Softwr

News · head to head

Cision vs Simplecast

Cision logo

Cision

News

The complete PR and earned media platform

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Simplecast logo

Simplecast

Podcasting

Hosting for professional podcast networks

From
$15/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Cision no transparent pricing published for media monitoring and PR tools; Simplecast basic plan at $15 per month includes only 20,000 monthly downloads and 2 team seats
  • They diverge on capability: Cision covers Media monitoring, Simplecast covers Unlimited hosting.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cision and Simplecast actually diverge.

Attributes where Cision and Simplecast differ
AttributeCisionSimplecast
Starting priceOn request$15/month
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb
CategoryNewsPodcasting
Founded18672014

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Simplecast

  • Unlimited hosting
  • Analytics
  • Dynamic ad insertion
  • Distribution
  • Team collaboration
  • API access
  • All podcast platforms
  • Advertising networks

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Cision

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

Simplecast

  • Hosting podcasts with per-episode analytics and audience metricsnot Cision
  • Distributing shows to Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other directoriesnot Cision
  • Monetising podcasts through dynamic ad insertion at the Professional tiernot 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

Simplecast

  • Basic plan at $15 per month includes only 20,000 monthly downloads and 2 team seats
  • Essential plan at $35 per month includes 50,000 monthly downloads and 4 team seats
  • Dynamic ad insertion and campaign management are only on the Professional plan, which is quoted by sales with no published rate
  • API access for publishing and campaign management is Enterprise only
  • Annual prepayment is required to get the 10 percent discount

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

Simplecast

$15/month
  • Basic$15/month
    • Annual option: $13.50/month when prepaid
    • 2 team seats
    • Unlimited storage
  • Essential$35/month
    • Annual option: $31.50/month when prepaid
    • 4 team seats
    • Everything in Basic plus additional web players
  • Professional$null/custom
    • Contact sales for custom pricing
    • Dynamic ad insertion
    • Campaign management
  • Enterprise$null/custom
    • Contact sales for custom features
    • Everything in Professional plus API integration
    • White-labeled RSS

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 Simplecast if

  • You need unlimited hosting.
  • You also want analytics.
Simplecast review

Questions people ask

Is Cision or Simplecast better?
Neither clearly leads. Cision starts at On request and Simplecast at $15/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cision or Simplecast?
Cision starts at On request and Simplecast at $15/month.
Does Cision or Simplecast run on more platforms?
Cision runs on Web, Ios, Android. Simplecast runs on Web.
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 Simplecast is typically brought in for.
What can Cision do that Simplecast cannot?
Cision covers Media monitoring, PR Newswire distribution, Media database, Analytics & reporting. Simplecast covers Unlimited hosting, Analytics, Dynamic ad insertion, Distribution. 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
Simplecast: How much does Simplecast cost?

Simplecast offers a 14-day free trial (no credit card required) followed by paid plans starting at $15/month for Basic ($13.50/month annual) and $35/month for Essential ($31.50/month annual). Professional and Enterprise plans require contacting sales for custom pricing.

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
Simplecast: Can I change my Simplecast plan anytime?

Yes. Plan changes are allowed anytime with prorated adjustments. You can cancel anytime with no long-term contracts or penalties.

Source
Simplecast: What is included in the Basic plan?

The Basic plan ($15/month or $13.50/month annually) includes 2 team seats, unlimited storage, distribution to all platforms, basic analytics, custom domain website, and 20,000 downloads per month.

Source
Simplecast: What makes the Essential plan different from Basic?

The Essential plan ($35/month or $31.50/month annually) adds 2 more team seats (4 total), comparative analytics, location analytics, unique listener reports, and increases the monthly download allowance to 50,000.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Cision

More on Simplecast

Keep looking

Other head to heads