Alternatives Économiques

What Alternatives Économiques does

Alternatives Économiques (legal name: Scop-SA Alternatives Economiques à capital variable, SIREN 330 394 479) is a French cooperative economic media outlet founded in 1980 by Denis Clerc and headquartered at 12 rue du Cap-Vert, 21800 Quétigny, with editorial offices at 28 rue du Sentier, 75002 Paris. The company is structured as a SCOP-SA (société coopérative et participative) where employees own ~62% of the capital, the Société civile des lecteurs holds 19%, former employees 9%, the Association des lecteurs 1-2%, and external associates ~1%, a governance structure designed to guarantee editorial independence from external financial interests. The publication began as a monthly print magazine, launched its digital platform alternatives-economiques.fr in 2017, and now operates as a web-first daily publishing four original articles per day alongside a monthly edited print magazine.

The core product is a digital subscription (6.90 €/month or 66 €/year, or 78 €/year bundled with the monthly print magazine) providing unlimited site access, two simultaneous connections, 30 years of archive access, a subscriber-exclusive mobile app (redesigned 2023), premium newsletters, and a gift-article feature, supplemented by a free registration tier gated by the Poool paywall. A student Lycée tier is priced at 26 €/year and a quarterly academic review, L'Économie politique, co-edited with Institut Veblen, is priced at 38 €/year. Distribution combines the proprietary site and app, MLP for newsstand sales, Interforum for bookstore distribution, and Destination Media for press resupply. The technology stack is built on standard SaaS integrations (Poool, Piwik Pro, Mixpanel, Smart Adserver, Stripe/Paybox/GoCardless) with no proprietary AI or ML layer.

The business model is almost entirely subscription-driven, with no advertising on the main website; advertising inventory is managed by external partner L'Autre Régie. The company serves ~40,000 subscribers across all formats, with a staff of ~40 employees, and is GDPR/CNIL compliant under a formally appointed DPO. Revenue figures are not publicly disclosed. Product portfolio extends to sub-brands Oblik (graphic-journalism quarterly) and thematic Hors-Série (special issues), and the publication maintains active presence across eight social media platforms.

Name

Alternatives Économiques

Legal name

Scop-SA Alternatives Economiques à capital variable

Website

https://alternatives-economiques.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Alternatives Économiques is a French cooperative (SCOP-SA) economic media outlet, founded in 1980, publishing a daily digital news platform and monthly print magazine serving ~40,000 subscribers with critical, pluralist economic analysis.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Economic Journalism and Publishing

NAICS

Periodical Publishers (51312), Newspaper Publishers (513110), All Other Publishers (513199)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721), Newspapers: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2711), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Alternative/Independent Newsweeklies & Opinion Press (MPAJADAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

News, Politics & Current Affairs Magazines (MPAJAEAO), Politics, Current Affairs & Social Commentary Publishing (MPAJAAAM), Newsletter Publishing Platforms (MPACAIAA)

Keywords

• Economic journalism
• Cooperative media
• Digital subscriptions
• Monthly magazine
• Alternative economics

Headquarters

HQ city

Quétigny

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Abonnements numériques et papier: Revenu principal du média. Propose des abonnements numériques (6,90€/mois ou 66€/an), des abonnements papier + numérique (+1€/mois ou 78€/an), des offres étudiants (26€/an) et lycée (26-33€/an). Total de 40 000 abonnés tous supports confondus.
2. Ventes en kiosque: Distribution du mensuel papier via les messageries lyonnaises de presse (MLP) et vente en librairie via Interforum.
3. Publicité: Gérée par L'Autre Régie, société de régie publicitaire partenaire. Malgré l'absence de publicité sur le site web, des espaces publicitaires sont disponibles.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Alternatives \u00c9conomiques publishes original critical and pedagogical economic journalism through a digital-first news platform, a monthly print magazine, and a subscriber-only mobile application, distributed under paid subscription tiers (digital-only, print+digital, student Lyc\u00e9e, and academic L\u2019\u00c9conomie politique). The cooperative also produces thematic special issues (Hors-S\u00e9rie), the quarterly graphic-journalism journal Oblik, and a weekly newsletter, serving approximately 40,000 subscribers with independent analysis of economic, social, and ecological issues.

Product overview

Alternatives Économiques is a cooperative French economic media outlet organized as a web-first digital publishing platform. The core offering comprises a digital subscription (standalone or bundled with a monthly print magazine) providing unlimited access to articles, a 30-year archive, a mobile app, and premium newsletters. The portfolio extends to several branded publications: the monthly print magazine (Mensuel), thematic special issues (Hors-Série), the quarterly academic review L'Économie politique (co-edited with Institut Veblen), the illustrated quarterly journal Oblik, and a student-specific subscription (Lycée) targeting high school economics students. Content is produced by a staff of journalists and freelance contributors (piges), with the editorial guided by a web-first approach publishing four articles daily.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• L'Économie politique: A quarterly review published by Alternatives Economiques in partnership with the Veblen Institute, focusing on economic analysis in service of society.
• Oblik
• Hors-série

