
Emerging players
- GovLoop: GovLoop is a community and content platform for government employees covering training, HR, and workforce topics—overlapping audience with FedSmith but with a stronger community/events orientation.
- TSPDataCenter: TSPDataCenter is a data utility referenced directly from FedSmith's homepage for TSP fund performance—overlapping on retirement-stage financial content with FedSmith's Daily TSP module.
Regional players
- OPM Watch (Fed Manager / FedManager.com): FedManager and OPM-focused trackers provide news and analysis on federal management, OPM policy, and HR directives—comparable content scope to FedSmith, particularly its OPM Updates and HR categories.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
FedSmith social profiles
Digital presenceFedSmith financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
FedSmith leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
FedSmith funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
FedSmith 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 FedSmith
What does FedSmith do?
FedSmith operates a free online news and information website (fedsmith.com) targeting U.S. federal employees and retirees. The site publishes articles, court case analyses, and Q&As covering FERS/CSRS retirement, TSP fund performance, FEHB coverage, pay and benefits, OPM policy changes, federal HR topics, agency news, and leadership development. It is supported by advertising and reader contributions and has been in continuous publication since 2002.
Is FedSmith a public or private company?
FedSmith is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was FedSmith founded?
FedSmith was founded in 2002. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is FedSmith based?
FedSmith is headquartered in Washington, United States, in the North America region.
How does FedSmith make money?
One revenue line is on record: advertising.
Who are FedSmith's main competitors?
Nextgov is listed as a broad incumbent. Direct peers are Federal Times, Federal News Network, FederalSoup, MyFederalRetirement, Government Executive (GovExec) and FedWeek. Emerging players are GovLoop and TSPDataCenter. OPM Watch (Fed Manager / FedManager.com) is listed as a regional player.
Does FedSmith have an API?
No public API is recorded for FedSmith.
What industry is FedSmith in?
FedSmith's product category is Specialty Online Media. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJACAE, HR & Employment Law Publishing (Labor, Benefits, Workplace Compliance). Its NAICS code is 513120 and its SIC code is 2721.