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Last updated · reviewed by the Essentras editorial team

Outlet guide

How to become a Forbes contributor (and what it does not buy)

We found no public application for Forbes's Contributor Network, and agency guides say editors recruit the writers they want. The route you can apply for is Forbes Councils, a fee-based membership whose posts are labeled as such. A contributor byline is not Forbes staff coverage. Essentras sells no forbes.com placement.

Sources: Forbes's own Terms, Connect, Councils and Books pages, plus our listings. Forbes article pages blocked our reader.

What you will do

  • See which Forbes programs exist and which ones take applications, from Forbes's own pages.
  • Compare every route on cost as published, label and what it does not buy.
  • Follow the 5 steps to pitch an editor or apply to a Council.
  • Copy the templates for an introduction, a pitch and an honest credential line.
  • See the regional Forbes editions Essentras sells, with price and label, if you want a paid article instead.

Start here in 1 click

Forbes has no checkout for a contributor seat. These are the 2 things you can do in 1 click: order a paid, labeled article on a regional Forbes edition, or apply to a Forbes Council on Forbes's own form. Each shows what it states before you pay.

Forbes Australia (forbes.com.au), not forbes.com

$11,667

Turnaround
3 to 4 weeks
Goes live on
forbes.com.au
Link
Dofollow
Indexed
Yes, per the listing
Label, as the listing states it
Published as a standard editorial article, with no sponsored label.
Included
Writing available, you approve the draft, dated screenshot, live URL on delivery
If it does not publish
Refunded if not published, or if the turnaround is missed.
Publish on Forbes Australia

Forbes Councils: apply on Forbes's own form

Fee not published

Decision
Within 2 to 4 business days, per Forbes Councils
Revenue minimum
$500,000 a year for Business Council; $1M in revenue or financing for most others
Fee
Not published. Ask in writing before you pay.
Label
"COUNCIL POST" and "Membership (fee-based)" (Essentras read 14 Oct 2026)
Run by
Forbes Councils. Essentras does not sell it.
Open Forbes's application

All 10 regional editions, from $5,000

Essentras sells paid placements: they are not earned coverage, and each runs with the label its listing states. Essentras is not affiliated with Forbes and sells no forbes.com placement or Forbes Council membership.

Decide first

Which Forbes route fits you?

At Forbes, "contributor" and "member" are different things. A contributor is a writer Forbes selects. A member is an executive who pays for a Council seat. 1 question names your route, its cost and what it will not do.

What do you want from Forbes, and where are you today?

Pick an answer to see your route.

Every answer, in a table

Each answer maps to 1 route, with its price and time
IfRoutePriceTime
You want a byline and run a company with $500,000 or more in annual revenueApply to a Forbes CouncilFee not published: ask in writingAnswer in 2 to 4 business days; editing runs 4 to 5 weeks
You want a byline and write regularly with clips to showAsk an editor through a real introductionNo fee statedNo date can be promised: editors decide
You want a byline and have neither clips nor a company yetBuild a track record first$0No date can be promised
You want a Forbes reporter to write about your companyPitch the reporter who covers your beat$0No date can be promised
You want a paid, labeled article or brand contentA regional edition on Essentras, or BrandVoice through Forbes$5,000 to $85,750 for 10 regional editionsSet per edition, from 1 week to 4 weeks

The routes

The 6 routes into Forbes, as Forbes documents them

Each card says what the route is, how you get in, what it costs where Forbes says, and the page we read. Forbes article pages blocked our reader, so the cards rest on Forbes's Terms, Connect, Councils and Books pages, which opened, and on search-engine readings where marked.

Forbes Contributor Network

The Contributor Network is Forbes's pool of non-staff writers who publish under their own bylines. Forbes's terms say contributors "publish independent expert analyses and insights".

How you get in
We found no public application on forbes.com on 19 Oct 2026. Editors appear to recruit, usually after a pitch or an introduction (see the notes under the cards).
Cost to you
No fee stated. Pay is not public (see the notes under the cards).
Size
Forbes says "over 2,000 experts and business leaders".
Label
A "Contributor" tag on the byline, as a search engine read Forbes pages. Forbes article pages blocked our reader.

Source: Forbes Terms and Conditions, read 19 Oct 2026; Forbes Connect, content partnerships, read 19 Oct 2026

Forbes Councils

Forbes Councils is a fee-based membership: approved executives publish articles on forbes.com under a membership label, edited with the Councils' editors.

