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HARO vs PR Newswire

HARO logo

HARO

News

Help A Reporter Out - connecting journalists with expert sources

From
Free
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

  • Only HARO has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: HARO hARO was rebranded and phased out by Cision in favor of Connectively (www.connectively.us) starting early 2024, per the vendor's own helpareporter.com notice (Internet Archive capture, 2023); 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: HARO covers Daily journalist queries, 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 HARO and PR Newswire actually diverge.

Attributes where HARO and PR Newswire differ
AttributeHAROPR Newswire
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumusage-based
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, EmailWeb
Founded20081954

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 HARO

  • Daily journalist queries
  • Source submissions
  • Query archives
  • Response tracking
  • Source directory
  • Email matching
  • Profile management
  • Email

Only in PR Newswire

  • Press release distribution
  • Multimedia support
  • Analytics & reporting
  • Targeted distribution
  • Regulatory disclosure
  • Cision platform
  • Google News
  • Yahoo Finance

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

HARO

  • Finding expert sourcesnot PR Newswire
  • Press coveragenot PR Newswire
  • Expert positioningnot PR Newswire
  • Media relationsnot PR Newswire

PR Newswire

  • Press release distributionnot HARO
  • Product launchesnot HARO
  • Earnings announcementsnot HARO
  • Corporate newsnot HARO
  • SEC filingsnot HARO

Where each one falls short

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

HARO

  • HARO was rebranded and phased out by Cision in favor of Connectively (www.connectively.us) starting early 2024, per the vendor's own helpareporter.com notice (Internet Archive capture, 2023)

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

HARO

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Daily email alerts
    • Query submissions
    • Source directory
  • Pro$19.99/month
    • Advanced features
    • Priority support
    • Analytics

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 HARO if

  • You need daily journalist queries.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Email.
  • You also want source submissions.
HARO review

Choose PR Newswire if

  • You need press release distribution.
  • You also want multimedia support.
PR Newswire review

Questions people ask

Is HARO or PR Newswire better?
Neither clearly leads. HARO starts at Free and PR Newswire at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, HARO or PR Newswire?
HARO has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for HARO and On request for PR Newswire.
Does HARO or PR Newswire run on more platforms?
HARO runs on Web, Email. PR Newswire runs on Web.
Can I use HARO for free?
Yes. HARO has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. PR Newswire starts at On request.
What is HARO best used for?
HARO is most often used for finding expert sources, press coverage, expert positioning, media relations. Of those, finding expert sources and press coverage are not what PR Newswire is typically brought in for.
What can HARO do that PR Newswire cannot?
HARO covers Daily journalist queries, Source submissions, Query archives, Response tracking. PR Newswire covers Press release distribution, Multimedia support, Analytics & reporting, Targeted distribution. Both handle Web support.
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