Press release distribution services hold immense significance in enabling businesses and organisations to effectively disseminate their news and announcements to a broader audience. Notably, these services play a vital role in spreading news, constructing valuable links, brand mentions and establishing direct connections with journalists. With the potential to boost online visibility, attract media attention, enhance brand recognition, attract new customers, and drive website traffic, selecting the right press release distribution service is pivotal. In this article, we present the top 13 press release distribution services of 2023 that are known for their extensive reach, precise targeting capabilities, multimedia features, and competitive pricing.
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Below, you'll find our comprehensive comparison of the leading newswires services available for distributing your press release.
- We compared 14 of the top newswires
- A broad variety of UK/ US/ EU and international companies
- Compared low and high price points
- The pro’s and the con’s
- Our expert opinion
| Name | Price | Best For | URL | Feature-Pro-Cons |
| Pressat | $140 / £110 | Targeted approach |
| Opt-in subscriber list, major news organizations, syndication to various platforms. |
| Wire Association | £149 | European Targeting |
| Real-time dissemination, easy step-by-step process, free press newsroom. |
| Prfire | £150 | Great prices |
| Core package with upgrades, social media amplification, professional photography option. |
| Prowly | $500/ $5000 Advertisement | CRM for PR Agencies |
| All-in-one solution, media contact organization, journalist-friendly newsroom. |
| E.Releases | $199 / £155 | Mainly US media covered |
| Posting on 75 different sites, wire distribution through Associated Press. |
| ResponseSource | £100 / £150 | Mainly for PR agencies |
| Simple submission process, sector targeting, share pictures and documents. |
| Vuelio | Not public | Expensive, for large corporations |
| Distribution to popular news websites, follow-up reports, reach traditional media platforms. |
| Presswire | $250 / £195 | Covers Europe as well as UK |
| Targeted lists from a media database, option for HTML or pure text, spam testing. |
| ReleaseWire | $49 / £40 | Bargain prices, US coverage |
| Syndication to 350+ US-based media sites, option for photos, videos, and audio. |
| Business Wire | Not public | Corporate users, SEC filings |
| Extensive network, industry and trade categories, worldwide reach. |
| PRGloo | Not public | Self-hosted newsrooms |
| All-in-one platform with content creation, distribution, and analysis. |
| PR Underground | $49 / £40 | Budget-friendly, US coverage |
| Google News syndication, coverage across major websites, SEO optimization. |
| 24–7 Press Release | $49 / £40 | Quick turnaround, broad reach |
| Two-day appearance on search engines, distribution to premium news sites. |
| PR Newswire | $299 / £230 | Syndication, well-known |
| Extensive network, authoritative reputation, membership of journalists and media organizations. Advertisement |
When you have something truly remarkable (like a great piece of news to share with the world) that deserves widespread attention, it's essential to ensure your message reaches the right audience. This requires not only a great press release but also a reliable and effective distribution service to send it out. The service you choose should have strong connections with key industry players, journalists, newsdesks and possess the expertise to maximize the coverage, recognition, and buzz surrounding your press release.
If you have your press release ready and are seeking a swift and seamless distribution process, you've come to the right place. With our extensive experience in the field of PR, we are well-equipped to guide you towards the best distribution services tailored to your specific needs.
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Before we delve into the exciting details, it's important to note that while distribution services are invaluable tools, their effectiveness depends on the quality and appeal of your press release. Think of it as a persuasive pitch to journalists, enticing them to write captivating articles that capture public interest. Your press release should be engaging, unique, and have a compelling hook that sets it apart from the rest.
While distribution services cannot guarantee publication of your story, they do ensure that your press release reaches the intended media outlets and journalists you are targeting.
Without further ado, let us present our carefully selected top 14 PR distribution services, representing esteemed agencies worthy of your attention.
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Without ranking them in any particular order for 2023, let's dive right in and explore these outstanding options.
1. Pressat
Starting price: $140 / £110
**Recommended Editors Choice **
Pressat adopts a strategic and targeted approach to press release distribution, steering clear of indiscriminate spamming. Instead, they employ well-established methods to ensure your press release reaches the most relevant and interested audience.
With an impressive opt-in subscriber list exceeding 33,000 members, Pressat provides customized news alerts tailored to various stakeholders, ranging from journalists and editors to analysts and bloggers. Their extensive reach extends to major news organizations worldwide, and they further syndicate releases to prominent platforms like Bing News, Google News, NewsNow, Thomson Reuters, and Dow Jones.
