News & Media · head to head
Newswire vs PR Newswire

Newswire
News & Media
Affordable press release distribution for everyone
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -

PR Newswire
News & Media
The global leader in press release distribution
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Newswire priced per press release rather than a subscription: Starter is $399 for an estimated 6 to 10 million reach, Basic is $659, Feature is $965 for 150 to 200 million reach, and State Distribution is a separate $599 add on; 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: Newswire covers Media targeting, PR Newswire covers Multimedia support.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Newswire and PR Newswire actually diverge.
| Attribute | Newswire | PR Newswire |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2004 | 1954 |
Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (usage-based), free tier (No), platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (News & Media).
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 Newswire
- Media targeting
- Social amplification
- Analytics
- SEO optimization
- Yahoo News
- Bing News
- Social media
Only in PR Newswire
- Multimedia support
- Analytics & reporting
- Targeted distribution
- Regulatory disclosure
- Cision platform
- Yahoo Finance
- Bloomberg
Both cover
- Press release distribution
- Google News
- Web support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Newswire
- Product launches
- Company newsnot PR Newswire
- Event announcementsnot PR Newswire
- SEO boostnot PR Newswire
- Brand awarenessnot PR Newswire
PR Newswire
- Press release distributionnot Newswire
- Product launches
- Earnings announcementsnot Newswire
- Corporate newsnot Newswire
- SEC filingsnot Newswire
Both are used for product launches, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Newswire
- Priced per press release rather than a subscription: Starter is $399 for an estimated 6 to 10 million reach, Basic is $659, Feature is $965 for 150 to 200 million reach, and State Distribution is a separate $599 add on
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
Newswire
On request- Essential$99/one-time
- Online distribution
- Google News
- Social sharing
- Professional$249/one-time
- National media
- Industry targeting
- Enhanced analytics
- Premium$549/one-time
- AP wire inclusion
- Full distribution
- Journalist outreach
- Enterprise$1299/one-time
- Maximum reach
- All features
- Dedicated support
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 PR Newswire if
- You need multimedia support.
- You also want analytics & reporting.
Questions people ask
- Is Newswire or PR Newswire better?
- Neither clearly leads. Newswire starts at On request and PR Newswire at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Newswire or PR Newswire?
- Newswire starts at On request and PR Newswire at On request.
- Does Newswire or PR Newswire run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- What is Newswire best used for?
- Newswire is most often used for product launches, company news, event announcements, seo boost. Of those, company news and event announcements are not what PR Newswire is typically brought in for.
- What can Newswire do that PR Newswire cannot?
- Newswire covers Media targeting, Social amplification, Analytics, SEO optimization. PR Newswire covers Multimedia support, Analytics & reporting, Targeted distribution, Regulatory disclosure. Both handle Press release distribution, Google News, Web support.
