Navigating press release costs is a tricky task. Both writing and distribution highly influence the final quote, and there's a lot of options to choose from.
This article tries to answer the question: how much does a press release cost - and why? We'll elaborate on:
- factors influencing press release costs
- press release distribution costs (with examples)
- using PR tools to send press releases
- types of press release writing services
- the most common questions regarding press release pricing
Hopefully, you'll be able to choose the best option for your needs!
Factors influencing press release costs
Let's check what shapes press release prices.
Press release cost #1: Distribution
When you think about the average cost of a press release, most likely you think about distribution – especially if you're a PR specialist.
This is a crucial step to all PR workflows: ensuring your message reaches the right people. Commonly, you’re choosing between two options:
- Sending press releases via newswire – it's the traditional way, involving PR websites and fees for distribution.
- Sending your stories and news via emails with PR tools – platforms like Prowly, Cision or Meltwater help you get your message directly to specific journalists.
The second option focuses on media relationships and a personalized approach. And usually brings you more predictable results for a lower price.
Press release cost #2: Writing
The average costs of professional press release writing can vary from $150 to $1,000 per piece for freelancers. With in-house teams or PR agencies, those costs will be a part of a larger sum for all services.
Press release distribution costs
How much does it cost to send a press release? The price range for paid services is from $29 to $1,999 (based on publicly available pricing: there are also services priced on request).
Why does the price vary so much?
The cost of using a newswire service depends on several factors: the word count, inclusion of multimedia elements and logos, writer fees, SEO optimization, and the markets where the release is distributed.
Examples of distribution services and press release pricing:
| Provider | Press release cost | What's included? |
| 24-7 Press Release Newswire | From $29/release | Simple post, an RSS feed |
| EIN Presswire | From $99.95/release | Five channels, press release tracking, SEO enhancement |
| PRWeb | From $105/release | Basic plan |
| Presswire | From $250/release | North American Distribution |
| Newswire | From $899/release | the U.S., custom audience for the message, post-campaign metrics |
💡Find out more about press release distribution costs in this article on the best press release websites.
You can also find free press release distribution services. Free options are, of course, limited. You don't get access to an extensive distribution network, nor targeting or detailed analytics.
Note: No newswire service can guarantee your press release gets published. On one hand, you always need to prepare a quality press release (check out our guide). On the other hand, the cost of a press release can increase if the service fails to reach interested journalists.
Using PR tools to send press releases
Press release websites aren't the only efficient way to distribute press releases.
With PR software you can have an impact on if your press release gets published where you need it - and decrease your costs. Think about building relationships with the right journalists, those that will be eager to write about your story, instead of sending out mass messages.
Reason #1: Relationship-building approach
PR tools give you the option to create and maintain relationships with journalists. It's an entirely different quality of cooperation, compared to anonymous, generic press release mass sendings. With personalized messages and a history of cooperation with chosen journalists, you increase the chances of getting published.
Reason #2: Cost-effectiveness
With PR platforms, you pay for more options than just for sending out a press release. With extensive media databases, you can reach out to selected journalists and cover the rest of your PR flow as well.
Prowly's media database covers over 1 million media contacts. You can get specific contact recommendations based on your press release or find niche journalists by searching for keywords in articles that they've written. This helps you reduce the cost of press release distribution and increase the efficiency of your outreach.
What to consider when choosing a PR tool?
Picking a PR tool isn't easy. Yet, with our list of criteria, you might narrow down your choices!
Pricing
Let's face it: prices are a crucial factor when thinking about any new tool. Unfortunately, most known PR software platforms don't share transparent pricing information on their sites – you need to set up a call to get calculations.
Prowly is a tool that shares everything upfront: check out Prowly's pricing plans. The basic plan starts from $258, and it's more than enough for press release writing.
If you need to focus more on distribution and personalized follow-ups and get more media database contacts and reporting tools, you can go for a Pro plan ($416/mo).
Billing and flexibility are also important: with Prowly, you can go for a monthly subscription and cancel anytime you need to. No need to sign an annual contract.
Media database
Updated and exhaustive media databases are key when you're opting for media outreach distribution.
Prowly gives you over 1 million media contacts to journalists worldwide (including the U.S.). You get more than social media handles: like emails, areas of interest, and other valuable information to make your outreach effective.
Additionally, you can try it for free for 7 days. Prowly's free trial gives you access to all features, including media contacts. So you can check for yourself if the media database suits your needs.
Media monitoring
Media monitoring and social media listening help you measure the effectiveness of your press releases – and in these times, it's a necessity. It tells you what your audience thinks about you and your niche; and that's crucial for reputation PR.
Prowly gathers media mentions for you, analyzing their value, sentiment, and impact. What's more, you can get custom notifications when something goes wrong. This feature helps you react in time and prevent PR crises.
AI features
In a world where AI is everywhere, things can start to feel a bit repetitive. That's why Prowly’s AI toolkit is designed to match the unique creative flow of each PR professional, not just spit out cookie cutter responses.
Here’s how it works: you provide a simple idea and, in return, you get three exciting story pitches with detailed explanations. Our AI helps you shape your main message to really speak to journalists and their audiences.
