Updated October 20, 2026. First published September 2, 2026.
PR Newswire no longer shows prices on its own website. Both of its pricing addresses, prnewswire.com/pricing/ and prnewswire.com/account/pricing/, returned a 404 when we checked on October 19, 2026. The most recent public figures start at $355 for a 400-word state release, $650 for a top-market release and $850 for national US distribution. Prezly, which tracks wire pricing, reports that those prices were on PR Newswire’s own pricing page until the page was withdrawn. Extra words, images, wider circuits and translation are quoted individually.
Those numbers replace the ones most guides still repeat, including the first version of this page: a $195 annual membership plus $805 for a 400-word national release. They came from older rate cards and third-party trackers, and they should not go into a 2026 budget.
There is also a second account, from a source with good reason to know, and it does not match. eReleases, which resells PR Newswire distribution, says PR Newswire’s price list runs from $715–$865 for a 500-word local release to more than $1,500 for national distribution, plus a $305 setup fee. Two well-placed sources, two sets of numbers. That is what pricing looks like when a company sells through quotes.
PR Newswire pricing at a glance (October 2026)
PR Newswire publishes none of these figures today. Each one is attributed to the source that reports it, with the date it was read.
| What you buy | Reported price | Source · date |
|---|---|---|
| State circuit, up to 400 words | $355 | Prezly, from PR Newswire’s withdrawn pricing page · updated Sep 21, 2026 |
| Top-market circuit, up to 400 words | $650 | Prezly · updated Sep 21, 2026 |
| National US circuit, up to 400 words | $850 | Prezly · updated Sep 21, 2026 |
| Four releases of 400 words, with a company logo and free membership | $2,395 state · $3,095 top-market · $3,895 national | Prezly · updated Sep 21, 2026 |
| Local city/state release, 500 words | $715–$865, plus a $305 setup fee | eReleases (a PR Newswire reseller), quoting “the Cision PR Newswire price list” · Oct 19, 2026 |
| National release, 500 words | More than $1,500, plus a $305 setup fee | eReleases · Oct 19, 2026 |
| Membership | Unclear: the bundles listed free membership (Prezly); eReleases says PR Newswire members pay an annual fee | Prezly · Sep 21, 2026; eReleases · Oct 19, 2026 |
| Extra words, images, video, a logo on a single release, translation, international circuits | Not published; quoted | — |
The figures in older guides — a $195 membership, $805 national, $245 to $275 for each extra 100 words, about $325 per image and $495 for a logo — are historical. Prezly’s advice about the membership figure applies to all of them: “Do not copy the membership price from an old rate card.”
The pricing page has gone
For a while PR Newswire did something unusual for one of the big wires: it printed starting prices. Prezly says the page “recently disappeared from its live navigation and now returns a 404, although current search records still expose the published prices.” We could not see it ourselves. On October 19, 2026 both addresses returned a 404, and there was no rate card anywhere else on the site.
That leaves a buyer where buyers of PR Newswire have usually been. You request a quote, speak to a salesperson, and the number arrives afterwards. This is normal in enterprise software and unusual in a product many people buy once. A communications manager with one funding announcement cannot answer “what will this cost?” without entering a sales process, and the sales process is itself a cost, measured in time.
It also means the search results for PR Newswire’s pricing belong to other people: competitors, review sites and resellers, this page included. Read all of us with that in mind.
Why the sources disagree
The two current accounts are not as far apart as they look, and the gaps are instructive.
- Different word counts. Prezly’s starting prices cover 400 words. The eReleases figures are for 500.
- Different circuits. “State”, “top market” and “local city/state” are not necessarily the same distribution.
- Starting price or list price. Prezly reports starting prices. eReleases says it is quoting the price list, and it adds a $305 setup fee that Prezly does not mention.
- Different interests. eReleases sells national PR Newswire distribution in its own packages, so it has a commercial reason to make the direct route look expensive. It is also well placed to know the list.
