Softonic Case Study, Company Profile, Founding Team, and Many More

Introduction:

Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain is home to the web portal Softonic.com. It was established in June 1997, and Softonic International is its owner. The finest software and games can be downloaded safely from it. In order for you to know what to anticipate, our specialists examine the programs. There’s no need to search elsewhere when we have guides, stories, advice, and more.

Company Highlights:

Softonic – About:

The most comprehensive assortment of software and apps spanning hundreds of categories can be found at Softonic.com, which is published by Softonic. With more than 100 million unique monthly users who produce more than 4 million daily downloads on Softonic.com, it is the European firm with one of the greatest online audiences. Currently ranked 40th globally.

Industry:

In reality, Softonic is a search engine that allows us to look up any article, newsletter, or other content on any website. It functions as a web search engine where you can look for what you need. The software and apps you require for Android are available. Popular software and program discovery site Softonic offers a huge selection of software downloads, reviews, and details on several applications for Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS. It provides a huge selection of paid-for, shareware, and free software in a variety of categories.

Founder and Team:

The co-founder of the software download website Download.com, Scott Loewen Arpajian is an American technology professional, businessman, and author. He is presently Softonic’s CEO.

• Founder and CEO Scott Loewen Arpajian.
• Specialist in marketing and communications, Shannon Somaza.
• The lead for advertising is Julie McNealis.
• Android developer Juan Luis Berenguel is.

Startup Story:

In 1996, Intercom Online (Grupo Intercom), a supplier of Internet services in Cerdanyola del Vallès, a town close to Barcelona, launched Shareware Intercom, the predecessor to Softonic (Catalonia, Spain). The “5-step semi-automated method” that was initially used to obtain the website’s files from the “Files Library Intercom BBS” at Intercom Online was later considerably streamlined. Users fed up with having to wait for downloads to finish or pay astronomical phone fees could also subscribe to the company’s monthly CDs of its software library.

According to a description of the service from 1999, it offers “generosity of games, antiviral, education, and the long, tempting etcetera.” The business changed its name to Softonic and became independent in 2000. It became accessible in German in 2004 and in English in 2005. At first, the service was exclusively focused on DOS and Windows software downloads, but as it developed, it also started to offer downloads for Mac and mobile platforms.

A personnel reduction method would be implemented as a cost-saving strategy by Softonic at the end of 2014, reportedly for organizational and financial considerations. Against the initial estimate of 207 workers, the corporation officially let go of 156 workers in December.

The company stated in February 2015 that Tomás Diago had been replaced as CEO by industry veteran and Download.com co-founder Scott Arpajian. The business revealed in May 2017 that it had appointed worldwide executive Sophie Bernard to the position of Vice President of Strategy.

Mission and Vision:

Our mission is to provide products and solutions that enable our users to flourish while establishing meaningful bridges between people and technology.

Name, Tagline, and Logo:

Business Model:

The business operations of Softonic are not disclosed.

Revenue Model:

In 2022, following a watershed year for the company, Softonic, the top safe software download platform in the world, reported a 34% increase in annual sales.

It was anticipated that the European tech sector will end 2016 with a growth rate of little over 6% 1. However, it outperformed forecasts with a double-digit increase to €26.6 million from €19.8M in 2021.

Products and Services:

Websites, mobile applications for smartphones, web applications, and software development are all addressed by Softonic Solution. 78 different software and hardware items are used by Softonic. With its reviews, news, articles, and free downloads, It is the greatest site to find the top apps for your smartphone.

Funding and Investors:

• It has raised money in three waves. On February 28, 2013, a private equity deal was used to raise their most recent round of funding.
• Five investors are responsible for funding Softonic. Recent investors include Jolt Capital and Partners Group.

Employees:

Softonic is a distinctive environment to work, advance your career, and fulfill your own personal objectives. That is a result of our organization adhering to a few fundamental principles in everything we do. 100 to 250 people work for them.

Challenges Faced:

The CEO of the company, Scott Arpajian, stated that the “Softonic Downloader” from Softonic “facilitated bad behavior among third party providers which ended up damaging the user,” with malicious URLs imitating the downloader itself. The Downloader “grow[ed] revenue but was under the microscope as far as the industry was concerned, in especially Google,” according to Arpajian, who later withdrew Google’s advertising from the website in 2014.

When Arpajian took over the business in February 2015, he indicated that one of the first things he did was to shut down the Softonic Downloader in an effort to win back the trust of the site’s users.

Due to bundled software installations and potentially unwanted programs (PUPs) that came with some downloads, it has previously come under fire for its safety practices. These supplementary apps were frequently bundled with the primary software and installed by default unless customers choose to uninstall them.

Acquisitions:

• On December 16, 2014, Softonic purchased AppCrawlr. They paid $6M to acquire AppCrawlr.
• It purchased Ghacks in October 2019.
• The FileHippo home page claims as of 2022 that Softonic International, S.A. retains the permission to use the name and logo of FileHippo as a result of Softonic’s acquisition of FileHippo.

Growth:

It is a special place to work with offices near the beach, a very international environment with 20 nationalities, and 50% women in the leadership team where you may further your career and meet your own personal goals. With over half of employees joining in the last 18 months, the organization’s employment increased by 27% in 2017. Talent acquisition not only aided Softonic in achieving its objectives, but it also provided employees with the option to grow and develop alongside the business, resulting in low staff turnover and strong employee motivation.

Partners:

Softonic and business software platform Crozdesk made an official announcement of their alliance in July 2016.

Competitors:

Competition from FileHippo, Software Informer, Uptodown, Softpedia, CNET, FossHub, Brothersoft, and MacUpdate is a major factor.

Awards and Achievements:

• In a yearly assessment by the Great Place to Work Institute from 2009 to 2011, Softonic was ranked as the “Best place to work in Spain (100-250 employees)”.
• The same honors as the second-best in 2008.
• The website was recognized by the auditing firm OJD Interactiva as having the greatest unique visitor traffic in Spain in 2009 and 2011.

Future Plan:

A well-established business with a proven track record of expansion, Softonic. The business is in a good position to realize its goals and maintain its position as a top supplier of apps and software to people all around the world.

Conclusion

Since its founding in 1997, Softonic has undergone multiple iterations of self-reinvention, going from selling software CDs to dominating the desktop and mobile app market. By adhering to its guiding principles, it has developed the ability to respond to obstacles. Over 75 million individuals can now obtain the software they require for work and play because of this leaner, more agile organization.

Ankit Kataria

Engineer | Content Writer
Want to be a catalyst for a positive change in the world