How you get in
Fill in the form on the qualification page. A selection committee answers in 2 to 4 business days. Business Council needs $500,000 in annual revenue; the Agency, Business Development, Communications, Finance, Human Resources and Technology councils need $1M in revenue or financing. Meeting the criteria does not guarantee acceptance.
Cost to you
Not published. Members choose a package after approval. The terms describe an annual term that renews automatically, and a Premium Membership, where Councils writers draft up to 3 pieces a year, at extra cost.
Excluded
MLM, gambling, adult and cannabis companies, and certain agencies, "such as link sellers or guaranteed media placements".
Label
"COUNCIL POST" and "Membership (fee-based)", read on 2 live posts on 14 Oct 2026.

Source: Forbes Councils qualification page, read 19 Oct 2026; Forbes Councils terms (last revised 11 Jun 2024), read 19 Oct 2026; Essentras Council guide (labels read 14 Oct 2026)

Forbes Creator Network

Forbes Creator is a network for social and multimedia storytellers, which Forbes announced on 22 Jun 2026. It is separate from the written Contributor Network.

How you get in
Forbes says it selects creators for expertise, credibility and cultural influence, as a search engine read its announcement. We found no open application.
Cost to you
No fee stated.
What it is
Forbes's terms say creators "produce and distribute original social and multimedia content". It is not a seat to write articles.

Source: Forbes Terms and Conditions, read 19 Oct 2026; Forbes, Creator Network launch (22 Jun 2026), read 19 Oct 2026 (through a search engine, as the site blocks our reader)

Forbes Books

Forbes Books is a selective publishing program for business leaders. Its application page says the trademarks are used under license from Forbes Media LLC.

How you get in
Complete the Forbes Books author application. The page calls the program highly selective and says each author is vetted.
Cost to you
No price published. The application asks whether you are willing to invest financially.
What you get
A book under the Forbes Books name, not an article on forbes.com.

Source: Forbes Books author application, read 19 Oct 2026

BrandVoice and Forbes Connect

BrandVoice is Forbes's paid brand-content program: sections on forbes.com that carry the "Paid Program" tag. Advertisers reach it through Forbes Connect.

How you get in
Fill in the Forbes Connect form and choose "Branded Content & Research" as your advertising interest.
Cost to you
No public rate card. The only figures on the form are budget brackets in its events section, from "Under $25,000" to "$250,000 and above". The last public BrandVoice figure was $50,000 to $75,000 a month, in 2013.
Label
"Paid Program", read on 14 Oct 2026.

Source: Forbes Connect, read 19 Oct 2026; Essentras Forbes feature guide (label and 2013 figure)

Earned staff coverage

Earned coverage means a Forbes staff reporter chooses to write about you. No program sells it.

How you get in
Pitch the reporter who covers your beat with news, data or access. Find them through the bylines on recent stories.
Cost to you
$0, plus your time or a PR firm's fees.
Label
A staff byline (author type "Forbes Staff", read 14 Oct 2026).

Source: Essentras Forbes feature guide

  • Agency guides (Instant Press Co., 1 Apr 2026; PrestigeLinks, updated 12 May 2026) say the open Contributor application closed in 2024 and that editors now recruit. Both are agencies that sell media placements, and Forbes does not say it, so we could not confirm it. A contributor's personal site (Jodie Cook) links a long application form marked closed to new responses, and says she introduces selected candidates to her editor.
  • Forbes columns of 14 Feb 2018 and 26 Sep 2022, as a search engine read them, describe contributors as paid on contract; the 2018 column gave monthly guarantees of $500 and $250. Pay today is not public, and the agency guides above say most contributors are now unpaid or paid little. Verify with Forbes.

Costs and limits

What each route costs, and what it does not buy

Costs are Forbes's own where Forbes states them, and marked where it does not. Read the last column twice.

