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Muck Rack vs The Old Reader

Muck Rack logo

Muck Rack

News

The new standard in PR software

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
The Old Reader logo

The Old Reader

News

A classic RSS reader for the modern web

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only The Old Reader has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • They diverge on capability: Muck Rack covers Media database, The Old Reader covers RSS reading.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Muck Rack and The Old Reader actually diverge.

Attributes where Muck Rack and The Old Reader differ
AttributeMuck RackThe Old Reader
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Browser-extensionWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20092012

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 Muck Rack

  • Media database
  • Journalist profiles
  • Media monitoring
  • Pitching platform
  • Coverage reporting
  • Slack
  • Salesforce
  • Google Analytics

Only in The Old Reader

  • RSS reading
  • Social sharing
  • Following friends
  • Keyboard shortcuts
  • OPML import/export
  • Third-party apps
  • Browser bookmarklet
  • Ios support

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Muck Rack

  • Finding and pitching journalists from a media databasenot The Old Reader
  • Monitoring coverage and measuring PR resultsnot The Old Reader

The Old Reader

  • RSS readingnot Muck Rack
  • News aggregationnot Muck Rack
  • Social readingnot Muck Rack

Where each one falls short

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

Muck Rack

  • No specific prices published; all pricing is based on customized proposals based on team size and user count
  • Starter plan has limited features compared to Standard and Premier (no podcast monitoring or curation engine)
  • Sentiment analysis on Starter uses basic NLP, while Premier uses AI-powered analysis

The Old Reader

Nothing recorded yet. See the The Old Reader review.

Pricing, plan by plan

Muck Rack

On request
  • ProFree
    • Media database
    • Media monitoring
    • Pitching tools
  • EnterpriseFree
    • All Pro features
    • Team management
    • SSO integration

The Old Reader

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 100 subscriptions
    • Social features
    • Web access
  • Premium$3/month
    • 500 subscriptions
    • Search history
    • Priority refresh
  • Supporter$5/month
    • Unlimited subscriptions
    • All premium features
    • Support development

Which should you pick?

Choose Muck Rack if

  • You need media database.
  • You work on Web, Browser-extension.
  • You also want journalist profiles.
Muck Rack review

Choose The Old Reader if

  • You need rss reading.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want social sharing.
The Old Reader review

Questions people ask

Is Muck Rack or The Old Reader better?
Neither clearly leads. Muck Rack starts at On request and The Old Reader at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Muck Rack or The Old Reader?
The Old Reader has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Muck Rack and Free for The Old Reader.
Does Muck Rack or The Old Reader run on more platforms?
Muck Rack runs on Web, Browser-extension. The Old Reader runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use The Old Reader for free?
Yes. The Old Reader has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Muck Rack starts at On request.
What is Muck Rack best used for?
Muck Rack is most often used for finding and pitching journalists from a media database, monitoring coverage and measuring pr results. Of those, finding and pitching journalists from a media database and monitoring coverage and measuring pr results are not what The Old Reader is typically brought in for.
What can Muck Rack do that The Old Reader cannot?
Muck Rack covers Media database, Journalist profiles, Media monitoring, Pitching platform. The Old Reader covers RSS reading, Social sharing, Following friends, Keyboard shortcuts. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Muck Rack: How are Muck Rack plans priced?

Muck Rack pricing is not published. The platform offers three tiers (Starter, Standard, and Premier) with customized pricing that depends on several factors including team size and number of users. Interested customers must contact sales for a personalized quote.

Source
Muck Rack: What features does Muck Rack Standard plan include?

Muck Rack Standard includes media monitoring and alerts, podcast monitoring, AI visibility badges, AI journalist recommendations, full media list exports, and NLP-based sentiment analysis. It is marked as the most popular plan on their pricing page.

Source
Muck Rack: What is unique about Muck Rack Premier plan?

Muck Rack Premier is the highest tier and adds the Curation Engine and AI-powered sentiment analysis (versus basic NLP). It includes Muck Rack API access and is targeted at enterprises and advanced teams.

Source
Muck Rack: What add-ons are available for Muck Rack?

Muck Rack offers multiple add-ons with pricing not specified: Print and Broadcast Monitoring, Social Listening, Press Release Distribution, Muck Rack API (Premier tier), Media Intelligence Services, and Generative Pulse.

Source
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