El Salto

What El Salto does

El Salto is a Spain-based, reader-funded cooperative digital media outlet (legally Cooperativa Editorial S. Coop.) that publishes independent progressive journalism covering politics, social justice, climate, feminism, international affairs, and regional Spanish news. Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Madrid, the company serves a primarily Spanish audience of progressive readers through a portfolio that includes a core digital news portal (elsaltodiario.com), seven regional editions (General, Andalucía, Extremadura, Galiza, Hordago, Madrid, País Valencià), a monthly print magazine, video content (El Salto TV on YouTube and the Río Arriba interview program), audio programming (El Salto Radio via Ivoox and Spotify), and specialized verticals such as El Salmón Contracorriente (economics) and Radical (culture and literature). Membership also includes a merchandise e-commerce store. The technical platform is a standard web-based content delivery system with integrated video streaming, podcast distribution, and email newsletter infrastructure hosted by the non-profit ISP Nodo50.

El Salto operates a community-led go-to-market built around a membership model ('socios/as'), with annual recurring subscriptions accepted via direct debit, card, PayPal, or bank transfer. Members gain access to exclusive content, bulletins, and discounts; the publication is also supported by donations. The company reports a current membership base of 10,816 paying members, with a stated growth target of 12,000. Additional revenue is generated through sales of branded merchandise and physical magazines at newsstands. The company distributes content via a broad set of digital channels — website, YouTube, Spotify, Ivoox, plus an active presence on mainstream and alternative social platforms (Bluesky, Mastodon, Threads, Telegram, WhatsApp, Reddit) — reflecting a diversified audience-acquisition strategy. No advertising model is used; ownership is shared among cooperative members rather than external investors.

Name

El Salto

Legal name

Cooperativa Editorial S. Coop.

Website

https://elsaltodiario.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

El Salto is a Spain-based cooperative digital media outlet (Cooperativa Editorial S. Coop.) publishing independent progressive journalism across seven regional editions, a print magazine, video, and podcasts for ~10,816 paying members.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent Digital News & Journalism

NAICS

Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131), Broadcasting and Content Providers (516)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

News, Politics & Current Affairs Magazines (MPAJAEAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

International Multilingual/Diaspora Broadcasters (MPABAEAG), Spanish-Language & Multilingual Broadcast Networks (MPABAAAG)

Keywords

• Independent journalism
• Cooperative media
• Digital news publishing
• Investigative reporting
• Progressive media outlet

Headquarters

HQ city

Madrid

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership subscriptions: El Salto operates primarily through a membership model where users become 'socios' (members). Subscriptions are automatically renewed annually. Payment is accepted via direct debit, credit/debit card, PayPal, or bank transfer.
2. Merchandise sales: Sale of branded merchandise including books and promotional items through the online store (tienda.elsaltodiario.com).
3. Physical magazine: Sale of physical magazine editions, including regional editions such as General, Hordago, and others published periodically.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

El Salto is a Spanish cooperative digital media outlet that publishes independent progressive journalism across multiple regional editions (General, Andalucía, Extremadura, Galiza, Hordago, Madrid, País Valencià). It operates a reader-funded membership model offering digital articles, a print magazine, video (El Salto TV), podcasts (El Salto Radio), and thematic sections covering politics, social justice, feminism, climate, economics, and culture.

Product overview

El Salto is a Spanish cooperative digital media outlet comprising a unified digital news portal and multiple specialized content verticals. The core offering includes the El Salto Digital Portal delivering independent journalism across thematic sections (Actualidad, Opinión, Global), supplemented by the print El Salto Magazine. The portfolio also includes Río Arriba (video podcast interviews), El Salmón Contracorriente (economics section), Radical Magazine (culture/literature), El Salto TV (video content), El Salto Radio (audio/podcasts), a membership program (Socias) with exclusive content and features, and a merchandise e-commerce store. The platform operates as a reader-supported cooperative with subscription and donation-based funding.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• El Salmón Contracorriente: Section/blog focused on economic analysis and contrarian perspectives on current affairs.
• Río Arriba
• Radical
• Hordago
• El Salto TV
• El Salto Radio