Routes into Forbes: cost, time, label and what each does not buy. Read 19 Oct 2026; Essentras listings read 19 Oct 2026.
RouteWhat it costsTimeWhat the reader seesWhat it does not buy
Contributor NetworkNo fee statedNo date: the editor decides"Contributor" tag on the byline (search reading)Staff coverage, a company profile or an endorsement. Forbes says it is not responsible for contributors' statements.
Forbes CouncilsNot published. Third parties estimate $1,500 to $3,000 a year, unsourced (see our Council guide)Answer in 2 to 4 business days; editing runs 4 to 5 weeks"COUNCIL POST" and "Membership (fee-based)"Newsroom coverage. The fee "does not guarantee any benefits or results", and publication is not guaranteed.
Creator NetworkNo fee statedNot statedNot capturedA seat to write articles: it is for social and multimedia content.
Forbes BooksNo price published; the application asks about budgetNot statedA book under the Forbes Books nameAn article on forbes.com or a staff story.
BrandVoiceNo public rate card; $50,000 to $75,000 a month in 2013Not stated"Paid Program"Editorial coverage: it is labeled as paid content.
Earned coverage$0No date: the reporter decidesStaff bylineAnything you can pay for.
Essentras regional edition$5,000 to $85,750 for 10 editionsFrom 1 week to 4 weeks, by editionNone, discreet or sponsored, by listingA forbes.com placement: it runs on the edition's own domain, as a paid placement.
What a Forbes contributor byline is
  • A byline under your own name on forbes.com, after a Forbes editor accepts you
  • Your own analysis: Forbes's terms say contributors "publish independent expert analyses and insights"
  • A credential you can state exactly: "contributor to Forbes", with the section and the dates
  • Work with a Forbes address that readers and AI assistants can open and check
What it is not
  • Staff coverage: contributors are non-staff writers, and Forbes says it is not responsible for what they write
  • A purchase: no Forbes page we read sells a contributor seat, so check any offer that claims to
  • An endorsement of your company by Forbes
  • A paid mention: Forbes's editorial standards bar staff and contributors from taking payment from the people they cover, as a search engine read that page
  • Council posts are different: they are written by paying members and labeled that way. See the Council cost guide.
  • Forbes article pages and its Editorial Values page blocked our reader. Readings marked "search" are a search engine's summary of those pages and may be out of date. Verify at the source.

Step by step

How to pursue a Forbes byline in 5 steps

  1. 1. Pick the program you are actually after

    A staff story, a contributor byline, a Council post and a paid article are different things with different gates. Use the table above, then follow the steps for yours.

  2. 2. Build clips an editor can read

    Publish in your beat on sites that edit their writers, and read the Forbes section you want to join first. A guide we read suggests 10 to 20 pieces before you approach a top outlet. Forbes states no requirement.

  3. 3. Ask for a real introduction

    We found no public form, so the route contributors and agencies describe is an introduction, from a current Forbes contributor who knows your work to their editor. Do not pay for it.

  4. 4. Send the editor a short pitch

    3 headline ideas in your beat, 2 to 3 links to your best work and 1 sentence on why you. Expect a question about cadence: a current contributor says she introduces only people who can commit to 5 articles a month, agency guides say 2 or more, and Forbes states no number. Follow up once, and only with something new.

  5. 5. If you are in, follow the rules

    Disclose conflicts to your editor and in the story, keep paid promotion out of your articles, and describe the credential exactly.

Executives with $500,000 or more in annual revenue can skip steps 2 to 4 and apply to a Council instead. It is a fee-based membership and its posts are labeled that way: ask for the fee in writing first, and read the Council cost guide.

Copy-ready

Templates for a Forbes introduction, pitch and credential line

5 templates. Replace everything in [brackets].

Introduction request to a current contributor

When you know a Forbes contributor in your beat.

Subject: A quick question about your Forbes editor

Hi [First name],

I read your [date] piece on [topic]. I write about [your beat] and have published [number] pieces, including in [Outlet 1] and [Outlet 2]: [link 1], [link 2].

Would you be open to introducing me to your editor at Forbes? If you would rather not, I understand. A 1-line yes or no is plenty.

Thank you,
[Your name]
[Role, 1 line]

Pitch to a Forbes editor

Only after an introduction, or when an editor has given you a pitch address.

Subject: [Contributor name] suggested I write to you: [topic] for Forbes

Hi [Editor first name],

[Contributor name] suggested I write to you. I cover [beat] and would like to contribute to your section.

3 headlines I could write first:
1. [Headline with a number or a claim]
2. [Headline]
3. [Headline]

My best work: [link 1], [link 2], [link 3].

I can commit to [a cadence you can keep]. Thank you for reading,
[Your name]

Pitch to a Forbes staff reporter

When you want an earned story about your company, not a byline.

Subject: [The number] on [market or company]: [the news]

Hi [First name],

Your [date] story on [topic] covered [specific point]. We have [new data, a filing, a deal or a market figure] that adds to it: [the news in 1 sentence].

[1 figure with its source.]