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For businesses looking to develop a comprehensive and customized PR campaign, Pressat emerges as an excellent choice, likely to secure the media coverage you desire.
Pros: Precise targeting, opt-in subscriber list, syndication to major news organizations, personalized news alerts. Partnership with UK’s national news agency.
Cons: Public pricing information is not readily available, requiring further inquiry.
Score: 4.5/5
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2. Wire Association
Starting price £149
** Best for European Targetting **
The Wire Association holds a prominent position among major news agencies, dedicated to providing extensive coverage of the European Union. With a strong focus on real-time dissemination, they efficiently deliver content and high-quality images to leading publications across the continent. Their user-friendly step-by-step process empowers businesses and public relations agencies to easily distribute content and announcements throughout the EU, utilizing sector and country targeting for precise audience engagement.
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Pricing options start from £149 per item sent, which encompasses the inclusion of images and a comprehensive set of additional features. Notably, their platform includes a valuable free press newsroom feature, allowing users to create a tailored space to host images, documents, and videos for journalists to conveniently access.
Pros: Real-time dissemination, intuitive step-by-step process, sector/country targeting, free press newsroom.
Cons: Detailed pricing information is not publicly available, necessitating further inquiry to obtain specific pricing details.
3. Prfire
Starting price £150
** Great prices **
Prfire, founded in 2005, holds a remarkable position as one of the longest-standing press release distribution services in the UK. With a focus on efficiency, they have curated a streamlined process centered around a core package priced at £50. This package can be further enhanced with customizable bolt-ons, offering valuable features such as social media amplification on platforms like Reddit. Notably, Prfire goes the extra mile by providing a comprehensive consulting service, where seasoned ex-journalists analyze, rewrite, and uncover unique angles to captivate the media's attention. In case you require imagery for your release, Prfire offers the option to order professional photography for an additional £50.
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Furthermore, Prfire ensures wider exposure by incorporating your press release into the renowned South West News Service (SWNS), a trusted news agency known for its extensive reach and influence. This inclusion increases the likelihood of your release being picked up by other media outlets.
Pros: Competitive pricing, streamlined process, social media amplification, professional photography option, inclusion in a trusted news agency.
Cons: No significant drawbacks have been mentioned or identified in our assessment.
Score: 4.5/5
https://www.prfire.com/
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4. Prowly
Starting price: $500/ $5000
**Best CRM for Public Relations Agencies**
Prowly offers comprehensive support to brands, businesses, and individuals navigating the world of storytelling. This all-in-one platform serves as a valuable solution, assisting users in discovering the right media contacts and organizing them effortlessly within a user-friendly PR CRM. With Prowly, you can craft aesthetically pleasing press releases, efficiently manage email pitches to journalists, curate journalist-friendly newsrooms, and gauge the impact of your pitches through user-friendly coverage reports.
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For PR agencies seeking a sophisticated tool to manage their clients' campaigns, Prowly comes highly recommended. However, it's essential to note that this service may not be the ideal choice for those aiming to send a high volume of press releases, as it is not primarily designed for such purposes.
Pros: All-in-one solution, PR CRM, journalist-friendly newsroom, email pitches to journalists, coverage reports.
Cons: Not recommended for sending a large number of press releases.
Score: ⅖
https://prowly.com/
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5. E.Releases
Starting price: $199 / £155
**Mainly US media covered**
This agency excels in the art of press release distribution, offering a tailored service that ensures your message reaches the right industry list. With a firm commitment to deliver results, they guarantee postings on an extensive network of 75 diverse sites, amplifying the exposure of your content.
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A notable advantage lies in their partnership with Associated Press, enabling wire distribution that holds immense potential to reach an impressive pool of 30,000 journalists. Furthermore, your content will be securely stored in PR Newswire for Journalists, adding an extra layer of visibility and accessibility.
For businesses seeking a dependable solution that guarantees exposure and sets them apart from the competition, E.Releases emerges as a solid choice. However, it's important to note that their primary focus revolves around the US media landscape.
Pros: Posting on 75 different sites, wire distribution through Associated Press, potential to reach 30,000 journalists.
Cons: Mainly concentrates on US media outlets.
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Score: 3.5/5
https://www.ereleases.com/
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6. ResponseSource
Starting price: £100 / £150
**Mainly for PR agencies **
ResponseSource Press Release Wire presents a highly efficient and reliable solution for effectively communicating your news to the media. Renowned for its trusted service in the United Kingdom, this platform offers an invaluable opportunity to swiftly distribute your social media news releases to an extensive network of journalists. The seamless step-by-step submission process ensures a hassle-free experience, allowing you to connect with thousands of journalists who are eager to cover your stories.
