Visual discovery platform with a self-serve advertising business.
Available information varies by company and source.
Profile record updated:
Company facts
- Official name
- Pinterest, Inc.
- Entity type
- COMPANY
- Founded
- 2010
- Company size
- >5,000
- Market role
- Publisher & Media Owner
- Ticker
- PINS
- Official website
- pinterest.com
What Pinterest does
Pinterest operates a dual-sided platform. On the demand side, it attracts consumers with free visual discovery, planning and shopping experiences across web and mobile. On the monetisation side, it sells access to that attention and intent through a closed self-serve advertising platform used by brands, agencies and merchants. Product catalogue integrations and shopping surfaces increase advertiser utility by connecting discovery to measurable traffic and conversion outcomes, helping Pinterest capture advertising budgets tied to both brand awareness and commerce performance.
Category differentiation
Pinterest is a consumer visual discovery platform and closed advertising ecosystem, not an open-web DSP, SSP or generic social media management tool. It differs from broader social networks by centring image-led planning, inspiration and shopping intent.
Strategic context
AI-supported assessment from the existing company research; distinguish interpretation from sourced facts.
Pinterest is a public internet platform that operates a consumer visual discovery service alongside a proprietary advertising platform for businesses. Consumers use Pinterest’s web and mobile products to search, save and organise ideas through Pins and boards, while advertisers, merchants and agencies use Pinterest Ads Manager to buy sponsored placements across Pinterest’s owned inventory. The company also embeds shopping features into the user journey, linking inspiration and product discovery to merchant catalogues and external retailer sites. Its revenue model is primarily brand-funded advertising rather than direct consumer payments. Pinterest makes money by selling auction-based ad inventory, including shopping, video and other visual formats, to brands and ecommerce merchants seeking performance and discovery outcomes. The company’s value proposition is its image-led environment and commercially oriented user behaviour, which positions it between social media, search-led discovery and commerce enablement.
Company news briefing
Briefing updated:
Building upon its Q2 2026 performance with revenue of $1.18 billion and 640 million monthly active users, Pinterest continues to advance its advertising capabilities. The company recently launched Visual Search Ads for performance advertising and expanded its Performance+ suite at the 'Pinterest Presents' event. Additionally, Pinterest partnered with NVIDIA to build a new multimodal AI foundation and published insights regarding teen wellbeing and usage patterns.
Business model & monetisation
Pinterest monetises primarily through advertising sold via its self-serve Ads Manager. Advertisers typically buy inventory on auction-based pricing such as CPC and CPM, using promoted Pins, shopping ads, video ads and related formats. A secondary monetisation layer comes from commerce enablement tied to merchant catalogues and shopping experiences, but this mainly supports advertising demand rather than a separate marketplace take-rate. Consumers use the service for free.
- Advertising sold through self-serve Ads Manager
- Auction-based CPC/CPM media sales
- Shopping and catalogue-led advertiser spend
- Performance advertising tied to merchant product feeds
- Enterprise and agency campaign budgets
- Managed and scaled media buying on owned inventory
Products & capabilities
No products with linked sources are available in this view.
Products & market categories
Competitors & alternatives
- NAVER
South Korean platform group spanning search, ads, commerce, content and cloud.
- Xiaohongshu (Red / REDnote)
Chinese lifestyle social platform linking discovery, advertising and commerce.
Side-by-side comparisons
Subsidiaries & acquisitions
- tvScientific by Pinterest
CTV ad buying and measurement platform for performance marketers.
Featured market maps
- Retail Media & Commerce Advertising Ecosystem 2026
A structural mapping of the global Retail Media and Commerce Advertising ecosystem in 2026, spanning retail media networks, monetization ad tech, commerce DSPs, in-store digital signage, social commerce extensions, and clean room analytics.
Recent recorded signals
Dates refer to the source publication. Older entries are historical context, not evidence of a new event.
Pinterest AI Converts Beauty Pins into Action Plans
AI · Recorded impact score: 2/5
Pinterest unveiled 'Beauty Guides,' an AI-powered feature that converts beauty-related Pins (e.g., hair and nail inspiration) into actionable plans for salon visits. Using its visual intelligence and generative AI (Pinterest Intelligence), the feature translates user images into professional salon terminology like 'balayage,' 'root melt,' and 'almond nails.' Users tapping 'Get the Guide' receive details on what to ask for, estimated time, price ranges, and maintenance requirements. At launch, it works across hairstyle, color, nail shape, and finish Pins. This represents a practical, consumer-facing application of AI, bridging inspiration with actionable steps.
