What Sabado does

SÁBADO is a Portuguese weekly news magazine founded in 2004 and published by Medialivre S.A., the Lisbon-headquartered media conglomerate (NIF 502 801 034; share capital €22,523,420.40) that also owns Correio da Manhã, Record, Jornal de Negócios, and TV Guia. The publication targets Portuguese-speaking adult readers with news, politics, investigative reporting, opinion, lifestyle, and cultural coverage, distributed in Portuguese across a single-country footprint in Portugal.

The product ecosystem centers on two core subscription SKUs — SÁBADO Digital (€6.99/month, €19.90/quarter, €69.99/year) and SÁBADO Papel + Digital (€119.80/year with weekly print delivery) — supported by an ePaper edition available through the Quiosque digital newsstand ahead of physical newsstand release, dedicated iOS and Android applications, a portfolio of podcasts (including the political commentary series Cuidados Intensivos and the literary adaptation A Queda de um Anjo), and multiple email newsletters (daily Manhã and Noite editions, weekly and monthly recaps, plus subscriber-only briefs). The underlying technology is a conventional digital publishing stack: web CMS, mobile apps, ePaper rendering, podcast hosting, and standard OAuth-based identity via Google and Facebook.

Revenue is generated through five streams: digital subscriptions, combined print+digital subscriptions, single-issue ePaper sales (€2.39), corporate/bundle subscriptions packaged with other Medialivre titles (including a 50%-discounted student tier at €35/year), and advertising — both direct placements and the C-Studio sponsored-content and branded-podcast platform. Go-to-market is primarily direct-to-consumer via sabado.pt with self-service sign-up and multiple payment methods (VISA, MasterCard, PayPal, MB Way, Multibanco), supplemented by a sales-assisted motion for corporate bundles and partnerships with Google, Apple, Spotify, and Meta for distribution and sign-in. Sub-brands SÁBADO Viajante (travel), SÁBADO LAB (innovation initiatives), and GPS (lifestyle) extend the editorial surface within the same infrastructure.

Name

Sabado

Legal name

Medialivre S.A.

Website

https://sabado.pt

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SÁBADO is a 22-year-old Portuguese weekly news magazine published by Medialivre S.A., delivering investigative journalism, opinion, and lifestyle content to Portuguese-speaking readers in Portugal via print, website, iOS/Android apps, ePaper, podcasts, and newsletters under a digital-first subscription model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

News Magazine

NAICS

Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Magazine & Newspaper Subscription Platforms (Paywalls, Membership) (MPAJAMAD)

Keywords

• News magazine
• Digital subscriptions
• Investigative journalism
• Epaper publications
• Podcast media

Headquarters

HQ city

Lisboa

HQ country

Portugal

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Digital Subscriptions: Recurring subscription revenue from digital-only access to website content, exclusive articles, and ePaper. Includes monthly, quarterly, and annual billing options.
2. Print + Digital Subscriptions: Combined print magazine delivery with full digital access. Physical weekly magazine sent to subscribers with additional digital benefits.
3. Single Issue ePaper Sales: One-time purchase of individual digital magazine editions at €2.39 per issue.
4. Corporate/Bundle Subscriptions: Enterprise packages combining Sabado with other Medialivre publications (Jornal de Negócios, Correio da Manhã, Record) at discounted rates for multiple employees.
5. Advertising Revenue: Traditional advertising placements across website, newsletters, and C-Studio sponsored content partnerships with brands.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Sabado is a Portuguese weekly news magazine published by Medialivre S.A., selling digital and print subscriptions to news, opinion, investigative journalism, and lifestyle content. Its core offering is the SÁBADO Digital and SÁBADO Papel + Digital subscription products, which grant subscribers access to exclusive articles, ePaper (via Quiosque platform), podcasts, daily newsletters, and a digital archive of all editions since December 2016, accessible via website, iOS/Android apps, and podcast platforms.

Product overview

SÁBADO is a Portuguese weekly news magazine published by Medialivre S.A., offering a multi-platform content portfolio centered on its core SÁBADO Digital and SÁBADO Papel + Digital subscription products. The product ecosystem includes the ePaper digital edition, podcasts (Cuidados Intensivos commentary series, A Queda de um Anjo audiobook adaptations), and daily newsletters. Specialized sub-brands include SÁBADO Viajante (travel supplement), C-Studio (sponsored content), and SÁBADO LAB (innovation initiatives). Content is accessible via website, iOS/Android applications, and the Quiosque digital newsstand.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SÁBADO Viajante: Travel magazine supplement published as part of the SÁBADO publication focusing on travel destinations and recommendations.
• C-Studio
• SÁBADO LAB
• Cuidados Intensivos
• A Queda de um Anjo
• GPS