[Spokesperson, title] can talk [days, time zone]. Data and charts: [newsroom link].

[Your name]
[Title, company, phone]

Questions to ask before you pay for a "Forbes" placement

Any agency, member or seller offering Forbes.

Hi [Name],

Before I pay for "[offer name]", please confirm in writing:

1. The exact domain: forbes.com, a regional edition, or another domain.
2. The section and the author type: staff, contributor, Council post or BrandVoice.
3. The label the page will show, with 2 recent live links I can open.
4. The link attribute, follow or nofollow, on those pages.
5. Who writes the piece, and whether I approve it first.
6. The price, what it includes and what costs extra.
7. The refund rule if it does not publish, and how long it stays live.
8. Whether it renews automatically, and how to cancel.

Thank you,
[Your name]

How to describe the credential honestly

Your bio, your LinkedIn and your press kit.

Contributor: "[Name] writes about [topic] as a contributor to Forbes."

Council member: "[Name] is a member of Forbes [Council name] Council and publishes Council posts on Forbes.com."

Regional edition article: "[Name] in Forbes [Edition], [month and year]." Add "paid placement" if the page or your contract says so.

Avoid: "Featured in Forbes" for a contributor piece or a Council post, and anything that says or implies Forbes staff.

Avoid

Mistakes that cost money or credibility with Forbes

Paying a contributor for a mention

Forbes's editorial standards bar staff and contributors from taking payment or favors from the people and companies they cover, as a search engine read that page. A paid mention is undisclosed advertising.

Calling a Council post "featured in Forbes"

A Council post is written by a paying member and labeled "Membership (fee-based)". Say "Council member" or "author of a Council post".

Mixing up contributor and member

They are different programs run by different companies: Forbes's terms and the Councils' terms name different operators. Claiming a Council seat while holding a contributor role, or the reverse, is a claim readers can check.

Trusting a form that is not on forbes.com

The Council application is on councils.forbes.com. A form on another domain that promises a contributor seat is not Forbes's.

Buying a "guaranteed Forbes feature"

Nobody can guarantee a staff story. Forbes Councils itself bars agencies that sell link placements or guaranteed media placements.

Paying for an introduction

An introduction is a favor between writers. Paying a fee for it is a sign you are being sold something else.

Skipping the fee questions on a Council

The terms describe an annual term that renews automatically, a 15-day window to stop a renewal, and extras such as Premium Membership. Ask for every price in writing.

Passing off a regional edition as forbes.com

Cite the edition by name and domain, such as Forbes Australia (forbes.com.au). They are separate sites with their own labels.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How do I become a Forbes contributor?▾

Forbes shows no public application we could find. The route agencies and contributors describe is a track record in your beat, an introduction from a current contributor to their editor, and a short pitch. Forbes Councils is the route you can apply for, at a fee Forbes does not state.

Is there a Forbes contributor application form?▾

None that we could find on forbes.com on 19 Oct 2026. Agency guides say the open form closed in 2024, but they are agencies that sell placements and Forbes does not say it. The Council application on councils.forbes.com is a separate, fee-based program.

Do Forbes contributors get paid?▾

Forbes columns of 2018 and 2022, as a search engine read them, describe contributors as paid on contract. Rates are not public, and 2026 agency guides say most contributors are now unpaid or paid little. We could not confirm either on a Forbes page.

Can you pay to become a Forbes contributor?▾

No page we read sells a contributor seat. The fee-based route is Forbes Councils, whose posts carry "Membership (fee-based)". For any offer of a paid "contributor" slot, ask for the domain, the section, the label and 2 live links first.

Is a Forbes contributor the same as a Forbes Council member?▾

No. A contributor is a non-staff writer Forbes selects. A Council member is an executive who applies and pays, and whose posts are labeled as a membership. Forbes Councils names The Community Company as its operator in its own terms.

Is a contributor article the same as being featured in Forbes?▾

No. A contributor writes under their own byline, and Forbes says it is not responsible for what contributors write. Staff coverage means a Forbes reporter chose to write about you, and no program sells it.

Do Forbes contributor links pass SEO value?▾

The Council post we inspected on 14 Oct 2026 carried a nofollow company link, and an agency guide says Forbes nofollows external contributor links. Forbes states no link policy on the pages we could open, so view the link attribute on a live article before you count on link value.

What does Forbes Councils cost?▾

Forbes does not publish the fee. Members choose a package after approval, and the terms describe an annual term that renews automatically. Third parties estimate $1,500 to $3,000 a year, unsourced: see our Council cost guide.

