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News · head to head

Cision vs SmartNews

Cision logo

Cision

News

The complete PR and earned media platform

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: Cision no transparent pricing published for media monitoring and PR tools; SmartNews no specific pricing published for SmartNews+ subscription
  • They diverge on capability: Cision covers Media monitoring, SmartNews covers Machine learning curation.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cision and SmartNews actually diverge.

Attributes where Cision and SmartNews differ
AttributeCisionSmartNews
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidIos, Android
Founded18672012

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 Cision

  • Media monitoring
  • PR Newswire distribution
  • Media database
  • Analytics & reporting
  • Influencer identification
  • Salesforce
  • Google Analytics
  • Slack

Only in SmartNews

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

Both cover

  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

Cision

  • Press release distributionnot SmartNews
  • Media monitoringnot SmartNews
  • PR measurementnot SmartNews
  • Media outreachnot SmartNews
  • Crisis communicationsnot SmartNews

SmartNews

  • Daily newsnot Cision
  • Local newsnot Cision
  • Breaking newsnot Cision
  • Quick readingnot Cision

Where each one falls short

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

Cision

  • No transparent pricing published for media monitoring and PR tools

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

Cision

On request
  • Cision Communications CloudFree
    • Media monitoring
    • Media database
    • PR analytics
  • EnterpriseFree
    • Full platform access
    • PR Newswire distribution
    • Custom integrations

SmartNews

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Cision if

  • You need media monitoring.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want pr newswire distribution.
Cision 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 Cision or SmartNews better?
Neither clearly leads. Cision 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, Cision or SmartNews?
SmartNews has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Cision and Free for SmartNews.
Does Cision or SmartNews run on more platforms?
Cision runs on Web, Ios, Android. SmartNews runs on Ios, Android.
Can I use SmartNews for free?
Yes. SmartNews has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Cision starts at On request.
What is Cision best used for?
Cision is most often used for press release distribution, media monitoring, pr measurement, media outreach. Of those, press release distribution and media monitoring are not what SmartNews is typically brought in for.
What can Cision do that SmartNews cannot?
Cision covers Media monitoring, PR Newswire distribution, Media database, Analytics & reporting. SmartNews covers Machine learning curation, Smart Mode, Local news, Breaking alerts. Both handle Ios support, Android support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Cision: How much does Cision cost?

Cision does not publish standard pricing on its website. The company offers media monitoring, journalist outreach, and social listening tools through CisionOne platform with pricing based on media monitoring scope, number of keywords, and service level. Contact sales for quotes.

Source
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
Cision: What services does Cision offer?

Cision offers media monitoring, instant insights and reporting, journalist outreach, social listening and management, professional services, and CisionOne AI. All services are part of the CisionOne unified platform.

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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