20 Minuten
20 Minuten is a Swiss free news platform operated by TX Group AG, serving German- and French-speaking Swiss audiences across print, web and mobile apps. It monetises primarily through advertising and branded content, with supplementary premium subscriptions.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1999
- HeadquartersZurich, Switzerland
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What 20 Minuten does
20 Minuten is a Swiss free newspaper and digital news platform operated by TX Group AG (SIX: TXG), publishing in German (20min.ch) and French (20 Minutes / 20min.ch/fr) for audiences in German- and French-speaking Switzerland. Founded in 1999, it is positioned as the leading free news outlet across DCH and Romandie and distributes via free print, the 20min.ch web platform, native iOS/Android applications, and a vertical video presence across TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitch, WhatsApp, LinkedIn, Facebook and Google News. The platform extends beyond core news into adjacent engagement surfaces including the GOAT podcast/audio platform, the Spiele casual games suite, Horoskop, Deals 20min, weather, E-paper archive, a World Cup Tippspiel, and the News-Scout user-generated content programme, which pays contributors (50 CHF or gift) for accepted tips, photos and videos.
The underlying technology comprises a multi-platform editorial and content delivery stack: responsive web infrastructure, native mobile applications for iOS and Android, a video and live TV delivery system, and an audio platform; the organisation separately maintains dedicated product, design, data, frontend and backend engineering teams under a CTO. Editorial verticals span news, politics, sport, entertainment, people, lifestyle, regional coverage, and a 'Wissen / AI, Data' unit that leads the newsroom's AI ambassadors and data journalism. In May 2026, the company launched '20 Minuten Shorts', a short-form vertical video experience, extending into social-native formats.
Revenue is generated primarily through advertising (display, video and programmatic AdTech), supplemented by branded content produced by a Commercial Publishing team and a smaller layer of premium digital subscriptions and paid digital products; the core news offering remains free to consumers. 20 Minuten is wholly embedded within TX Group AG, which provides shared administration, IT infrastructure and data services across portfolio companies including Tamedia publishing entities, Goldbach (advertising), Doodle, Zattoo, JobCloud and others. Leadership comprises CEO Bernhard Brechbühl, Editor-in-Chief Désirée Pomper, CTO Dean Cavelti and COO Beat Krapf, with a dedicated Romandie director and bilingual newsroom structure.
20 Minuten firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- 20 Minuten
- Legal name
- TX Group AG
- Website
- https://20min.ch
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1999
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- 20 Minuten is a Swiss free news platform operated by TX Group AG, serving German- and French-speaking Swiss audiences across print, web and mobile apps. It monetises primarily through advertising and branded content, with supplementary premium subscriptions.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
20 Minuten industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Digital News & Media
- NAICS
- Periodical Publishers (513120), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (51621), Broadcasting and Content Providers (516)
- SIC
- Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)
- akta.pro primary industry
- News OTT & Live News Streaming Channels (MPABAHAK)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Short-Form Video for News, Sports & Highlights Platforms (MPACAHAJ)
Keywords
Where 20 Minuten is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Zurich
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
20 Minuten business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Advertising: Primary revenue stream from digital and print advertising, including display ads, video ads, and programmatic advertising through AdTech infrastructure.
- Subscriptions and Paid Content: Paid digital products and premium content subscriptions for enhanced services.
- Branded Content: Sponsored content and branded content partnerships with advertisers, developed by Commercial Publishing team.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Others | Free tier with advertising-supported content |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels3 records
20 Minuten product offering
Product offeringCore offering
20 Minuten is a Swiss free newspaper and digital news platform that distributes news, video, audio, and lifestyle content in German and French across print, web, and mobile apps in Switzerland. The core offering is free, advertising-supported multi-platform news consumption, supplemented by community-contributed content through the News-Scout program, premium digital subscriptions, branded content, and advertising solutions.
Product overview
20 Minuten is a Swiss free newspaper and digital news platform owned by TX Group AG, operating a multi-platform portfolio consisting of German-language 20min.ch and French-language 20 Minutes editions. The core products include responsive web platforms delivering news, video, and interactive content, complemented by native iOS and Android mobile applications. Additional offerings span video/live TV streaming, the GOAT audio platform for podcasts, an interactive games section (Spiele), horoscopes, the News-Scout user-generated content community, and a World Cup prediction game. The platform also includes commercial services (advertising formats), consumer services (deals/vouchers, weather, RSS feeds), and a digital archive (E-paper). Editorial verticals cover news, politics, sport, entertainment, people, lifestyle, regional coverage, and a dedicated Wissen/AI/Data unit leading the newsroom's technology initiatives.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- News-Scout: User-generated content platform where readers submit news tips, photos, and videos to 20 Minuten. Contributors receive 50 CHF or a gift for published content.
Products and services
- 20min.ch (German) Primary German-language news platform delivering current news, headlines, video content, and multimedia journalism to Swiss German audiences via web browser.
- 20 Minutes (French) French-language edition of the 20 Minuten news platform serving French-speaking Swiss audiences.
- 20min App (iOS / Android) Mobile application for iOS and Android devices providing news, video content, and personalized news delivery on smartphones and tablets.
- 20min Video / Live TV Video content platform featuring news clips, live TV streaming, and multimedia storytelling across news, sports, entertainment, and lifestyle topics.