Does Essentras sell Forbes contributor or forbes.com placements?▾

No. Essentras is not affiliated with Forbes and sells no forbes.com placement or Council membership. It sells 10 regional Forbes editions on their own domains, $5,000 to $85,750, each with its label shown before you pay (read 19 Oct 2026).

How do I describe a Forbes credential accurately?▾

Say what it is: "contributor to Forbes", "member of Forbes Business Council" or "author of a Council post". Avoid "featured in Forbes" for either, and name the edition and domain for a regional placement.

Next steps

  1. 01

    Pick your program

    Contributor, Council, staff coverage or a paid article. The costs table shows the gate and the price of each.

  2. 02

    Get every price in writing

    Use the questions template for any offer that says "Forbes". Forbes Councils publishes no fee.

  3. 03

    Do the free work first

    Build clips, ask for an introduction and send a short pitch. It costs nothing but time.

  4. 04

    Compare the paid option

    10 regional editions from $5,000, each with its label shown before you pay.

  5. 05

    Describe it exactly

    Use the credential lines from the templates, and link to the page itself.

Ready for a paid, labeled article under the Forbes name?

Forbes Australia: $11,667, 3 to 4 weeks, live URL and dated screenshot, or your money back. Not forbes.com.

Publish on Forbes Australia Browse all outlets and prices

Checked on . Every price, turnaround and label on this page comes from an Essentras listing or a page named in the sources below, read on the date shown there. Verify at the source before you pay.

Sources, with the date we read each one

  1. Forbes Terms and Conditions (effective 31 Mar 2024), read 19 Oct 2026
  2. Forbes Connect, content partnerships, read 19 Oct 2026
  3. Forbes Connect, advertising and partnerships form, read 19 Oct 2026
  4. Forbes Councils, qualifications and application, read 19 Oct 2026
  5. Forbes Councils, home page, read 19 Oct 2026
  6. Forbes Councils, terms of use and membership agreement (last revised 11 Jun 2024), read 19 Oct 2026
  7. Forbes Councils, how to publish an article (updated 5 May 2025), read 19 Oct 2026
  8. Forbes Books, author application, read 19 Oct 2026
  9. Forbes, "The World's Largest Op-Ed Desk" (26 Sep 2022), read 19 Oct 2026 (through a search engine, as the site blocks our reader)
  10. Forbes, "Why Forbes Is Investing Big Money In Its Contributor Network" (14 Feb 2018), read 19 Oct 2026 (through a search engine, as the site blocks our reader)
  11. Forbes, Editorial Values And Standards, read 19 Oct 2026 (through a search engine, as the site blocks our reader)
  12. Forbes, Creator Network launch (22 Jun 2026), read 19 Oct 2026 (through a search engine, as the site blocks our reader)
  13. Jodie Cook, a Forbes contributor, "How to become a Forbes contributor" (personal site), read 19 Oct 2026
  14. ryrob.com, "How to write for publications" (updated 11 Sep 2026), read 19 Oct 2026
  15. Instant Press Co., "How to become a Forbes contributor" (1 Apr 2026; an agency guide), read 19 Oct 2026
  16. PrestigeLinks, "How to become a Forbes contributor in 2026" (updated 12 May 2026; an agency guide), read 19 Oct 2026
  17. Essentras, Forbes Council cost guide (labels read 14 Oct 2026)
  18. Essentras, Forbes feature cost guide (BrandVoice label, 2013 figure, Press Gazette report)
  19. Essentras catalog API: Forbes listings, read 19 Oct 2026
  20. Essentras refund policy

Essentras sells paid placements, including the regional Forbes editions on this page. Essentras is not affiliated with Forbes, Forbes Media LLC or Forbes Councils, and sells no forbes.com placement or Council membership. Forbes does not publish the Council fee; figures on this page are Forbes's own, as dated, or marked as third-party estimates. Paid placements are not earned coverage.

More guides on media placements

Forbes Council cost: fees, benefits and alternatives/guides/forbes-council-costHow much it costs to get featured in Forbes/guides/forbes-feature-costHow to get featured in Business Insider/guides/how-to-get-featured-in-business-insiderHow to get published in Entrepreneur/guides/how-to-get-published-in-entrepreneurHow to get published on Benzinga/guides/how-to-get-published-on-benzingaMedia placement price index: what 3,886 outlets cost/media-placement-price-index
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