What Socialter does

Socialter is a French independent media company founded in 2013 and headquartered in Paris (61 Rue de Lyon, 75012 Paris). Structured as a Société par Actions Simplifiée (SAS) with share capital of €8,500, it publishes a bimonthly print magazine and a companion website (socialter.fr) covering ecological crisis, social justice, and democratic transformation through long-form journalism. The publication is recognized as Information Politique et Générale (IPG) and is a signatory of the Charter for Journalism commensurate with the ecological emergency, with editorial leadership provided by Directeur de la publication Olivier Cohen de Timary and Rédactrice en chef Elsa Gautier.

The core product is the print magazine, currently at issue n°76 (a 132-page double summer issue), priced between €7.50 and €12.90 for regular issues and €19 for special hors-séries such as Salomé Saqué's "Résister aux nouveaux fascismes." Revenue is generated primarily through single-copy sales at French newsstands via MLP Distribution, bookstore distribution through Pollen Distribution, subscriptions from €3/month managed by Opper Service, mail-order via LPS 45, online store sales on socialter.fr, and a reader donations channel. Digital versions of issues are accessible via user accounts on the website. There is no proprietary technology platform; the company uses standard e-commerce infrastructure hosted by OVH.

Over 90% of operating revenue derives from direct reader support, making Socialter one of the more reader-funded titles in the French independent media landscape, with advertising and partnerships explicitly described as marginal and editorially non-influential. The company employs approximately 22 staff and serves individual readers — described as concerned citizens, activists, and academics — interested in ecological and social-justice discourse. Distribution is concentrated in France, with the online store providing global reach for digital and mail-order purchases.

Name

Socialter

Legal name

Socialter SAS

Website

https://socialter.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Socialter is a French independent bimonthly magazine and website (founded 2013, Paris) publishing long-form journalism on ecology, social justice, and politics, funded over 90% by readers through sales and subscriptions across French kiosques and bookshops.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent Media Publishing

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Social Sciences Scholarly Publishing (EDAGAFAD)

Keywords

• Independent journalism
• Print magazine publishing
• Ecological analysis
• Social political reporting
• Bimonthly print media

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

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, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Single Copy Sales: Direct sales of magazine issues at newsstands (kiosques) and bookstores across France, as well as online store purchases. This is the primary revenue stream, representing a significant portion of the over 90% of operating revenue from reader support.
2. Subscriptions: Annual and potentially monthly subscription services for the magazine, providing recurring revenue and customer retention. Subscription management handled by Opper Service.
3. Digital Sales: Online sales of individual issues in digital format through the website, with access to digital versions via user accounts.
4. Advertising and Partnerships: Marginal revenue from advertising and media partnerships, explicitly stated as not influencing editorial decisions.
5. Donations: Reader donations supported through the website, contributing to reader-funded independence.
6. Mail Order Sales: Sales via correspondence handled by LPS 45.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Socialter is an independent French media outlet that publishes a bimonthly print magazine and operates a website providing in-depth analysis on ecological, social, and political issues. The publication is reader-funded, with more than 90% of revenue coming from direct reader support through single-copy sales, subscriptions, and donations, and is distributed nationally through kiosks, bookstores, and mail order.

Product overview

Socialter is an independent French media company publishing a bimonthly print magazine and a companion website (socialter.fr). The core product is the print magazine available in kiosks across France, featuring in-depth ecological, social, and political analysis. The product portfolio includes individual magazine issues (ranging from n°28 to n°76, with prices from 6.50€ to 12.90€), special themed hors-séries (special issues) such as 'Résister aux nouveaux fascismes' (19€), 'Décroissance: Réinventer l'abondance', and 'Territoires en résistance', as well as value bundles like PACK ÉTÉ combining multiple issues (30€). Digital/numérique versions of issues are also available through user accounts on the website. The publication follows a bimonthly schedule with double issues periodically, and the company generates revenue primarily from direct reader support (over 90% of operating revenue from sales and subscriptions).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Socialter Print Magazine Bimonthly print magazine providing in-depth journalism on ecological transition, social justice, and political analysis, sold as single copies to individual readers and available through kiosks, bookstores, and mail order.
• Hors-série Special Issues Themed special issues of Socialter (e.g., Hors-série 16, 18, 19, 20) exploring focused topics such as saving oneself from screens, "Dégénérations," and sobriety fifteen years later, sold individually to readers seeking deep dives on specific subjects.
• Digital Magazine Versions Digital access to Socialter issues for readers preferring online reading, providing the same content as the print magazine in a digital format.
• Issue Bundles (PACK ÉTÉ, PACK DERNIERS HORS-SÉRIES) Curated bundles of multiple Socialter issues or recent hors-séries offered at a combined price, such as PACK ÉTÉ and PACK DERNIERS HORS-SÉRIES, for readers who want collections of related issues.

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• OVHminorOthersWeb hosting provider for socialter.fr, SAS with capital of 10,000,000€ based in Roubaix, France. Provides infrastructure hosting services.
• MLP DistributioncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNewsstand (kiosque) distribution partner handling physical distribution of Socialter magazine throughout France.
• Pollen DistributioncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBookstore (librairie) distribution partner for Socialter magazine sales in bookstores across France.
• Opper ServicecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSubscription management and distribution service partner handling subscriber services for Socialter.
• LPS 45minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMail order (vente par correspondance) service partner for Socialter sales.
• Léonce DeprezminorOthersPrinting (Imprimerie) partner for physical magazine production.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Blast: French independent investigative media outlet launched as a worker cooperative, covering social, ecological, and anti-fascist topics. Directly comparable editorial focus (e.g. Salomé Saqué contributes to both) and independent, donation-supported model.
• Politis: French progressive political weekly covering social movements, ecology, and alternatives. Comparable progressive editorial positioning and bimonthly/weekly independent print publication model.
• Les Jours: French independent cooperative online media outlet offering in-depth investigative and thematic journalism. Comparable independent, reader-supported model and engagement with French progressive audiences.
• Mediapart: French independent online news outlet funded primarily by reader subscriptions, covering political, social, and economic power. Closely comparable business model (reader-funded independence) and overlapping audience of politically engaged French readers.
• Le Monde diplomatique: Long-established French monthly magazine offering in-depth geopolitical and social analysis. Comparable long-form political analysis format and similar engaged, left-leaning readership in the French press market.
• Basta!: French independent online magazine covering social, ecological, and democratic alternatives. Comparable independent-media model and thematic alignment with Socialter's critique-of-mainstream-economy editorial line.
• Reporterre: French independent daily newspaper dedicated to ecological transition and environmental issues. Direct overlap with Socialter's ecological editorial focus and similar reader-supported, advocacy-oriented positioning.
• Alternatives Économiques: French monthly magazine focused on alternative economic thinking and social issues. Comparable independent print magazine serving engaged French readers interested in systemic critique and alternatives.
• La Revue Dessinée: French independent magazine combining investigative journalism with illustration. Comparable independent print-and-digital publication serving readers seeking long-form, alternative French journalism.

Broad incumbents

• Charlie Hebdo: Established French satirical weekly with a much larger audience and broader commercial scale. Comparable as an independent French print magazine engaging with political and social critique, though far more mainstream in tone and distribution.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/salomesaque
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/socialter

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Socialter