History Extra
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersBristol, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What History Extra does
HistoryExtra is the digital publishing brand of Immediate Media Company Limited, a UK-based multimedia publisher, founded in 2004 and operating from Bristol/London with a headcount of 11-50 employees. The platform serves history enthusiasts with multi-format historical content organized by period (Ancient Egypt, Roman, Viking, Anglo-Saxon, Medieval, Tudor, Elizabethan, Georgian, Victorian, Second World War) and topic (Kings and queens, Women's history, Social history, Heritage visits). Core products include the award-winning HistoryExtra Podcast, the subscription-based HistoryExtra Academy of video courses taught by named historians (Mary Beard, Dan Jones, Kate Williams, Ruth Goodman, Daisy Dunn), an extensive archive of history articles, daily trivia quizzes, weekly crosswords, and a companion print magazine (Britain's bestselling history magazine).
Underlying technology consists of a digital publishing platform with podcast and video delivery, mobile applications on iOS and Android, paywall and membership infrastructure, and content distribution across major third-party platforms (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube) plus owned social channels (Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram) and RSS. Third-party Google reCAPTCHA is used for content protection.
The business model is a freemium subscription operation: free articles and top-of-funnel content drive user acquisition through organic SEO and social, converting engaged users to paid membership for premium articles, podcasts, video, and Academy courses, alongside bundled print magazine subscriptions. GTM is product-led growth with a horizontally segmented target persona (history enthusiasts) and no enterprise or B2B segment disclosed. No revenue, funding rounds, or financial disclosures are available in the source data.
History Extra firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- History Extra
- Legal name
- Immediate Media Company Limited
- Website
- https://historyextra.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
History Extra industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Digital History Content & Publishing
- NAICS
- Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services (5192)
- SIC
- Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)
- akta.pro primary industry
- History Museums (THAJADAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Classic/Archive & Nostalgia Broadcast Networks (MPABAAAJ)
Keywords
Where History Extra is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bristol
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
History Extra business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Premium Membership/Subscription: HistoryExtra operates primarily through a subscription/membership model offering premium content access including exclusive articles, podcast episodes, video content, and Academy courses. The magazine subscription provides access to the print publication plus digital content.
- Digital Content Access: Tiered access model where some content is free and premium content requires paid membership subscription.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Others | Free Access |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
History Extra product offering
Product offeringCore offering
HistoryExtra is a digital subscription-based platform offering historical content across multiple formats including articles, podcasts, video courses (Academy), quizzes, and crosswords. It operates on a freemium model, providing free articles and premium membership content covering periods from Ancient Egypt to modern history, featuring contributions from recognized historians. The platform also serves as the digital companion to Britain's bestselling print history magazine.
Product overview
HistoryExtra is a digital subscription-based platform offering Britain’s bestselling history magazine and award-winning podcast. The platform operates on a freemium model providing historical content across multiple formats including articles, podcasts, video courses, and interactive features. The core offerings include the HistoryExtra Podcast (featuring episodes with historians on topics spanning Vikings, Romans, Medieval, and Modern history), the HistoryExtra Academy (premium video courses taught by historians covering periods from Roman Britain to the Tudors), and an extensive archive of history articles organized by historical period (Ancient Egypt, Roman, Viking, Anglo-Saxon, Medieval, Tudor, Georgian, Victorian, and 20th Century). Additional features include the Daily Quiz, History Crosswords, and the companion HistoryExtra Magazine. The Academy courses are available through membership subscription alongside the podcast, articles, and interactive content.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- HistoryExtra Podcast The HistoryExtra Podcast is an award-winning audio series featuring historians discussing historical topics across multiple periods, targeted at history enthusiasts seeking in-depth expert commentary.
- HistoryExtra Academy HistoryExtra Academy is a subscription-based educational platform offering premium video courses, lectures, and structured learning paths taught by recognized historians on topics spanning Royal Women, Tudor life, Roman Britain, Vikings, Regency, D-Day, Witchcraft, Elizabethans, Victorian life, and Nazi Germany.
- History Articles An extensive archive of historical articles covering periods from Ancient Egypt through Modern history, organized by historical period and notable figures, available to readers with free and premium tiers.
- HistoryExtra Magazine Britain's bestselling history print magazine, available as part of membership subscriptions alongside the digital platform content.
Companies that use History Extra
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
History Extra technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature4 records
History Extra partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
History Extra competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- BBC History Magazine: The print magazine that HistoryExtra is the digital home of — owned by Immediate Media and covering the same British history enthusiast audience with overlapping editorial voice and contributors.
- Smithsonian Magazine: Subscription-based digital magazine and content platform covering history, culture, and science with multi-format content (articles, podcasts, videos) comparable to HistoryExtra's model.
- MasterClass: Premium subscription video courses taught by recognized experts — analogous business model to HistoryExtra Academy, though broader in topic coverage.
- History Today: Long-running UK history magazine with digital subscription content, podcasts, and articles serving the same serious history enthusiast segment as HistoryExtra.
- The Great Courses / Wondrium: Subscription video lecture platform taught by university professors, directly comparable to HistoryExtra Academy's historian-taught video course offering.
Broad incumbents
- Audible: Major subscription audiobook and podcast platform that distributes historical audio content and competes for the same listener attention as the HistoryExtra podcast.
- BBC Sounds: BBC's free podcast and audio platform offering extensive history programming (In Our Time, etc.) that competes directly with the HistoryExtra podcast for UK history listeners.
Emerging players
- Khan Academy: Free structured educational video courses with expert instructors — a partial substitute for HistoryExtra Academy, especially for younger audiences, though history is not its core focus.
Others
- Immediate Media (parent): Parent company and broader publisher of hobbyist magazines (Radio Times, BBC Good Food, etc.); not a direct competitor but provides infrastructure, cross-promotion, and context for HistoryExtra's standalone economics.
Regional players
- All History (Allt om Historia): Bonnier-owned Scandinavian history magazine brand with digital presence, comparable magazine-plus-podcast content model to HistoryExtra but serving a Nordic rather than UK audience.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
History Extra social profiles
Digital presenceHistory Extra financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
History Extra leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
History Extra funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
History Extra 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 History Extra
What does History Extra do?
HistoryExtra is a digital subscription-based platform offering historical content across multiple formats including articles, podcasts, video courses (Academy), quizzes, and crosswords. It operates on a freemium model, providing free articles and premium membership content covering periods from Ancient Egypt to modern history, featuring contributions from recognized historians. The platform also serves as the digital companion to Britain's bestselling print history magazine.
Is History Extra a public or private company?
History Extra is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was History Extra founded?
History Extra was founded in 2004. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is History Extra based?
History Extra is headquartered in Bristol, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does History Extra make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Premium Membership/Subscription is the primary driver. The others are digital Content Access.
Who are History Extra's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are BBC History Magazine, Smithsonian Magazine, MasterClass, History Today and The Great Courses / Wondrium. Broad incumbents are Audible and BBC Sounds. Khan Academy is listed as an emerging player. Immediate Media (parent) is listed as an others. All History (Allt om Historia) is listed as a regional player.
Does History Extra have an API?
No public API is recorded for History Extra.
What industry is History Extra in?
History Extra's product category is Digital History Content & Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAJADAB, History Museums, with a secondary code of MPABAAAJ, Classic/Archive & Nostalgia Broadcast Networks. Its NAICS code is 5192 and its SIC code is 2741.