A notable advantage of this service is the ability to target your news precisely by selecting from 25 different sectors. This tailored approach ensures that your news reaches the right journalists at the optimal time, maximizing the potential for coverage and amplifying the impact of your media pitches. Furthermore, ResponseSource Press Release Wire empowers you to enrich your stories by seamlessly sharing pictures, videos, and other supporting documents.
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Pros: Fast and effective communication with the media, precise sector targeting, seamless sharing of pictures and documents.
Cons: Primarily suitable for PR agencies, catering to their specific needs and objectives.
Score: 3.5/5
https://pressreleases.responsesource.com/
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7. Vuelio
Starting price: Not public
**Expensive, more for large corporations**
Vuelio excels in providing an expansive distribution service that ensures wide exposure for your press release. With their vast network, your release will be pinged to over 3500 popular news websites and aggregators, maximizing its reach and visibility. The added value comes in the form of their exceptional post-release support, as Vuelio furnishes detailed follow-up reports on the performance of your press release, enabling you to gauge its effectiveness.
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Moreover, Vuelio offers the unique advantage of distributing your content across major wire services throughout the UK and Ireland. This comprehensive approach guarantees that your message not only reaches new media platforms but also traditional ones, broadening your potential audience.
It's important to note that Vuelio primarily caters to big-name clients, reflecting their level of expertise and corresponding price range. As a result, their services are particularly suited for larger companies with substantial budgets.
Pros: Distribution to popular news websites, insightful follow-up reports, potential exposure on traditional media platforms.
Cons: Higher cost, better suited for larger companies with ample financial resources.
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Score: ⅗
https://www.vuelio.com/
“Vuelio’s news distribution service is expensive in comparison to competitors, the company has hundreds of employees and offices, this may be why the price point is high.”
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8. Presswire
Starting price: $250 / £195
**Covers Europe as well as UK**
Presswire takes great pride in providing a highly personalized and targeted press release distribution service, ensuring that your news reaches the right journalists who are not only interested but also likely to publish a story about it. They achieve this by curating bespoke media lists from their extensive database, which comprises over half a million contacts across various media platforms, including local and national newspapers, magazines, TV, radio, and online networks.
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With Presswire, you have the convenience of distributing your press release through their user-friendly website upon registration, or you can simply send them an email. They offer the flexibility to choose between HTML or plain text format, and they even provide options for embedding videos or images at no additional cost. To ensure deliverability, Presswire conducts thorough testing to prevent your press release from being flagged as spam.
This level of customization and additional features, without any hidden expenses, proves highly beneficial for small businesses. While the investment may be slightly higher, it guarantees that your content will reach the right audience, increasing the likelihood of media coverage.
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Pros: Personalized and targeted service, tailored media lists, choice of HTML or plain text, spam testing.
Cons: No public pricing information available.
Score: 3/5
https://presswire.com/
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9. ReleaseWire
Starting price: $49 / £40
**Cluttered with spam**
ReleaseWire offers cost-effective solutions specifically designed for businesses in the US. Their service provides syndication to over 350 reputable online media sites based in the US, ensuring broad exposure for your press release. Additionally, ReleaseWire distributes your release to journalists affiliated with Associated Press and submits it to various search engines. They also offer the convenience of including photos, videos, and audio alongside your release.
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For US-based startups operating on limited budgets, ReleaseWire presents an ideal opportunity to launch your first press release and potentially garner significant media coverage.
Pros: Affordable pricing, syndication to 350+ US-based media sites, option for multimedia content.
Cons: Some reports of occasional spam issues.
Score: 0.5/5
http://www.releasewire.com/
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10. Business Wire
Starting price: Not public
**Software aimed at corporate users, SEC filings etc…**
This agency has established a patented network that sets them apart, allowing for press release distribution across an impressive network of nearly 90,000 media outlets spanning over 160 countries. With the option to select from 193 industry and trade categories, your press release can effectively target specific audiences in more than 20 different languages, ensuring a global reach.
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The extensive breadth and scale of their service offer the potential for your press release to reach various mediums, including digital platforms, print publications, TV newsrooms, and individual journalists. Their network reaches website editors, financial reporters, news syndicators, bloggers, and individuals with substantial social media networks, providing a vast scope for exposure. This makes Business Wire an excellent choice, particularly for B2B companies operating in the corporate sector.
Pros: Patented and extensive network, multilingual reach, broad coverage across different mediums.
