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Cision vs Medium

Cision logo

Cision

News

The complete PR and earned media platform

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Medium logo

Medium

News

The best place to read and write stories on the internet

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Medium has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Cision no transparent pricing published for media monitoring and PR tools; Medium unlimited access to stories requires a paid Medium membership
  • They diverge on capability: Cision covers Media monitoring, Medium covers Story publishing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cision and Medium actually diverge.

Attributes where Cision and Medium differ
AttributeCisionMedium
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb, Mobile
Founded18672012

Identical on both: 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 Cision

  • Media monitoring
  • PR Newswire distribution
  • Media database
  • Analytics & reporting
  • Influencer identification
  • Salesforce
  • Google Analytics
  • Slack

Only in Medium

  • Story publishing
  • Member program
  • Earning potential
  • Reading time estimates
  • Clap reactions
  • Highlighting & annotations
  • Story recommendations
  • Following system

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Cision

  • Press release distributionnot Medium
  • Media monitoringnot Medium
  • PR measurementnot Medium
  • Media outreachnot Medium
  • Crisis communicationsnot Medium

Medium

  • Publishing articles without running your own blognot Cision
  • Reading long-form writing across technology, culture and newsnot Cision
  • Earning from writing through the Medium Partner Programnot Cision

Where each one falls short

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

Cision

  • No transparent pricing published for media monitoring and PR tools

Medium

  • Unlimited access to stories requires a paid Medium membership
  • Audio versions of stories are a member-only feature
  • Earning money from writing requires joining the Medium Partner Program rather than being automatic
  • The iOS app requires iOS 17.0 or later

Pricing, plan by plan

Cision

On request
  • Cision Communications CloudFree
    • Media monitoring
    • Media database
    • PR analytics
  • EnterpriseFree
    • Full platform access
    • PR Newswire distribution
    • Custom integrations

Medium

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited reading
    • Publishing platform
    • Story drafts
  • Medium Membership$5/month
    • Unlimited access
    • Exclusive stories
    • Member earnings

Which should you pick?

Choose Cision if

  • You need media monitoring.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want pr newswire distribution.
Cision review

Choose Medium if

  • You need story publishing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want member program.
Medium review

Questions people ask

Is Cision or Medium better?
Neither clearly leads. Cision starts at On request and Medium at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cision or Medium?
Medium has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Cision and Free for Medium.
Does Cision or Medium run on more platforms?
Cision runs on Web, Ios, Android. Medium runs on Web, Mobile.
Can I use Medium for free?
Yes. Medium has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Cision starts at On request.
What is Cision best used for?
Cision is most often used for press release distribution, media monitoring, pr measurement, media outreach. Of those, press release distribution and media monitoring are not what Medium is typically brought in for.
What can Cision do that Medium cannot?
Cision covers Media monitoring, PR Newswire distribution, Media database, Analytics & reporting. Medium covers Story publishing, Member program, Earning potential, Reading time estimates. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Cision: How much does Cision cost?

Cision does not publish standard pricing on its website. The company offers media monitoring, journalist outreach, and social listening tools through CisionOne platform with pricing based on media monitoring scope, number of keywords, and service level. Contact sales for quotes.

Source
Cision: What services does Cision offer?

Cision offers media monitoring, instant insights and reporting, journalist outreach, social listening and management, professional services, and CisionOne AI. All services are part of the CisionOne unified platform.

Source
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