- GOAT (Audio/Podcasts) Audio content platform for podcasts and audio storytelling, accessible at audio.20min.ch.
- Spiele (Games) Free online games section including Solitaire, crossword, Sudoku, Mahjong, and other casual games for user engagement.
- Horoskop Daily horoscope content providing zodiac predictions for users.
- News-Scout Community platform allowing users to submit news tips, photos, and videos; contributors receive 50 CHF or a gift for published content with news value.
- Deals 20min (Gutscheine) Voucher and deals platform aggregating discounts and special offers for consumers.
- E-paper Archiv Digital archive of past newspaper editions allowing users to access historical content.
- Wetter (Weather) Weather forecast service providing Swiss weather information and conditions.
- 20min Werbeformate (Advertising Solutions) Advertising solutions platform offering various ad formats and promotional opportunities for brands.
Companies that use 20 Minuten
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
20 Minuten technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
20 Minuten partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- TX Group AGcore20 Minuten is a subsidiary of TX Group AG, a Swiss media company. TX Group AG provides group-wide administration, IT infrastructure, and data management services across its portfolio companies including Tamedia Espace AG, Tamedia Publikationen Deutschschweiz AG, Tamedia Publications romandes SA, and others.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
20 Minuten competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Bild: Bild is Germany's leading free mass-market tabloid and the closest international analogue to 20 Minuten's free, advertising-supported, multi-platform mass-market news model. Comparable in tone, distribution mix, and target audience but operating in a different (German) market.
- Süddeutsche Zeitung: Süddeutsche Zeitung is one of Germany's largest paid newspapers with a substantial digital news operation. Comparable to 20 Minuten as a major German-language multi-platform news publisher competing for advertising and reader attention, though operating under a paid rather than free model.
- Metro International: Metro International pioneered the free commuter newspaper format that 20 Minuten also operates. Comparable in distribution model (free print + digital) and audience targeting (commuter, mass-market), though Metro operates in different European markets rather than Switzerland.
- 20 Minutes (France): 20 Minutes in France is a separate, independently owned free news brand with the same name and similar free-newspaper heritage. Comparable in product concept (free, mobile-first, multi-platform French-language news) but serves a different national market and is not corporately related to Swiss 20 Minuten.
Direct peers
- Watson: Watson is a Swiss digital-first news brand operated byippen, focused on mobile news, social distribution, and younger Swiss audiences. It competes directly with 20 Minuten's mobile and social-led free news offering in the same German-speaking Switzerland market.
- Tages-Anzeiger: Tages-Anzeiger is a major Swiss German-language newspaper published within the TX Group ecosystem. While under common ownership, it competes for the same Swiss news audience and advertising budgets and is a directly comparable editorial product to 20 Minuten.
- Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ): NZZ is Switzerland's leading quality newspaper and a major Swiss digital news publisher. It competes with 20 Minuten for digital ad budgets, editorial talent, and Swiss reader attention, though it sits at the premium/paid end rather than the free tabloid end.
- Blick: Blick is Ringier's flagship Swiss tabloid and the most direct head-to-head competitor to 20 Minuten in Swiss mass-market news. Both target broad Swiss audiences with a mix of breaking news, entertainment, video, and lifestyle across print and digital, and both monetize primarily through advertising.
Broad incumbents
- SRF (Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen): SRF is the Swiss public broadcaster with broad news, video, and audio offerings across German-speaking Switzerland. It is a larger, publicly funded incumbent that overlaps significantly with 20 Minuten on news, video and live coverage but does not sell advertising.
Others
- Reuters News: Reuters is a global news agency that supplies wire content, video, and data feeds used by newsrooms including 20 Minuten. Not a direct competitor but a comparable news content infrastructure provider and ecosystem participant in Swiss and international news.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
20 Minuten social profiles
Digital presence20 Minuten financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
20 Minuten leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
20 Minuten subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries15 records
20 Minuten funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
20 Minuten 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 20 Minuten
What does 20 Minuten do?
20 Minuten is a Swiss free newspaper and digital news platform that distributes news, video, audio, and lifestyle content in German and French across print, web, and mobile apps in Switzerland. The core offering is free, advertising-supported multi-platform news consumption, supplemented by community-contributed content through the News-Scout program, premium digital subscriptions, branded content, and advertising solutions.
Is 20 Minuten a public or private company?
20 Minuten is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was 20 Minuten founded?
20 Minuten was founded in 1999.
Where is 20 Minuten based?
20 Minuten is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does 20 Minuten make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Advertising is the primary driver. The others are subscriptions and Paid Content and branded Content.
Who are 20 Minuten's main competitors?
Regional players on record are Bild, Süddeutsche Zeitung, Metro International and 20 Minutes (France). Direct peers are Watson, Tages-Anzeiger, Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ) and Blick. SRF (Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen) is listed as a broad incumbent. Reuters News is listed as an others.
Does 20 Minuten have an API?
No public API is recorded for 20 Minuten.
What industry is 20 Minuten in?
20 Minuten's product category is Digital News & Media. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPABAHAK, News OTT & Live News Streaming Channels, with a secondary code of MPACAHAJ, Short-Form Video for News, Sports & Highlights Platforms. Its NAICS code is 513120 and its SIC code is 2721.