consumers union
Consumers Union (Consumer Reports) is an independent, nonprofit member organization founded in 1936 that provides unbiased product ratings, reviews, and consumer advocacy content covering more than 10,000 products to U.S. consumers through a subscription membership model.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1936
- HeadquartersYonkers, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What consumers union does
Consumers Union, operating as Consumer Reports, is an independent, nonprofit member organization founded in 1936 and headquartered in Yonkers, New York. The organization provides unbiased product ratings, reviews, and consumer advocacy content covering more than 10,000 products across categories including cars, appliances, electronics, health, home and garden, money, and baby and kids. Product testing is conducted in the organization's own laboratories to maintain editorial independence from manufacturers and advertisers, and the organization marked its 90th anniversary in 2026. Operating geographies are concentrated in the United States.
The core offering is an annual subscription membership that unlocks full ratings and reviews, supported by an integrated suite of digital tools including a car pricing and build tool (Build and Buy), a Used Car Marketplace, a Bill Negotiator service, a native mobile app on iOS and Android, and an AI-powered chat assistant called AskCR. Additional member benefits include a Car Recall Tracker, Food Safety Alerts, and curated Deal Alerts. The technology stack is not publicly disclosed; the platform combines editorial content, member account tooling, and a conversational AI layer, with proprietary in-house testing protocols as the underlying data-generating engine.
Consumer Reports funds operations through recurring membership subscriptions, one-time and monthly donations, and gift memberships, with pricing tiers not publicly disclosed. Distribution is direct-to-consumer and product-led via the consumerreports.org website, mobile applications, email newsletters, and a broad social presence including Facebook, Instagram, X, Threads, BlueSky, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, and a Spanish-language Facebook property (SomosCR). There is no third-party retail or B2B distribution channel.
consumers union firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- consumers union
- Legal name
- Consumers Union
- Website
- https://consumer.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1936
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Consumers Union (Consumer Reports) is an independent, nonprofit member organization founded in 1936 that provides unbiased product ratings, reviews, and consumer advocacy content covering more than 10,000 products to U.S. consumers through a subscription membership model.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
consumers union industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Consumer Product Reviews and Ratings
- NAICS
- General Merchandise Retailers (455)
- SIC
- Retail-Misc General Merchandise Stores (5399)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Membership / Loyalty-Based Catalog Department Store Retailers (CRAGAIAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Consumer Protection & Product Safety Regulators (BPAIAOAE)
Keywords
Where consumers union is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Yonkers
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
consumers union business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Membership Subscriptions: Consumer Reports generates revenue primarily through membership subscriptions. Members pay for access to full product ratings, reviews, and exclusive content. The organization also offers upgrade options for enhanced benefits.
- Donations: As a nonprofit organization, Consumer Reports receives charitable donations from supporters. The website features donation options with various giving tiers including one-time and monthly recurring donation options.
- Gift Memberships: The organization sells gift memberships allowing consumers to purchase memberships for others.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Standard Membership |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
consumers union product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Consumers Union, operating as Consumer Reports, is an independent nonprofit member organization that conducts laboratory testing of consumer products and publishes unbiased ratings and reviews across categories such as cars, appliances, electronics, health, home and garden, and money. Its core deliverable is a subscription membership that unlocks access to more than 10,000 product reviews, expert buying guides, car pricing tools, and member-only services including bill negotiation, recall tracking, and food safety alerts.
Product overview
Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit member organization offering a comprehensive product review and consumer advocacy platform. The core offering is a subscription membership providing unbiased ratings and reviews for 10,000+ products across major categories including cars, appliances, electronics, health, home & garden, money, and babies & kids. The platform operates as a unified membership service with integrated tools including the Build and Buy car pricing tool, Used Car Marketplace, Bill Negotiator service, and CR Mobile App. Members also receive access to AskCR chat assistance, Car Recall Tracker, Food Safety Alerts, and Deal Alerts. The organization differentiates through its nonprofit status and independent testing methodology without corporate influence.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Consumer Reports Membership Annual subscription membership providing individual consumers with full access to Consumer Reports' independent product ratings, expert buying advice, car pricing tools, recall tracking, food safety alerts, and other exclusive benefits.
