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Business Wire vs PR Newswire

Business Wire logo

Business Wire

News

Global news distribution and regulatory disclosure

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
PR Newswire logo

PR Newswire

News

The global leader in press release distribution

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Business Wire no transparent pricing published for press release distribution services; PR Newswire pR Newswire is structured as an annual membership organization with a separate fee, on top of per-release distribution charges (archived pricing page, 8 September 2021)
  • They diverge on capability: Business Wire covers News distribution, PR Newswire covers Press release distribution.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Business Wire and PR Newswire actually diverge.

Attributes where Business Wire and PR Newswire differ
AttributeBusiness WirePR Newswire
Founded19611954

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (usage-based), free tier (No), platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (News).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Business Wire

  • News distribution
  • SEC/SEDAR filing
  • Tradeshownews
  • News analytics
  • Bloomberg Terminal
  • Thomson Reuters
  • Google Finance

Only in PR Newswire

  • Press release distribution
  • Analytics & reporting
  • Targeted distribution
  • Regulatory disclosure
  • Cision platform
  • Google News
  • Bloomberg

Both cover

  • Multimedia support
  • Yahoo Finance
  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Business Wire

  • Earnings releasesnot PR Newswire
  • SEC filings
  • Corporate announcementsnot PR Newswire
  • Product launches
  • M&A newsnot PR Newswire

PR Newswire

  • Press release distributionnot Business Wire
  • Product launches
  • Earnings announcementsnot Business Wire
  • Corporate newsnot Business Wire
  • SEC filings

Both are used for sec filings, product launches, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Business Wire

  • No transparent pricing published for press release distribution services

PR Newswire

  • PR Newswire is structured as an annual membership organization with a separate fee, on top of per-release distribution charges (archived pricing page, 8 September 2021)
  • Single state-level press release distribution starts at $355 USD for only a 400-word release, with pricing rising per additional word or wider circuit (archived pricing page, 8 September 2021)
  • Top Markets distribution, a wider circuit than a single state, starts at $650 USD for a 400-word release, and a four-release Top Markets bundle is $3,095 USD (archived pricing page, 8 September 2021)

Pricing, plan by plan

Business Wire

On request
  • US Local$525/one-time
    • Local distribution
    • Online posting
    • Basic analytics
  • US Regional$875/one-time
    • Regional distribution
    • Wire services
    • Enhanced analytics
  • US National$1525/one-time
    • National distribution
    • Full wire coverage
    • Premium analytics
  • GlobalFree
    • International reach
    • Translation services
    • Custom circuits

PR Newswire

On request
  • US1 - State$575/one-time
    • State distribution
    • Online posting
    • Basic analytics
  • US2 - Regional$825/one-time
    • Regional distribution
    • AP inclusion
    • Enhanced analytics
  • US3 - National$1475/one-time
    • National distribution
    • All wire services
    • Multimedia options
  • GlobalFree
    • International distribution
    • Translation services
    • Global reach

Which should you pick?

Choose Business Wire if

  • You need news distribution.
  • You also want sec/sedar filing.
Business Wire review

Choose PR Newswire if

  • You need press release distribution.
  • You also want analytics & reporting.
PR Newswire review

Questions people ask

Is Business Wire or PR Newswire better?
Neither clearly leads. Business Wire starts at On request and PR Newswire at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Business Wire or PR Newswire?
Business Wire starts at On request and PR Newswire at On request.
Does Business Wire or PR Newswire run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
What is Business Wire best used for?
Business Wire is most often used for earnings releases, sec filings, corporate announcements, product launches. Of those, earnings releases and corporate announcements are not what PR Newswire is typically brought in for.
What can Business Wire do that PR Newswire cannot?
Business Wire covers News distribution, SEC/SEDAR filing, Tradeshownews, News analytics. PR Newswire covers Press release distribution, Analytics & reporting, Targeted distribution, Regulatory disclosure. Both handle Multimedia support, Yahoo Finance, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Business Wire: How much does Business Wire cost?

Business Wire does not publish standard pricing on its website. The company offers press release distribution services with pricing that varies based on your audience reach, distribution scope, and multimedia options. You must contact their sales team for a custom quote.

Source
Business Wire: What is the Business Wire pricing model?

Business Wire charges per press release distribution, not as a subscription. Pricing depends on factors including geographic reach, industry targeting, journalist lists, and whether you include multimedia elements like images or videos.

Source
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