Cons: No public pricing information available.
Score: ⅗
https://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/
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11. PRGloo
Starting price: Not public
**Mainly for self-hosted newsrooms**
PRGloo offers a unique approach compared to traditional PR distribution agencies. Rather than focusing solely on distribution, PRGloo provides a comprehensive platform within the realm of media relations. It combines a range of tools with expert analysis to streamline the entire PR process. With specialized software and systems, PRGloo not only devises compelling content but also distributes the created news stories and provides detailed performance reports.
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If you seek an all-in-one solution that handles every aspect of your PR campaign, PRGloo stands out as an exceptional choice that surpasses the mere distribution of press releases. However, if your goal is solely to disseminate a press release without additional services, this company may offer more than you require.
Pros: Comprehensive platform, content creation and distribution, expert analysis.
Cons: More suitable for comprehensive PR needs, excessive for simple press release distribution.
Score: 4.5/5
https://www.prgloo.com/
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12. PR Underground.
Starting price: $49 / £40
**No coverage gained from experience**
PR Underground offers an enticing package at an affordable price point. With their entry-level option, you can have your press release distributed to Google News, potentially reaching 80 prominent websites including Fox, CBS, and ABC. Additionally, your release will be shared on social media platforms, with a post featured on DigitalJournal.com. Notably, the package includes SEO optimization, which is particularly advantageous if you're unfamiliar with SEO practices.
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PR Underground is an excellent choice for small businesses operating on a limited budget. However, it's crucial to craft a compelling story with a captivating hook, as major companies receive numerous press releases. Your release must truly stand out from the crowd to capture their attention.
Pros: Budget-friendly, distribution to Google News and major websites, SEO optimization included.
Cons: Requires a standout story to get noticed.
Score: ⅕
https://www.prunderground.com/
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13. 24–7 Press Release
Starting price: $49 / £40
The initial package offered by 24–7 Press Release provides a swift two-day turnaround for your news release to be featured on prominent search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo. In addition, it will be distributed to over 50 premium news sites. With this package, you have the flexibility to select up to five relevant categories from various industries and attach four accompanying documents or images. Furthermore, you will have access to statistics that allow you to gauge the success of your press release.
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24–7 Press Release is a highly suitable choice for smaller companies, offering a cost-effective solution with significant value. If your initial release performs well, you can explore their premium add-ons, which provide access to PR Newswire and additional advanced features. Their transparent pricing ensures clarity regarding the services you will receive. Overall, 24–7 Press Release is a truly exceptional agency.
Pros: Quick turnaround, visibility on major search engines, distribution to premium news sites.
Cons: Limited features in the entry-level package.
Score: ⅕
https://www.24-7pressrelease.com/
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14. PR Newswire
Starting price: $299 / £230
** Good for syndication but expensive**
PR Newswire is widely regarded as the industry leader and holds a prominent position as the most recognized press distribution service. Among journalists, they are considered the authoritative standard.
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With a network that caters to over 4,000 websites, nearly 3,000 media outlets, and more than 550 news content systems, PR Newswire covers a vast spectrum of media channels. Additionally, their network boasts an impressive membership of almost 40,000 journalists from over 9,000 media organizations, establishing them as the gold standard in the field.
Pros: Extensive network, renowned and authoritative reputation, potential to reach a multitude of media outlets.
Cons: Pricing is relatively higher compared to competitors.
Score: 2.⅘
https://www.prnewswire.com/
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Hopefully with our expert guide you are somewhat closer to selecting a distribution service
Now that you have the facts, it's time to decide which one will best meet your needs. If you're still uncertain, you can try writing multiple press releases and testing different newswires to determine which ones work best for you and establish fruitful relationships. Keep in mind that certain services may be more suitable for B2B purposes, while others excel at reaching consumers or the mainstream media.
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Be cautious of salespeople who make grand promises, as their guarantees often fall short of expectations. You will find that a very high number of the top newswires guarantee syndication via 3rd party publications, but it isn’t coverage per se. The success of your press release relies on how well-crafted it is and how captivating its hook is to capture a journalist's attention.
As we said above many newswires claim guaranteed syndication on third-party websites, but be wary of this offering as your news may be buried deep within the website's structure with little to no readership.
By creating an exceptional story for your press release, you've already won half the battle, without any additional cost to you. Best of luck, and may you achieve the media coverage you desire!
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Disclaimer: The above is a sponsored post, the views expressed are those of the sponsor/author and do not represent the stand and views of Outlook Editorial.
