10 PR Newswire alternatives for effective press release distribution

25 mins read

If you are looking for the best press release distribution services and came across Cision PR Newswire, you might be also interested in discovering alternatives and competitors offering similar services. While looking for a reliable provider of similar press release distribution services, the main criteria that should be guiding your decision-making should be ease of use, reliability, top-rated software solutions with newsrooms, contact lists, expert customer support, and intuitive user interface. We’ve compiled a list of the top 10 PR Newswire alternatives that have proven to be the most popular among users not only in the US but in different countries as well. Let’s check them out and find the best solution for your next PR campaign.

What is PR Newswire

PR Newswire is a worldwide press release distribution network that was founded back in 1950. It’s one of the most popular and well-established press release distribution systems, which keeps on growing and expanding its global reach. Through its services, press releases are distributed to news companies and media outlets for publishing. Press release-based advertisement campaigns are becoming more popular these days. The world has become heavily focused on digital technologies, and users use the world wide web to discover new companies and learn about their services. 

The press release distribution network features thousands of news portals and media outlets that publish press releases. Besides reaching out to the right websites and media platforms in your niche, PR Newswire also lets you track the performance and success of your PR campaigns. Reaching out to reputable and trusted media outlets is half of the deal. It’s also vital to see the appropriate reaction and response from the public. Although tracking the users’ reaction to your press release distribution campaigns was a rather complicated task some time ago, it’s getting easier with modern cloud systems. 

PR Newswire offers Cision Communications Cloud, an impressive collection of PR content and stories, along with the public’s reactions. It lets companies get an idea of the best content creators who encourage the most positive public responses. While looking through the stats and analysis, you can come up with a list of companies for your future PR campaigns. 

Why do you need an alternative?

If PR Newswire is one of the leading press release distribution platforms that everyone uses, why would you need an alternative? There are no perfect platforms, so P Newswire’s weaknesses are worth considering.

The biggest issue for most is the price. As the Newswire website notes, the base PR Newswire pricing for a typical press release starts at $800 to $1,000 for about 400 words, and additional elements (logos, images, superscripts) significantly reduce the cost, often into the thousands of dollars. Among Reddit users, these discussions about the effectiveness of Cision PR Newswire are increasingly fierce: “If you’re not a Fortune 500 company and want a press release for SEO purposes, Google other press release distribution services; there are much cheaper options.”

The second drawback is that, according to PR.CO, only 37 percent of journalists surveyed use press releases daily. The unedited, irrelevant content that commercial news agencies push out only wastes time and leads to untrustworthiness. Journalists are busy processing an inbox full of daily offers. When it comes to news agencies, they simply don’t have time to use spammy mass mailing lists. Without some old-fashioned media relations techniques, it’s highly unlikely that a reporter will contact you.

It’s also worth considering the SEO effectiveness of such a campaign. According to research by This Is Definition, paid links are a big no-no for Google, and the company has cracked down hard on this behavior. The search engine’s quality metrics have punished news organizations for their lax approach to spam: PR Newswire suffered a 63% drop in visibility.
PR Newswire will distribute your release to a much larger number of media outlets and journalists. However, users have noted that such a wider reach is ineffective when it comes to international distribution. They are more focused on domestic distribution in the US; they do not work globally, for example, in Europe. So, PRNewswire may be less effective for countries with different languages ​​or media habits. Another disadvantage is that the newsletter goes to everyone — journalists, bloggers, there is no narrow choice by industry, so the news is “filled” with irrelevant content.

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PRNEWS.IO as a no-fuss media publishing platform

If you’re looking for a reliable PR Newswire alternative, consider the Estonian platform PRNEWS.IO. We specialize in publishing articles about your brand, business, or blog on respected platforms like Forbes, The Guardian, The Economist, and many more, enhancing your visibility and building trust with your audience.