Deliverability
With media pitching, knowing whether your email reached the intended recipient is key.
Prowly gives you tools to track the delivery of each message, as well as track if the journalist has opened it. This is important not only in terms of perfecting your email pitch, but also in taking care of the health of your email list. When it's neglected, you might lose the ability to communicate your messages!
Discover how smart pitching and personalization tactics can significantly increase your email open and click rates.
PR Reports
All-in-one PR platforms gather the data you need to assess the efficiency of your PR campaigns. If they can additionally generate reports for you, it's a huge time saver!
With Prowly, you get a full array for reporting on your campaigns. That way, you can create appealing PR reports quickly and easily.
What's more, the numbers let you improve your PR strategy and display the outcomes of your work better.
Types of press release writing services
How much does it cost to create a press release? Let's see how it differs with each solution.
In-house teams
When you take care of PR internally, it's rare to single out press release costs. Nevertheless, it might be worth it, especially when you're looking for areas to optimize. Double-check how long it takes to ship a press release and their overall effectiveness.
It'll give you an idea of how much press releases cost you: both in terms of time and money.
Tools for a smooth workflow
Tools that let you limit the time spent on each task give the best results for in-house teams. The right solution can help you overcome writer's block, remember all the crucial details, and free up your time to ideate and level up your successes. Let's see what Prowly's AI Assistant brings to the table.
When writing a press release, the most stressful part is staring at a blank page. Prowly’s AI Assistant helps skip this phase by supporting the ideation process. All you need to do is to answer a few questions.
The AI assistant will generate a few story angles and phrases to help you move forward with your press release, giving you extra time to work on your message. What's really valuable is you get to see the context behind each idea. And there's no need to specialize in ChatGPT prompts.
After choosing your idea, you can get to writing the final text. Yet, AI's role hasn't ended yet. It can suggest improvements in terms of grammar, the tone of your text, or the qualities that'll pique journalists’ interest in your press release. All based on criteria prepared by our PR experts.
So, if you thought about delegating press release writing to a third-party because of the time spent, try out Prowly's AI Assistant. It might shorten the time you spend over a press release for a fraction of price.
The cherry on top: you can get a list of recommended journalists based on your topic and keywords. Prowly will pick out appropriate journalists from its media database.
Freelance writers
How much is a press release when working with a freelancer?
Press release pricing with freelance writers ranges from $150 to $1,000 for each press release. The exact number depends on a variety of factors: we'll cover the most important ones here:
- Let's start with a basic factor: the complexity and length of your task. This hugely influences press release cost. Usually, the shorter, the cheaper - although it depends on the pricing structure. Longer pieces require more time. Similarly with complex topics: all of it counts towards the final price.
- It is also influenced by the research you leave to the writer. When you prepare a detailed brief and input, the cost of a press release drops lower. If your writer needs to collect accurate information, lead interviews, or conduct any other type of research, the time and effort (and costs) swiftly rise.
- Writer experience and expertise impact the pricing a lot. A track record of delivering high-quality press releases and popular demand hugely differentiate writers and their costs.
- You might need additional services, like distribution, media outreach, or analytics. Expect to pay additional fees for each additional step.
- The deadline, or turnaround time, is also significant. When you're in a rush, a quicker delivery time might mean higher costs.
- Last, but not least, writers use different pricing structures. They might charge you per character or per word, by hours spent, in pieces, or even offer package deals. As this might severely impact the final price, make sure you find some common ground here.
PR agencies
PR agencies provide a wide variety of services, apart from writing press releases. That's why it is hard to talk about press release costs in this context.
Usually, with PR agencies, you don't compare the cost for a press release, as there are other factors influencing pricing. A PR agency can take over your entire PR flow or support you just in a chosen area.
As a recap - FAQ
Let's take a look at the most asked questions regarding press release cost and distribution:
What are the main factors that affect press release costs?
The main factors affecting total press release cost are:
- distribution strategy
- distribution channels
- press release writer
- additional services you might purchase
How much do professional press release writing services cost?
The press release pricing for a professional freelancer goes from $150 to $1,000. It's influenced by the complexity of the text, the writer's experience, additional services, and turnaround time.
Is it more cost-effective to use a newswire service or an all-in-one PR platform for distribution?
When you’re aiming for cost-effectiveness, go for PR platforms. They not only give you tools for press release distribution, but help you cover other areas of your workflow.
Can freelance writers provide the same level of service as PR agencies?
Freelance writers provide a different service than PR agencies. In the first case, you pay for the writing of a press release. The second one is much wider: with PR strategy services, fostering relationships with the media, and organizing events.
If you expect a high-quality press release, a freelance writer can do it and so can a PR agency. With a PR agency, you get more services than just writing.
Are there any free options for press release distribution?
Yes. You can find free press release distribution sites, yet they come with serious limitations. Finally, they might bring poor results, even though the press release costs might look good on paper.
All-in-one PR platforms like Prowly can cover the entire PR flow: from creating a press release and putting together a media list, to sending personalized emails to journalists and performing analytics.
Try out Prowly's full features for 7 days for free. There's no commitment: we don't even ask for your credit card details.