- Product Reviews and Ratings Unbiased expert ratings and reviews based on Consumer Reports' in-house laboratory testing methodology across major consumer product categories.
- CR Mobile App Consumer Reports' mobile application for iOS and Android that delivers 10,000+ product reviews and the AskCR AI-powered chat assistant to consumers on the go.
Companies that use consumers union
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
consumers union technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
consumers union partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
consumers union competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- CNET: Major consumer technology review publisher covering appliances, electronics, and smart home products. Overlaps with CR's electronics and appliance review categories, though with a digital/editorial rather than lab-tested approach.
- Reviewed (USA Today): USA Today's product testing and review publication covering appliances and consumer electronics. Comparable as a national media product-review outlet, though without CR's nonprofit independence.
- Good Housekeeping / Hearst: Long-running consumer media brand that operates the Good Housekeeping Research Institute, the Good Housekeeping Seal, and extensive product reviews. Comparable to CR as a heritage product review authority, with broader lifestyle content attached.
Direct peers
- Kelley Blue Book: Vehicle valuation and review platform owned by Cox Automotive, used by US car buyers for pricing and comparisons. Comparable to CR on automotive pricing tools and consumer-facing car shopping content.
- Edmunds: Car research, reviews, and pricing platform serving US consumers with new/used vehicle comparisons. Overlaps directly with CR's Build & Buy and Used Car Marketplace offerings and automotive review content.
- J.D. Power: Provides automotive quality, satisfaction, and reliability ratings widely referenced by car buyers. Directly comparable to CR's automotive research and Build & Buy pricing tools, especially in vehicle reliability and owner satisfaction data.
- Wirecutter: The New York Times's product recommendation service covering appliances, electronics, and home goods. Wirecutter is the closest direct competitor to Consumer Reports' core review and buying-advice model, though it is editorially driven rather than lab-tested.
Regional players
- Which?: UK-based independent nonprofit consumer advocacy organization with product testing, reviews, and member subscriptions. Essentially the British counterpart to Consumer Reports, with comparable membership-driven testing model.
Emerging players
- Angi: Home services review and marketplace platform. Comparable in the home services and home improvement review space that CR also addresses under its Home & Garden category.
Others
- Underwriters Laboratories (UL): Independent product safety testing and certification organization. Adjacent rather than competitive; UL's standards and safety testing underpin much of the consumer safety ecosystem that CR advocates around.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
consumers union social profiles
Digital presenceconsumers union financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
consumers union leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
consumers union funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
consumers union 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 consumers union
What does consumers union do?
Consumers Union, operating as Consumer Reports, is an independent nonprofit member organization that conducts laboratory testing of consumer products and publishes unbiased ratings and reviews across categories such as cars, appliances, electronics, health, home and garden, and money. Its core deliverable is a subscription membership that unlocks access to more than 10,000 product reviews, expert buying guides, car pricing tools, and member-only services including bill negotiation, recall tracking, and food safety alerts.
Is consumers union a public or private company?
consumers union is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was consumers union founded?
consumers union was founded in 1936.
Where is consumers union based?
consumers union is headquartered in Yonkers, United States, in the North America region.
How does consumers union make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Membership Subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are donations and gift Memberships.
Who are consumers union's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are CNET, Reviewed (USA Today) and Good Housekeeping / Hearst. Direct peers are Kelley Blue Book, Edmunds, J.D. Power and Wirecutter. Which? is listed as a regional player. Angi is listed as an emerging player. Underwriters Laboratories (UL) is listed as an others.
Does consumers union have an API?
No public API is recorded for consumers union.
What industry is consumers union in?
consumers union's product category is Consumer Product Reviews and Ratings. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAGAIAJ, Membership / Loyalty-Based Catalog Department Store Retailers, with a secondary code of BPAIAOAE, Consumer Protection & Product Safety Regulators. Its NAICS code is 455 and its SIC code is 5399.