PRNEWS.IO operates through direct agreements with publishers; everything is transparent, legal, and professionally managed. Our competitive pricing and streamlined process make it easy to achieve your PR goals. With access to 100,000 top-tier media outlets across all business categories, and support for 77 languages in 175 countries, we work globally, from Asia to America.

With PRNEWS.IO, you:

  • Enjoy transparent pricing starting from just $6.20 per publication
  • Have no long-term commitments; pay only what you need
  • Benefit from direct agreements with reputable publishers

Ready to elevate your media presence? PRNEWS.IO is here for you!

PRNEWS.IO vs PRNewswire

Public relations platforms vary greatly in their focus, audiences, and objectives.

PR Newswire primarily targets the U.S. market. Choosing this platform means prioritizing American visibility, often at the expense of outreach in Europe or other international regions. If your goal is to make an official announcement, comply with SEC requirements, or gain national media attention in the U.S., PR Newswire is a strong choice, but be prepared for significant costs and a more complex publishing process.

In contrast, PRNEWS.IO offers broad media coverage across all continents. Its streamlined, commitment-free publishing model allows for quick distribution, making it especially effective for promoting your brand in Europe, Asia, or other international markets.

  1. Price
  • PR Newswire:  Base price for a 400-word release: $350–$805 (local–national), plus $140–$245 for an additional 100 words
  • PRNEWS.IO: No subscription required; you pay per publication, with prices starting from just $6.20 and scaling depending on the website.
  1. Speed
  • PR Newswire: Another “wire” release may come out on the same day, but the schedule depends on the region and editors.
  • PRNEWS.IO: One-click deployment, the platform is fast in terms of user interface.
  1. Ease of Use
  • PR Newswire: Complex pricing structure requires consultation with promoters; UI editors mention as outdated, with user support required.
  • PRNEWS.IO: Intuitive interface, modern design, clear filtering by language, traffic, and topic.

Why PRNEWS.IO?

PRNEWS.IO caters to a global audience while also empowering local businesses and startups. Its platform is built to support brands of all sizes in boosting visibility and enhancing their online reputation.

We are excited to share one of our most successful stories of the year. Markit, a global e-commerce IT company headquartered in Tallinn, Estonia, turned to PRNEWS.IO for help in increasing brand awareness.

Using our intuitive platform, the Markit team could easily filter services and select media that best suited their goals. The PRNEWS.IO marketplace format aligned well with Markit’s business model, so the collaboration was a natural and effective addition.

Despite its European roots, the company is heavily focused on the US market. That’s why Markit used PRNEWS.IO to publish content in targeted US media. This allowed them to significantly strengthen their brand presence in the new market, drive additional traffic to their website, and increase engagement on LinkedIn.

As a result, the company’s visibility in the information space increased significantly. Publications via PRNEWS.IO brought new visitors to the Markit website and increased activity in the professional network. In addition, companies began to contact Markit themselves after reviewing the materials. And most importantly, we saved the client time that he could have spent on lengthy negotiations or routine processes.

The Markit team noted several important advantages of working with PRNEWS.IO. The platform turned out to be very easy to use – the user-friendly interface made it easy to manage all stages of campaigns. Thanks to the wide media base, the company was able to precisely target its publications to the right audience. In addition, the PRNEWS.IO team quickly understood the client’s needs, which made cooperation effective and pleasant.

Business Wire vs PR Newswire vs PRNEWS.io

PlatformPriceQualitySpeed Accessibility
Business WireHigh: $300–$800 for a release up to 400 words, plus $140+ for each additional 100 wordsHigh level of coverage in the US; official distribution inthe SEC, Bloomberg, ReutersApproval required, releases are released the same day or next; clear distribution scheduleTargeted at large companies, a high threshold for entry, and difficult navigation
PR NewswireHigh: $350–805 per release + membership fee; additional costs for multimedia, logos, etcExtensive coverage in the US, including major news outlets and niche mediaMay be released the same day, but it depends on the volume, region, and time of submissionRequires subscription or membership; mostly suitable for medium to large brands
PRNEWS.IOAffordable: Starting at $6 per post; transparent pricing for each placement, no membership requiredLarge media base worldwide, including local publications; strong presence in Europe and AsiaPublication can be done within 24–72 hours; decisions are made quickly, without lengthy reviewsAvailable for businesses of any size, from startups to corporations; simple interface.

