“All our future-facing things will all be centered around this app,” said CEO Adam Levant.

For now, the app is available in iOS and where Complex readers can access its products and content. They can watch vertical videos and buy products featured in videos, articles and photos through the app. The app collates all of Complex’s content (across its website, social media, Complex Shop, YouTube and events) into one platform.

Over the next quarter, Complex will add more exclusive content and product drops to the app, and over the next year the app will unlock digital and physical experiences and memberships, such as getting into events and pop-up shops, as well as live shopping, Levant said.

Complex isn’t the first to do this. Dotdash Meredith’s People title launched an app in April, with scrollable videos and exclusive content and video franchises. The resurgence of mobile apps is another example of what’s old is new again in the publishing world.

But this time around, it’s not the shift to mobile that’s pushing publishers to launch apps. It’s the shift to AI. Levant said the app and the video and commerce businesses represent investments in the business areas that aren’t as challenged by search algorithms and AI.

“These are macro changes that are having massive effects over the next one to two years, and completely reshape what publishing means and how you monetize publishing, and what websites mean, and will websites even matter. Complex was insulated from that a little bit… because it was primarily a company focused on video [and shopping],” Levant said. “Those two things are… particularly well positioned against any degradation that AI may cause in the overall macro publishing environment.”

Complex traffic has grown 330% year over year, to 59.8 million digital and social unique visitors from June 2024 to June 2025, according to Comscore data.

Since its sale, Complex’s revenue has doubled year over year, Levant said. He declined to share raw revenue figures. The business has shifted from 90% advertising and sponsorship revenue and 10% events revenue to 60% events and commerce revenue. The other 40% comes from advertising, Levant said. He noted that ad revenue has grown in the past year, but declined to share by how much.

For now, Complex isn’t hiring extensively to build out its app and membership products. The company has 250 employees across LA and New York, 50 of which are on the tech side of the business.

Commerce is the ‘biggest revenue opportunity’

When Complex was acquired, Levant had a goal to grow Complex into a $100 million commerce business. He said the company has reached that target, thanks to a mix of commerce-focused content — such as popular YouTube shows like “Sneaker Shopping” — and the fact that Complex focuses on a commerce — not affiliate — business.

“I don’t love an affiliate business. It’s very low lift on investment, but you get just a fraction of a percentage of the sale. We are the actual merchant of record. We actually ship products. We actually transact the products and we’re creating a lot of exclusive products,” Levant said. “It’s a very differentiated business model, much more expensive, much bigger investment taken to get there, but I think the prize at the end is much more meaningful.”

The app is part of that too. Levant said users have a 30-40% higher average order value when shopping in Complex’s app. For now, there aren’t any ads served in the app (other than branded content in its videos). 

“Commerce will be the biggest revenue opportunity inside the app for now,” Levant said.

Events access through the app

Complex is also expanding into more events. It launched a food festival last year. This year, it’ll host six of those events.

Complex has hosted over 30 pop-up shops in Los Angeles since May 2024, and is opening a flagship store in New York City on August 22 (with an activation running with ESPN through Sept. 6). Attendees need to download Complex’s app and use a QR code to gain access. They can also use the app to register for different panels and activations at events, access maps and programming schedules. Soon, Complex will build ticket-buying functionality into the app, Levant said.

“A few 100,000 consumers will come to our physical events this year. And next year, I’m hoping to reach over half a million consumers [who] will come through a Complex event,” Levant said.

By gathering data on what users are buying and attending, Complex will build more personalization into the app experience as well. The idea is it will be able to tailor content and product recommendations to each user around their individual profiles, as well as advertising, Levant noted. 

Complex membership to come

Over the next year, Complex is also working on building a membership program using the app as a main driver.

The idea is it will reward its loyal audience — such as the people who travel to Complex’s events, Levant said. Some perks will include free shipping, and early or special access to events.

Melissa Chowning, founder and CEO of audience development and marketing firm Twenty-First Digital, said more publishers launching apps was a smart strategy as part of a larger effort to compensate for declining search traffic and build first-party data, though she questioned user adoption.

“I’m skeptical users want another app to check but if it’s successful, an app is a good strategy. Launching an app like that is certainly one way to gauge how deep your relationship is with your current audience,” she said. “I think brands will still need a way to penetrate the ecosystems of social media and search and answer engines to reach and build new audiences.”