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PR Newswire vs SmartNews

PR Newswire logo

PR Newswire

News

The global leader in press release distribution

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SmartNews logo

SmartNews

News

Local news and breaking news from top sources

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only SmartNews has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • 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); SmartNews no specific pricing published for SmartNews+ subscription
  • They diverge on capability: PR Newswire covers Press release distribution, SmartNews covers Machine learning curation.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where PR Newswire and SmartNews differ
AttributePR NewswireSmartNews
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelusage-basedfree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebIos, Android
Founded19542012

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 PR Newswire

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

Only in SmartNews

  • Machine learning curation
  • Smart Mode
  • Local news
  • Breaking alerts
  • Offline reading
  • Social sharing
  • News publishers
  • Ios support

What people use each for

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

PR Newswire

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

SmartNews

  • Daily newsnot PR Newswire
  • Local newsnot PR Newswire
  • Breaking newsnot PR Newswire
  • Quick readingnot 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)

SmartNews

  • No specific pricing published for SmartNews+ subscription
  • Requires visiting separate product page for pricing details
  • Subscription service model described but not detailed with costs

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

SmartNews

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Trending news
    • Local news
    • Smart Mode reading

Which should you pick?

Choose PR Newswire if

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

Choose SmartNews if

  • You need machine learning curation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Ios, Android.
  • You also want smart mode.
SmartNews review

Questions people ask

Is PR Newswire or SmartNews better?
Neither clearly leads. PR Newswire starts at On request and SmartNews at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, PR Newswire or SmartNews?
SmartNews has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for PR Newswire and Free for SmartNews.
Does PR Newswire or SmartNews run on more platforms?
PR Newswire runs on Web. SmartNews runs on Ios, Android.
Can I use SmartNews for free?
Yes. SmartNews has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. PR Newswire starts at On request.
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 SmartNews is typically brought in for.
What can PR Newswire do that SmartNews cannot?
PR Newswire covers Press release distribution, Multimedia support, Analytics & reporting, Targeted distribution. SmartNews covers Machine learning curation, Smart Mode, Local news, Breaking alerts.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

SmartNews: How much does SmartNews cost?

SmartNews does not publish specific subscription pricing on its main website. The vendor offers SmartNews+, described as a subscription service aggregating paid business news and coupons, but cost details must be found on the dedicated SmartNews+ product page.

Source
SmartNews: Does SmartNews offer a free tier?

SmartNews provides free access to curated news content. For additional business news and coupons, the vendor offers SmartNews+ as a paid subscription service. Pricing and trial details for SmartNews+ are available on the dedicated subscription product page.

Source
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