Softwr

News · head to head

Medium vs PR Newswire

Medium logo

Medium

News

The best place to read and write stories on the internet

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 Medium has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Medium unlimited access to stories requires a paid Medium membership; 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: Medium covers Story publishing, 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 Medium and PR Newswire actually diverge.

Attributes where Medium and PR Newswire differ
AttributeMediumPR Newswire
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumusage-based
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, MobileWeb
Founded20121954

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 Medium

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

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.

Medium

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

PR Newswire

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

Where each one falls short

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

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

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

Medium

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

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 Medium if

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

Choose PR Newswire if

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

Questions people ask

Is Medium or PR Newswire better?
Neither clearly leads. Medium 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, Medium or PR Newswire?
Medium has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Medium and On request for PR Newswire.
Does Medium or PR Newswire run on more platforms?
Medium runs on Web, Mobile. PR Newswire runs on Web.
Can I use Medium for free?
Yes. Medium has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. PR Newswire starts at On request.
What is Medium best used for?
Medium is most often used for publishing articles without running your own blog, reading long-form writing across technology, culture and news, earning from writing through the medium partner program. Of those, publishing articles without running your own blog and reading long-form writing across technology, culture and news are not what PR Newswire is typically brought in for.
What can Medium do that PR Newswire cannot?
Medium covers Story publishing, Member program, Earning potential, Reading time estimates. PR Newswire covers Press release distribution, Multimedia support, Analytics & reporting, Targeted distribution. Both handle Web support.
Share

Related pages

More on Medium

More on PR Newswire

Keep looking

Other head to heads