- Pinterest introduced 'Beauty Guides,' an AI feature that converts beauty Pins into actionable salon plans.
- The feature uses Pinterest's visual intelligence and generative AI technology to translate Pins into professional terminology.
Pinterest Appoints James Dibbo Chief Financial Officer
Recorded impact score: 2/5
Pinterest announced the appointment of James Dibbo as Chief Financial Officer on October 5, 2026.
Bill Ready named to inaugural Pacsun Youth 25™ for leadership in positive digital experiences
Recorded impact score: 2/5
Pinterest CEO Bill Ready has been named to the inaugural Pacsun Youth 25™ list, recognizing his leadership in fostering positive digital experiences for youth culture.
VideoDays Festival 2026 to Discuss New Media Economy in Cologne
Event · Recorded impact score: 2/5
The VideoDays Festival, taking place October 29 in Cologne, aims to bring together around 1,500 content creators, platforms, media houses, agencies, producers, brands, and creatives. Five years after its repositioning as an industry summit, the festival focuses on fundamental changes in the creator and community economy. Platforms such as YouTube, Pinterest, Snapchat, Meta, and Substack will participate, highlighting their roles in distribution, monetization, and community building. The event includes panels on topics like knowledge dissemination, criticism vs. outrage economy, creators as founders, YouTube as a series hotspot, and the value of niche communities. The VD Award Gala will honor outstanding German creators in 20 categories, including the Best Brand Collab Award. The festival is supported by the State Chancellery of NRW and the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW.
- VideoDays Festival takes place on October 29 in Cologne, with ~1,500 participants.
- Platforms including YouTube, Pinterest, Snapchat, Meta, and Substack will attend.
Pinterest Launches AI-Powered Restyle Feature for Room Redesign
In-Game Advertising Platform · Recorded impact score: 3/5
Pinterest has announced a new consumer-facing beta feature called 'Restyle', powered by 'Pinterest Intelligence', which uses AI to let users redesign their rooms. Users can upload a photo of a space and then use AI prompts to add, remove, or change furniture, decor, lighting, and paint colors. The feature is initially available in the U.S. and Canada, with a broader rollout expected next month. The partnership with Nvidia, revealed on Monday, combines Nvidia Blackwell GPUs and Nvidia Dynamo with open-source models to enhance Pinterest's visual search and AI capabilities. Restyle is positioned to help users visualize saved items in their own homes, potentially increasing the likelihood of purchase and completing the funnel from inspiration to purchase. The feature was teased at Pinterest Presents, alongside new advertiser tools.
- Pinterest launched 'Restyle' in beta in the U.S. and Canada.
- Restyle is powered by 'Pinterest Intelligence', leveraging Nvidia Blackwell GPUs and Nvidia Dynamo.
Careers & open positions
Open positions indexed from verified career portals and applicant tracking systems.
| Position | Department | Location | Posted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Machine Learning Intern 2027 (Zurich)(Intern) | University Engineering | Zurich, CH | |
| Machine Learning Intern 2027 (Toronto)(Intern) | University Engineering | Toronto, ON, CA | |
| Performance Solutions Partner II(Mid-Level) | tvScientific | New York, NY, US; Remote, US | |
| Master's University Grad Machine Learning Engineer 2027(Junior) | University | San Francisco, CA, US; Palo Alto, CA, US; Seattle, WA, US; New York, NY, US | |
| Manager II, Machine Learning Engineering-Content Foundation(Senior) | Core Engineering | San Francisco, CA, US; Remote, CA, US |
Explore company relationships
Questions about Pinterest
What is Pinterest?
Pinterest is a visual discovery platform where users save and explore ideas, and where businesses advertise through Pinterest’s owned ad platform.
Who uses Pinterest?
Consumers use it for inspiration and shopping discovery, while brands, agencies and ecommerce merchants use it to run advertising campaigns.
How does Pinterest make money?
Pinterest makes money mainly from advertising sold through its self-serve Ads Manager, with spend driven by shopping, video and other promoted formats.
Sources & coverage
This profile uses public, official and technically observable information. Missing information does not prove that a product or relationship does not exist. The list below does not imply that every profile statement has been verified.
21 publicly documented primary sources and citations linked across the market graph.
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