10 PR Newswire Alternatives

PR Newswire is a great well-established brand name in the press release distribution niche. However, it’s not the one and only platform that can help you achieve the desired results. We searched the market and came up with a set of 10 PR Newswire alternatives that you can use for your future PR Campaigns, public relations and communications, marketing and advertising, and other purposes. Let’s check them out. 

ACCESSWIRE

ACCESSWIRE lets you connect with 1500+ media outlets in 98 countries worldwide. The outreach platform is a premier news and communications network, distributing regional, national, and global news. Unlike other press release distribution companies, ACCESSWIRE lets you get real-time insights with engagement stats on the performance of your PR campaigns. The platform is the only no-catch, unlimited word-, image-, link- and video-count pricing model on the market.

Meltwater

Meltwater lets you create and manage data-driven PR programs in 121 countries around the world. With more than 30000 clients, the platform has offices in 55 cities in 27 countries. Meltwater is a great NR Newswire alternative offering targeted search, pitching, social media, and journalist relations features. Meltwater offers one of the largest source bases on the market. 

Due to their social media listening capability, the platform can identify the most relevant journalists and influencers in the chosen niche and get insights into the full breadth of the company’s media coverage. 

PR Underground

PR Underground is a press release distribution service, which helps companies distribute their content and promote their offers through Google News and social media networks. Besides getting your press releases and other content featured in Google News, PR Underground lets you distribute your data to 80+ syndicated websites. The service will come in handy for spreading the word about everyday type announcements without the need to pay any costly fees. You may feel free to rely on PR Underground to promote your content and PR campaign solely with their help, or you may use their services in combination with other PR and marketing initiatives. 

GlobeNewswire

GlobeNewswire is an online service dealing with the distribution and submission of press releases and online news. While relying on their services, online marketers can reach out to targeted audiences, increase brand awareness, promote their offers for maximum efficiency, and generate media coverage. GlobeNewswire takes care of a wide range of services that will come in handy for running a successful PR campaign. Their marketers will assist with creating optimized press releases, publishing news across selected platforms and devices, optimizing press releases for better SEO and higher ranking in search engines, etc. 

GlobeNewswire covers different services available in different pricing plans. The service is the right choice for companies that need to make a loud announcement about their new products to reach their most important audiences. The news distributed by GlobeNewswire is disclosed to regulatory authorities, media, analysts, investors, and all of your key stakeholders across the U.S., Canada, and Europe.

Besides the text-only press releases, the platform lets you create and distribute more impactful content, including infographics, image carousels, audio and video elements, live streaming events, and other catching options that are included in your press releases. Your multimedia content can also be seen on such popular media outlets as AP Photo Express, the CP Photo Network, Newscom Archive, Yahoo! Photo and YouTube.

PRWeb

PRWeb is a press release distribution service. It’s intended to help companies and businesses reach out to wider communities of potential clients, expand their business reach, and multiply their income. PRWeb helps you spread the word about your news and press releases online, across multiple search engines, blogs, media outlets, popular websites, etc. With the help of the press release distribution service, businesses can be easily found on search engines and impact customer behavior. 

PRLog | PR newswire alternatives

PRLog comes next on the list of PR Newswire alternatives. It’s a free press release distribution service that will come in handy for startups, small businesses, and well-established companies. With its help, individuals and organizations can spread the word about their new offers, reach more clients, and boost sales while getting their press releases published across multiple web platforms. The platform provides a wide range of handy PR submission services, including search engine submission, PDF version, multiple industries, video PR, and spam filtering, sharing across multiple sites, search engines, RSS feeds, social media integration, real-time alerts, and more.