Products and services

• Alternatives \u00c9conomiques Digital Subscription Recurring subscription giving unlimited access to the website, 30 years of archives, two simultaneous connections, the subscriber-only mobile app, premium newsletters, and the ability to gift articles. Targets individual French readers seeking independent critical economic journalism.
• Alternatives \u00c9conomiques Print + Digital Subscription Combined subscription delivering the monthly edited print magazine to the subscriber's mailbox alongside full digital access to the website, archives, and mobile app. Targets individual readers who value the curated print edition.
• Mensuel (Monthly Print Magazine) The monthly print magazine featuring a curated selection of articles from the website, with particular attention to layout and illustration quality. Sold individually and included in print and combined subscriptions.
• Hors-S\u00e9rie (Special Issues) Special print issues covering specific themes in depth, such as the 'R\u00e9ussir les SES en Terminale' exam-preparation issue, sold individually and bundled with the student Lyc\u00e9e subscription.
• L\u2019\u00c9conomie politique Quarterly Review Quarterly academic review co-published with the Institut Veblen, offering in-depth heterodox economic analysis and engaging critical perspectives on economic policy. Targets graduate students, researchers, and policy professionals.
• Oblik An illustrated quarterly journal presenting economic and social topics through graphic journalism and comic format, targeting readers interested in accessible visual storytelling. Sold individually via the online boutique.
• Alternatives \u00c9conomiques Lyc\u00e9e Subscription Student-specific subscription tier combining full website and app access with 10 monthly print issues and the 'R\u00e9ussir les SES en Terminale' exam-preparation special issue, priced at EUR 26/year. Targets high school students preparing the SES baccalaur\u00e9at.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40 000 abonnés satisfaits

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration16 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Institut VeblencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartenariat pour l'édition de la revue trimestrielle 'L'Économie politique'. L'Institut Veblen apporte son expertise académique et son réseau d'économistes hétérodoxes pour produire une revue critique sur les questions économiques.
• L'Autre RégiecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSociété de régie publicitaire pour la publicité et la diversification. Gère les espaces publicitaires (malgré l'absence de pub sur le site principal). Adresse: 28 rue du Sentier, 75002 Paris.
• Messageries lyonnaises de presse (MLP)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistribution nationale du mensuel papier en kiosques et points de vente de presse.
• InterforummajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistribution en librairie. 92 avenue de France, 75013 Paris. Téléphone: 01 49 59 10 10.
• Destination MediaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRéglage et réassorts marchands de journaux pour les diffuseurs. Contact: 01 56 82 12 06 ou [email protected].
• PooolcoreTechnology or IntegrationFournisseur du système de paywall (mur payant). Permet aux utilisateurs non-abonnés de lire un article en échange de l'inscription à la newsletter ou création de compte, puis blocage et proposition d'abonnement.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Reporterre: French independent online daily focused on ecology and social-economic issues, funded primarily by reader subscriptions. Comparable in its cooperative spirit, alternative editorial line, and subscription-first monetisation.
• Le Monde diplomatique: French monthly publication providing critical analysis of geopolitics and economics from an alternative viewpoint, distributed in print and digital. Closely aligned with Alternatives Économiques in editorial positioning and cooperative distribution model.
• Mediapart: French independent online investigative journalism outlet funded almost exclusively by reader subscriptions, with a similar cooperative-of-readers ethos. Direct competitor for the same paying reader base interested in independent French press.
• AOC (Analyse Opinion Critique): French independent critical-analysis media outlet with a subscription model and intellectual focus on politics, culture, and ideas. Targets a similar educated reader seeking in-depth alternative perspectives.
• Politis: French left-wing independent magazine covering economics, social, and political issues from an alternative perspective. Comparable subscriber-funded independent media competing for the same niche audience.

Emerging players

• Usbek & Rica: French media exploring the future of economics, society, and technology through long-form journalism. Partial overlap in alternative-economics positioning but focused more on prospective/foresight topics.
• La Revue Dessinée: French illustrated investigative journalism magazine, comparable to Alternatives Économiques' Oblik graphic sub-brand. Overlaps in niche periodical publishing and long-form investigative storytelling for educated French readers.
• Arrêt sur images: French subscription-funded media analysis outlet reviewing media coverage and misinformation. Adjacent in independent subscription model and intellectual audience, but focused on media criticism rather than economics.

Broad incumbents

• Marianne: Established French weekly news magazine covering politics, society, and economics from an independent left-liberal angle. A larger incumbent in the same editorial space, offering broader general-interest coverage.

Others

• Institut Veblen: French think tank promoting heterodox economics and strategic partner of Alternatives Économiques on L'Économie politique. Closely aligned ecosystem partner rather than a competitor, but indicative of comparable alternative-economics positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@alternativeseconomiques1159
• Facebookfacebook.com/AlternativesEconomiques
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/alternatives-economiques
• Instagraminstagram.com/alternatives_economiques
• TikToktiktok.com/@alter_eco
• Xx.com/AlterEco_

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Alternatives Économiques