How does Opera make money (aka our most asked question ever)?

January 3, 2011 · by Espen André Øverdahl

The most asked question we get from users is: How do you guys make money (and how tall is Jon)? The answer is simple:

An interesting and scalable business model, but not for web browsers. Also, Jon is roughly 2 meters (6.5 feet) tall.

The answer to how we make money is a bit more complex than the theory illustrated above. We also need something a bit more profitable than underpants. Over the years, Internet and the web browser industry has changed a lot. New business models and opportunities have emerged and Opera, which used to be a paid product, permanently removed the ad banner and licensing fee with Opera 8.5.

Today we have two different revenue models: One for the Internet embedded markets (such as Opera pre-installed on a mobile phone or a set-top box) and one for the desktop market:

For the Internet embedded market, we receive revenue as a mix of engineering fees, maintenance fees and shares of sales income. The balance varies from contract to contract. This model accounts for the majority of Opera’s income.
For the desktop market, we derive revenue from our free products through revenue sharing with partners. For example, several search engines make usage payments to us for searches made by you (Opera users). This is the major source of income for Opera’s desktop browser, with revenue shares also in place on a variety of mobile products.

Hungry for more business? Go hang out in the Invester Relations corner.

Readers' comments 45

Left under the original article, as archived.

Dustin WilsonMonday, January 3, 2011 6:26:39 PM
And here I thought you all just made money because people paid you for being awesome. Shows how much I know.
Pallab DeMonday, January 3, 2011 6:27:35 PM
This is indeed one of the oft asked questions. I have tried to answer this on numerous occasions. My most recent attempt was on Reddit. Here are the points I highlighted.

-> Deals with OEMs for integrating Opera Mini into mobile phones etc.
-> Deals with ISPs for providing Opera Mini which leads to bandwidth savings.
-> Deals with others like Nintendo (for Wii and DS).
-> Deals with search engines like Google and Bing for the search bar.
-> Deals with companies like Adobe to license the browser engine. etc.

There are several other things including AdMarvel, content partners like About.com, etc.
Shaun NayMonday, January 3, 2011 6:37:45 PM
I have often wondered this myself.
Dan BrickleyMonday, January 3, 2011 7:24:03 PM
So the search engine deals mean there's no chance you'll be the first mainstream browser to come out of the box with ad-blocking switched on? Ah well...
MConorMonday, January 3, 2011 7:52:48 PM
Download - ??? - Profit!
Artur „Jurgi” JurgawkaMonday, January 3, 2011 7:57:10 PM
I'm wondering, how much do you get for one search. I search a lot, sometimes even over hundred times a day.
raisinglightMonday, January 3, 2011 8:55:54 PM
every time I do a google search or any other search engine(except wiki) opera crashes and prompts for error report.
opera 11 ,never had this problem before or on any other browsert.tried everything,clean install no other tabs open etc
.edMonday, January 3, 2011 9:12:20 PM
Now I know how i get paid!
Mağruf ÇolakoğluMonday, January 3, 2011 9:25:07 PM
Achim H.Monday, January 3, 2011 9:25:57 PM
Money? What's that??
Dark FurieMonday, January 3, 2011 9:26:47 PM
Okay, but which model brings in more revenue. I'm assuming the embedded internet market is huge and Opera has been in on the ground floor for long enough to be the goto, meaning more money. Question is, how well does that stack up against revenue sharing?
upanisadMonday, January 3, 2011 9:51:42 PM
My most frequently asked question is: how can I pay for my favourite browser? I'd really love to support Opera by donating a few euros to the company! Seriously, no joking! I'd like to pay for Opera even if it's free! How can I?
.edMonday, January 3, 2011 10:17:20 PM
Originally posted by upanisad:

Seriously, no joking! I'd like to pay for Opera even if it's free! How can I?

http://www.opera.com/company/investors/faq/#faq1
SF81Monday, January 3, 2011 10:22:15 PM
I guess you get money from Amazon.com too; I mean, via the search box. But that search engine only works with Amazon.com, correct? Not with Amazon.co.uk, which is the store we European consumers buy at. If I'm right in this, you should correct this issue as soon as possible (and collect a few euros from me from time to time).
TamilMonday, January 3, 2011 11:20:11 PM
CarolMonday, January 3, 2011 11:45:08 PM
Boxers or briefs? or Victoria Secret?
Suzon.RajTuesday, January 4, 2011 12:11:40 AM
Does Opera get paid through Opera Mini search box??
HarHarLinksTuesday, January 4, 2011 12:16:58 AM
You should copyright or whatever all your innovations (eg tab stacking) and sell licenses to mozilla/firefox (would they pay?), apple/safari, windows/ie and google/chrome etc. when it becomes popular. Maybe free for the first one asking to populate it. Small investment - great revenues.
TiborTuesday, January 4, 2011 12:30:06 AM
@HarHarLinks
Mozilla wouldn't pay, I think. They are completely for Open Source as you can see in the HTML5-Codec-Topic.

But I thought too, that there should be licence fees for tabs and other innovative functions. Anyway, it would be fair
KyuuenTuesday, January 4, 2011 2:53:51 AM
You should have just say so, I will stop using bookmarks and start searching through search engines.
Charles SchlossTuesday, January 4, 2011 4:50:40 AM
Nguyễn Trường GiangTuesday, January 4, 2011 5:14:45 AM
Ha, I used to have a question about how Opera could make money while all your products are completely free but without any banners. And I've heard the answer from Rolf Assev when he came to Vietnam last year, same to this entry. What a very interesting method. Now I know how to pay for the convenients I got from Opera browser
ouzowtfTuesday, January 4, 2011 8:24:43 AM
Originally posted by SF81:

Not with Amazon.co.uk, which is the store we European consumers buy at.

