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HARO vs Spreaker

HARO logo

HARO

News

Help A Reporter Out - connecting journalists with expert sources

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Spreaker logo

Spreaker

Podcasting

Podcast hosting with social network features

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • 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); Spreaker free plan allows only one podcast and retains statistics for 6 months
  • They diverge on capability: HARO covers Daily journalist queries, Spreaker covers Podcast hosting.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which HARO and Spreaker actually diverge.

Attributes where HARO and Spreaker differ
AttributeHAROSpreaker
PlatformsWeb, EmailWeb, Ios, Android
CategoryNewsPodcasting
Founded20082011

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), free tier (Yes), 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 HARO

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

Only in Spreaker

  • Podcast hosting
  • Live streaming
  • Social network
  • Distribution
  • Analytics
  • Audio editing
  • All podcast platforms
  • Social media

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

HARO

  • Finding expert sourcesnot Spreaker
  • Press coveragenot Spreaker
  • Expert positioningnot Spreaker
  • Media relationsnot Spreaker

Spreaker

  • Hosting and distributing podcasts to Spotify, Apple Podcasts and iHeartRadionot HARO
  • Monetising a show through programmatic ads, listener subscriptions or a supporters clubnot HARO
  • Running a multi-show podcast network with collaboratorsnot 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)

Spreaker

  • Free plan allows only one podcast and retains statistics for 6 months
  • Spreaker takes a 20 percent fee on Supporters Club listener payments on the free plan, dropping to 0 percent only on the $20 per month Broadcaster plan
  • Subscription monetisation and Apple Podcasts subscriptions require the $20 per month Broadcaster plan
  • Player colour customisation and collaborators require the $50 per month Anchorman plan
  • Selling and managing your own ad campaigns requires the $250 per month Publisher plan
  • Statistics retention is capped at 12 months below the Publisher plan, which extends it to 24 months

Pricing, plan by plan

HARO

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

Spreaker

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 2 hours storage
    • Basic hosting
    • Social network access
  • Plus$5/month
    • 50 hours storage
    • Full distribution
    • Live streaming

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 Spreaker if

  • You need podcast hosting.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want live streaming.
Spreaker review

Questions people ask

Is HARO or Spreaker better?
Neither clearly leads. HARO starts at Free and Spreaker at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, HARO or Spreaker?
HARO starts at Free and Spreaker at Free.
Does HARO or Spreaker run on more platforms?
HARO runs on Web, Email. Spreaker runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use HARO for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 Spreaker is typically brought in for.
What can HARO do that Spreaker cannot?
HARO covers Daily journalist queries, Source submissions, Query archives, Response tracking. Spreaker covers Podcast hosting, Live streaming, Social network, Distribution. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Spreaker: Does Spreaker offer free podcast hosting?

Yes, Spreaker offers free podcast hosting. The homepage explicitly states 'Your Podcasts Free' and includes a call-to-action to 'Start Free Today' for Spreaker Create for Web.

Source
Spreaker: What premium features does Spreaker offer beyond the free tier?

Spreaker provides additional features beyond free hosting, including monetization features through the Prime Network. However, specific premium plan names, prices, and feature details are not disclosed on the main homepage and require visiting additional pages or contacting Spreaker.

Source
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