Products and services

• El Salto Digital Portal A Spanish-language digital news portal offering independent journalism across multiple thematic sections (Actualidad, Opinión, El Salmón, Global, Radical) and regional editions (General, Andalucía, Extremadura, Galiza, Hordago, Madrid, País Valencià). Targets individual Spanish-speaking readers seeking progressive, advertising-free journalism.
• El Salto Print Magazine A monthly print magazine covering in-depth investigative journalism and long-form reporting, available by subscription or at newsstands with regional editions. Targeted at individual readers interested in long-form progressive journalism.
• El Salto Membership / Subscription (Socias/Socios) An annual membership program offering exclusive content, newsletters, access to the member zone, digital edition, and member-only features including comments without moderation. Payment via direct debit, credit/debit card, PayPal, or bank transfer. Targeted at individual readers who wish to financially support and engage more deeply with the cooperative.
• El Salto TV A video content platform featuring original documentaries, interviews, and multimedia journalism, distributed via the El Salto YouTube channel. Targets individual viewers interested in progressive video journalism.
• El Salto Radio An audio content platform featuring podcasts and radio programs including La Internacional Sonora, available on Ivoox and Spotify. Targets individual listeners seeking progressive audio journalism.
• Río Arriba (Video Podcast) A video podcast interview program featuring in-depth conversations with activists, academics, and public figures on geopolitics, social movements, and current events. Available on YouTube, Ivoox, and Spotify.
• El Salmón Contracorriente (Economics Section) An economic analysis section focusing on political economy, labor issues, and critical perspectives on capitalism and financial systems. Targeted at readers interested in left-wing economic commentary.
• Radical Magazine (Culture & Arts Section) A cultural and literary magazine section covering literature, theater, cinema, and arts criticism. Targeted at readers interested in progressive cultural coverage.
• Merchandise Store (Tienda) An e-commerce store selling branded merchandise including books, the print magazine, and promotional items to readers and supporters.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Público: Spanish online daily newspaper offering progressive political coverage. Direct competitor for Spanish progressive readers and a relevant comparable for El Salto's digital news offering.
• La Marea: Spanish independent magazine covering politics, culture, and social issues from a progressive perspective. Comparable to El Salto's print magazine and cooperative-style editorial ethos.
• eldiario.es: Spanish independent digital news outlet offering progressive journalism with a membership/subscription model. Direct peer given similar audience, language, geographic focus, and editorial positioning to El Salto.
• CTXT - Contexto y Acción: Spanish independent digital media outlet providing investigative journalism and analysis on politics and social issues. Comparable target audience and subscription-oriented model to El Salto.
• El Faro: El Salvador-based independent digital news outlet with international journalism partnerships. Comparable as an independent, mission-driven journalism organization operating without corporate ownership.
• Diagonal: Spanish independent biweekly newspaper covering politics, social movements, and culture from a progressive perspective. Comparable to El Salto's print magazine and Spanish-language independent media positioning.
• Rebelion.org: Spanish-language independent media site offering alternative political analysis. Comparable to El Salto's progressive editorial positioning and Spanish-language independent media model.

Broad incumbents

• The Intercept: US-based independent investigative journalism outlet. Comparable as a larger, established independent media organization with a progressive editorial perspective and digital-first distribution.
• Mediapart: French subscription-based independent investigative journalism outlet. Comparable as a larger, established player in the reader-funded independent media model that El Salto aspires to scale to.

Emerging players

• De Correspondent: Dutch cooperative reader-funded journalism platform. Comparable to El Salto's cooperative ownership structure and subscription-driven model, though operating in a different national market.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@elsaltodiario
• Xx.com/ElSaltoDiario

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 El Salto