Ehm, I dont know if you know, but Europe is not only the UK...

Originally posted by HarHarLinks:

You should copyright or whatever all your innovations (eg tab stacking) and sell licenses to mozilla/firefox (would they pay?), apple/safari, windows/ie and google/chrome etc. when it becomes popular. Maybe free for the first one asking to populate it. Small investment - great revenues.

That would be against the "Open Web" strategy of Opera and limit the whole browser market and web.
Kei Grieg ToyomasuTuesday, January 4, 2011 8:34:12 AM
Originally posted by ouzoWTF:

You should copyright or whatever all your innovations (eg tab stacking) and sell licenses to mozilla/firefox (would they pay?), apple/safari, windows/ie and google/chrome etc. when it becomes popular. Maybe free for the first one asking to populate it. Small investment - great revenues.

From http://www.opera.com/company/vision/ :

Opera Software does not believe innovation in the software industry is protected or encouraged by software patents. In particular, we believe interoperability on the Internet should be encouraged, and we actively work to ensure that software patents do not stand in the way of interoperability.

As a highly innovative company, Opera Software comes up with many ideas and concepts that are patentable. In some situations, we will apply for software patents as a way to protect ourselves from attacks by other aggressive patent holders.
intergalacticninjaTuesday, January 4, 2011 8:34:55 AM
I am using the encrypted SSL/HTTPS version of Google ( https://encrypted.google.com/ ), how do I make a custom search engine of it in Opera and make it credit Opera (so that Opera will get the usage payments) for searches I do? My forum post about it here: http://my.opera.com/community/forums/topic.dml?id=790682
PieterTuesday, January 4, 2011 11:05:30 AM
So, the more we google stuff, the more profit you guys make?

Anyway, it's a very nice way of making people use the best browser for free (without personal appeal images ) and gaining money.

Very well done!
ChirpieTuesday, January 4, 2011 11:11:38 AM
Originally posted by Furie:

Okay, but which model brings in more revenue.
http://www.opera.com/company/investors/finance/

Desktop produces about 1/3 of Opera's revenue.
SF81Tuesday, January 4, 2011 12:22:21 PM
@ouzowtf

Ok, Amazon.de, Amazon.fr, Amazon.it, whatever, this has nothing to do with my comment. If Opera wants to redirect its users to the local Amazon store, perfect: that's the idea.

PS.: I'm Spanish, so yes, I know perfectly English are not the only Europeans out there.
LuntaTuesday, January 4, 2011 2:43:45 PM
Its nice knowing how opera is earning . Although its quite complicated to really understand this business. LOL
Dark FurieTuesday, January 4, 2011 2:44:38 PM
No-one wants your crappy bloody clothes. If you can't sell them without flooding websites with spam links then I suggest getting another job that doesn't give you such wrist strain. Either way, piss off away from here.
ouzowtfTuesday, January 4, 2011 4:06:45 PM
Originally posted by ketoyo:

Originally posted by ouzoWTF:

Wrong quote, I didnt say that. It was HarHarLinks
Abhishek DilliwalTuesday, January 4, 2011 4:49:57 PM
I had the same query from so many days and I had the same clue
JimTuesday, January 4, 2011 7:11:06 PM
Do you still get money if we are spoofing as Firfox to get the instant search?
Cutting SpoonTuesday, January 4, 2011 7:45:39 PM
You need to update the FAQs page though. I am pretty sure Opera no longer uses Outblaze for their webmail service? And some of the other details are not quite right.

At least the business model is much better than Mozilla ("Twelve Percent Google-Free!!")
Kyle BakerTuesday, January 4, 2011 8:07:10 PM
I'd like to know what Phase 2 is.
azriffaziz91Wednesday, January 5, 2011 10:52:05 AM
i'm too..what phase 2 is
upanisadWednesday, January 5, 2011 11:59:11 AM
Originally posted by DotEd:

Seriously, no joking! I'd like to pay for Opera even if it's free! How can I?

http://www.opera.com/company/investors/faq/#faq1

Err.. I meant a reasonable, wallet-sized, amount of money!
Daniel BandaFriday, January 7, 2011 2:54:26 PM
Thanks, Now i know.
AntonSunday, January 9, 2011 8:59:45 PM
If googling makes you guys money... I'm makin' you rich
Muktar NasirMonday, January 10, 2011 2:50:29 PM
I dont have say much now.
timothy danielMonday, January 10, 2011 2:53:18 PM
no harry in life
webtaxMonday, January 10, 2011 3:00:42 PM
best way to support opera, help the word spread and open the web

not a good job done by other stockholders :
Ruarí ØdegaardWednesday, January 26, 2011 10:43:59 PM
Wait a sec, Opera makes money? So I don't have to work for free?
TamilThursday, January 27, 2011 6:16:59 AM
http://files.myopera.com/Tamil/Smilies/Whistle.gif -
Mot01Wednesday, November 30, 2011 9:20:20 PM
Originally posted by ruario:

Wait a sec, Opera makes money? So I don't have to work for free?

You didn't realize everyone here is just trying to make the reality more optimistic? I mean if people knew the truth that Opera could go bankrupt any minute because of being based only on work of volunteers, people would panic and I think this nervousness could have life-breaking effects on them!