Blendle

Blendle is a Dutch journalism platform founded in 2013 and headquartered in Utrecht, Netherlands, that pioneered a pay-per-article micropayments model for digital news. The platform aggregates articles from major newspapers and magazines — including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and leading Dutch and German publications — allowing readers to pay between 10 and 39 cents per article rather than committing to full subscriptions. Launched in the Netherlands in April 2014, Blendle quickly attracted over 650,000 registered users domestically before expanding to Germany and the United States. The platform is often described as the 'iTunes of journalism' and was backed by investors including Axel Springer and the New York Times Company. Blendle later pivoted toward a premium newsletter subscription model, rebranding its offering to focus on curated long-form content for engaged readers who want quality journalism without information overload.