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PR Newswire vs Simplecast

PR Newswire logo

PR Newswire

News

The global leader in press release distribution

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Simplecast logo

Simplecast

Podcasting

Hosting for professional podcast networks

From
$15/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: 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); Simplecast basic plan at $15 per month includes only 20,000 monthly downloads and 2 team seats
  • They diverge on capability: PR Newswire covers Press release distribution, Simplecast covers Unlimited hosting.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which PR Newswire and Simplecast actually diverge.

Attributes where PR Newswire and Simplecast differ
AttributePR NewswireSimplecast
Starting priceOn request$15/month
Pricing modelusage-basedsubscription
CategoryNewsPodcasting
Founded19542014

Identical on both: free tier (No), platforms (Web), 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 PR Newswire

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

Only in Simplecast

  • Unlimited hosting
  • Analytics
  • Dynamic ad insertion
  • Distribution
  • Team collaboration
  • API access
  • All podcast platforms
  • Advertising networks

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

PR Newswire

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

Simplecast

  • Hosting podcasts with per-episode analytics and audience metricsnot PR Newswire
  • Distributing shows to Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other directoriesnot PR Newswire
  • Monetising podcasts through dynamic ad insertion at the Professional tiernot PR Newswire

Where each one falls short

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

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)

Simplecast

  • Basic plan at $15 per month includes only 20,000 monthly downloads and 2 team seats
  • Essential plan at $35 per month includes 50,000 monthly downloads and 4 team seats
  • Dynamic ad insertion and campaign management are only on the Professional plan, which is quoted by sales with no published rate
  • API access for publishing and campaign management is Enterprise only
  • Annual prepayment is required to get the 10 percent discount

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Simplecast

$15/month
  • Basic$15/month
    • Annual option: $13.50/month when prepaid
    • 2 team seats
    • Unlimited storage
  • Essential$35/month
    • Annual option: $31.50/month when prepaid
    • 4 team seats
    • Everything in Basic plus additional web players
  • Professional$null/custom
    • Contact sales for custom pricing
    • Dynamic ad insertion
    • Campaign management
  • Enterprise$null/custom
    • Contact sales for custom features
    • Everything in Professional plus API integration
    • White-labeled RSS

Which should you pick?

Choose PR Newswire if

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

Choose Simplecast if

  • You need unlimited hosting.
  • You also want analytics.
Simplecast review

Questions people ask

Is PR Newswire or Simplecast better?
Neither clearly leads. PR Newswire starts at On request and Simplecast at $15/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, PR Newswire or Simplecast?
PR Newswire starts at On request and Simplecast at $15/month.
Does PR Newswire or Simplecast run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
What is PR Newswire best used for?
PR Newswire is most often used for press release distribution, product launches, earnings announcements, corporate news. Of those, press release distribution and product launches are not what Simplecast is typically brought in for.
What can PR Newswire do that Simplecast cannot?
PR Newswire covers Press release distribution, Multimedia support, Analytics & reporting, Targeted distribution. Simplecast covers Unlimited hosting, Analytics, Dynamic ad insertion, Distribution. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Simplecast: How much does Simplecast cost?

Simplecast offers a 14-day free trial (no credit card required) followed by paid plans starting at $15/month for Basic ($13.50/month annual) and $35/month for Essential ($31.50/month annual). Professional and Enterprise plans require contacting sales for custom pricing.

Source
Simplecast: Can I change my Simplecast plan anytime?

Yes. Plan changes are allowed anytime with prorated adjustments. You can cancel anytime with no long-term contracts or penalties.

Source
Simplecast: What is included in the Basic plan?

The Basic plan ($15/month or $13.50/month annually) includes 2 team seats, unlimited storage, distribution to all platforms, basic analytics, custom domain website, and 20,000 downloads per month.

Source
Simplecast: What makes the Essential plan different from Basic?

The Essential plan ($35/month or $31.50/month annually) adds 2 more team seats (4 total), comparative analytics, location analytics, unique listener reports, and increases the monthly download allowance to 50,000.

Source
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