Products and services

• SÁBADO Digital Subscription Recurring subscription providing unlimited digital access to exclusive subscriber content on sabado.pt, the ePaper, the digital archive since December 2016, podcasts, newsletters, and iOS/Android apps. Available with monthly, quarterly, and annual billing.
• SÁBADO Papel + Digital Subscription Annual combined subscription delivering the weekly print magazine to the subscriber's home plus full digital access — website, apps, ePaper before newsstand release, newsletters, podcasts, and digital archive.
• ePaper (Quiosque Digital Edition) Digital edition of the printed SÁBADO magazine available through the Quiosque digital newsstand, accessible via browser or dedicated apps; subscribers gain early access before newsstand release. Individual issues can be purchased for €2.39.
• SÁBADO Podcasts Audio content portfolio of SÁBADO, including the Cuidados Intensivos political commentary series (hosted by João Pereira Coutinho), A Queda de um Anjo classic Portuguese literature audio adaptations, and C-Studio branded podcast interviews with brands; distributed via Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and the SÁBADO app.
• SÁBADO Email Newsletters Portfolio of recurring email newsletters covering daily news (Edição Manhã at 10:30, Edição Noite at 21:00), weekly highlights (Na Revista, As Mais Lidas), and monthly roundups (O Melhor do Mês), plus exclusive subscriber-only newsletters.
• SÁBADO Mobile Applications Native iOS and Android applications for iPhone, iPad, Android phones, and tablets that allow users to read articles, access the ePaper, listen to podcasts, and receive notifications; same credentials work across web and mobile. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play.
• SÁBADO Viajante (Travel Supplement) Travel magazine supplement published under the SÁBADO brand covering destinations, gastronomy, hotels, and travel stories; available in print and digital formats.
• C-Studio Sponsored Content Sponsored content offering within the Medialivre group that enables brands to publish branded articles and dedicated podcasts through SÁBADO's editorial channels.
• SÁBADO LAB (Sabado Labs) Innovation and special-initiatives division of SÁBADO focused on experimental journalism formats, new product experiments, and special editorial projects.
• SÁBADO Student Digital Subscription Annual digital subscription offered at 50% off (€35/year) to students with verifiable student status. Includes the same digital benefits as the standard subscription; does not auto-renew.
• Corporate and Bundle Subscriptions (Sabado + Jornal de Negócios, Correio da Manhã, Record) Multi-seat enterprise subscription bundles that combine SÁBADO with sibling Medialivre publications (Jornal de Negócios, Correio da Manhã, Record) at discounted rates, managed by a dedicated corporate account team for company and institutional buyers.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Medialivre S.A.coreOthersParent company of Sabado magazine. Medialivre S.A. is a Portuguese media conglomerate (NIF: 502 801 034) headquartered in Lisbon with share capital of €22,523,420.40. Owns multiple Portuguese publications including Correio da Manhã, Record, Jornal de Negócios, and TV Guia. Sabado operates under the Medialivre umbrella with shared digital infrastructure, subscription systems, and corporate services.
• Apple (iOS App)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorApple App Store distribution partnership for Sabado iOS application. Subscription payments processed through iTunes account with App Store managing renewal notifications and cancellations.
• Google (Android App)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGoogle Play distribution partnership for Sabado Android application. Subscription payments processed through Google Play account with platform managing renewals and cancellations.
• Spotify and Apple PodcastsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPodcast distribution partnerships enabling Sabado podcasts to be available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts platforms, expanding reach beyond the Sabado app and website.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Visão: Portugal's flagship weekly news magazine with print and digital editions, covering politics, current affairs, and lifestyle — directly comparable to SÁBADO's format, audience, and distribution.
• Expresso: Portuguese weekly newspaper with a strong digital subscription and paywall model and a similar investigative/political editorial focus, directly competing with SÁBADO for paying readers in Portugal.
• Público: Portuguese national newspaper with a paid digital subscription model and strong opinion/investigative journalism, competing with SÁBADO for the same paying Portuguese news audience.
• Jornal de Negócios: Sister Medialivre publication focused on business and economics news with a digital subscription, cross-sold with SÁBADO in bundles — same parent, same subscription infrastructure, overlapping subscriber base.

Broad incumbents

• Correio da Manhã: Portugal's highest-circulation daily newspaper and a sister Medialivre brand, sharing the same parent backend and subscription ecosystem; broader mass-market reach than SÁBADO's weekly-news niche.
• Newsweek: Long-running weekly news magazine now operating as a digital-first subscription publication, comparable to SÁBADO in its print-heritage, political/current-affairs focus, and ongoing transition to digital subscription revenue.
• The Economist: Global weekly news-analysis publication with a premium subscription model, multi-format digital delivery, and student/corporate pricing tiers — a scaled archetype that SÁBADO's subscription architecture mirrors.

Regional players

• El País: Iberian peer with a paid digital subscription model and strong politics/opinion coverage, comparable in subscription mechanics and editorial positioning though serving Spain rather than Portugal.
• Le Monde: French subscription-led national newspaper with politics, opinion, and investigative journalism; a regional benchmark for European paid digital news monetization relevant to SÁBADO's strategic direction.

Emerging players

• POLITICO Europe: European political news subscription brand with a newsletter-heavy, digital-first distribution model, comparable to SÁBADO's reliance on politics, opinion, and email newsletters for subscriber engagement.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/revistasabado
• Facebookfacebook.com/sabado
• Instagraminstagram.com/revistasabado
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/revista-sabado

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries5 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 Sabado