Semrush 

Semrush is one of the most popular PE Newswire alternatives. It’s the ultimate choice for companies that feel serious about the success of every PR campaign they launch. The online visibility management software-as-a-service platform features more than 50 tools that let you distribute your content in 150+ countries. There are tools for search, content, social media and market research, seamless integration with Google and task management platforms, and more. 

The software fits businesses of all sizes and related to multiple industries. With the help of Semrush, online marketers and business owners can take advantage of distributing their content across multiple channels, including search, special media, and PR. Besides providing businesses with growth opportunities, Semrush also lets you track and measure the results of your PR campaigns. 

TVEyes | PR newswire alternatives

TVEyes is based in Fairfield, Connecticut. The United States Department of Defense recognized this international broadcast media monitoring company as a sole source provider for key monitoring applications worldwide. With the help TVEyes’ television, radio, and broadcast monitoring services, users can search, send reports, and analyze media content in the US and major international markets. 

According to the company’s representatives, its mission is to help small businesses make the right decisions while providing actionable intelligence from innovative visual, audio, and text-based search solutions across the largest podcast and broadcast networks. TVEyes offers many handy tools for small businesses, including Media Monitoring Suite (MMS) used for transmitting email alerts when the selected keyword is broadcast in a particular country or market. These can be email alerts about keyword usage in New York, London, Beijing, etc. There are also patented Systems for Social Media Tag Extraction and Contextual advertising used for video and audio media distribution. 

Mention | PR newswire alternatives

Mention was founded in 2012. Their customer base counts more than 750K users located in 125 countries. It’s a social media marketing suite that lets brands get heard and increase their conversation using the tools and services offered by the platform. It is a powerful social media marketing suite that helps businesses listen to the trends and audience perception across social media channels and the web. It notifies you about all the things said about your brand and the services or products you provide.

Bottom Line: PR Newswire alternatives

Here we go. We hope this list of PR Newswire alternatives will come in handy to you for press release distribution and online marketing purposes. Different platforms provide different services, tools, and prices for their press release distribution efforts. Check them out in more detail while visiting their websites. Feel free to ask additional questions to their customer support representatives. 

FAQs

What is PR Newswire?

PR Newswire is a press release distribution service that helps companies share their news and announcements with media outlets, journalists, and other relevant audiences. It is a part of Cision, a larger company specializing in public relations and communication software and services. PR Newswire provides tools and platforms for producing, optimizing, targeting, distributing, and measuring the impact of content.

What happened to PR Newswire?

On December 15, 2015, PR Newswire was sold to global media intelligence company, Cision. While the PR Newswire brand still exists as a product within Cision, it is no longer an independent company.

Who reads PR Newswire?

PR Newswire sends your story to an exclusive community of journalists, bloggers, and thought leaders spanning nearly 200 news outlets and industry verticals. They rely on their dynamic online portal and customizable email updates for top stories, including yours.

How much does PR Newswire cost?

The cost of PR Newswire services depends on the volume, type of distribution, and additional options. It typically ranges from $350 to several thousand dollars per press release. There is also an annual membership fee of approximately $195-$249, plus additional fees for multimedia, logos, and targeting. The total cost can be $1,000-$2,000 or more.

How much does it cost to send a press release on PR Newswire?

Sending out one press release costs approximately $350 for text up to 400 words, and $140 to $245 for each additional 100 words. In addition, you need to consider possible additional payments for multimedia, logos, and targeting.

Who owns PR Newswire?

PR Newswire is owned by Cision.

How does PR Newswire work?

PR Newswire distributes press releases to a wide network of media outlets, journalists, and other relevant audiences. It serves as a central hub that accepts paid press release submissions and disseminates them through multiple channels, including online portals, email lists, and direct feeds to newsrooms.

How to submit a press release to PR Newswire?

To submit a press release to PR Newswire, create an account, prepare your release, choose your target audience, upload your content, review and approve it, and then pay the fees. PR Newswire will then distribute your release to selected media outlets.

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