It publishes non-fiction subjects including history, biography, memoir, politics, current affairs, travel and popular science.

In 2008 Profile set up an ethical imprint GreenProfile under the direction of Mark Ellingham, the founder of Rough Guides.

In 2012, Profile launched a new list with Wellcome Collection, designed to showcase writing about medicine, the body, and the human condition.

[2][3][4] Since 2014 Profile has published a boutique list of Tuskar Rock, editorially selected by Colm Tóibín and Peter Straus, which includes works by László Krasznahorkai and Chris Kraus (American writer).

Robert Greene Timothy Brook Richard Wrangham Simon Garfield Susan Hill Tracy Kidder Jay Bahadur Patricia and Robert Malcolmson, Nella Last James A Robinson, Daron Acemoğlu Alan Bennett Simon Jenkins Jonathan Dimbleby David Harvey James Ward Atul Gawande Shaun Bythell (of Wigtown bookshop) Eugenia Cheng Profile Books has won the "Independent Publisher of the Year" awards three times.