One more detail deserves a second look. The four-release bundles work out at about $599, $774 and $974 a release, which is more than the single-release starting prices, and they are the offers listed with a company logo and free membership. Prezly notes that the single-release cards “did not fully explain account or membership requirements.” If you are quoted for a single release, ask in writing whether a logo and membership are included.
The word count is the trap
If you take one thing from this page, take this: the starting price buys 400 words. That is short. A standard corporate announcement with a headline, dateline, three body paragraphs, two quotes and a boilerplate runs comfortably past it.
PR Newswire does not publish what the next 100 words cost, and nor does Business Wire. eReleases, which sells national distribution over PR Newswire, does: $150 for each extra block of 100 words, or part of one. Here is one 700-word national US release with a single photograph, priced every way the public figures allow.
| Route | Price | How it adds up | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| PR Newswire, national | $850 plus quoted extras | $850 for the first 400 words; the other 300 words and the photo are quoted | Reported (Prezly) |
| PR Newswire, by eReleases’ account of the list | More than $1,805 plus quoted extras | More than $1,500 for 500 words, plus the $305 setup fee; the other 200 words and the photo are quoted | Reported (eReleases) |
| Business Wire, national | $940 plus quoted extras | $940 for the first 400 words; extra words and multimedia are quoted | Reported (Prezly) |
| eReleases Buzz Builder | $849, or $999 with the photo embedded | $399 for 400 words, plus 3 × $150 for 300 extra words. Two images are included; embedding one in the body is another $150 | Published |
| Presswire, North America | $250 | Flat rate: no word-count surcharge; images and embedded video included | Published |
Arithmetic shown so you can check it. eReleases describes its service as a “custom national distribution” over Cision PR Newswire, so it is not necessarily identical to buying PR Newswire’s own national circuit. eReleases also offers first-time customers 30% off.
Notice how much of each wire row is the word “quoted”. On the direct wires, the parts of the bill that grow fastest, length and attachments, are exactly the parts nobody publishes. That is the single biggest reason quoted prices surprise people. It is not that the base rate is hidden. It is that the base rate is not what you will pay.
How PR Newswire compares: per-release prices, October 2026
Published on the provider’s own website
| Provider | Published price | What that price covers | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| EIN Presswire (not connected with Presswire) | $149 | 1 release, up to 700 words, 1 embedded image. Also $499 for 5 (plus 1 free, a limited-time offer) and $999 for 15 | Oct 19, 2026 |
| PRWeb (Cision) | $120 | Basic tier: search visibility and unlimited media assets. $245 adds syndication to 1,200+ websites; $360 and $480 add an email to one industry journalist list | Oct 20, 2026 |
| Presswire | $250 | One region: UK, Europe, North America or Asia. Human editorial check, no word-count surcharge, images and embedded video included. Worldwide is $400 | Oct 7, 2026 |
| eReleases | $399 | 400 words, national distribution over Cision PR Newswire, 1 industry list, 2 images (eReleases is a PR Newswire reseller) | Oct 19, 2026 |
| Business Wire | $475 | 400 words, US domestic local distribution. Its words: “Starting price for 400 words, U.S. domestic local distribution” | Oct 12, 2026 |
| PR Newswire | Not published | prnewswire.com/pricing/ and prnewswire.com/account/pricing/ both return a 404 | Oct 19, 2026 |
| GlobeNewswire | Not published | No rate card on its site; registration is free and distribution is quoted (Prezly) | Oct 9, 2026 |
Reported, not on the provider’s own website
| Provider | Reported price | Reported by |
|---|---|---|
| PR Newswire | $355 state, $650 top markets, $850 national (400 words); four-release bundles $2,395, $3,095 and $3,895 | Prezly, updated Sep 21, 2026, from PR Newswire’s own pricing page before it was withdrawn |
| PR Newswire | $715–$865 local city/state and more than $1,500 national (500 words), plus a $305 setup fee | eReleases’ pricing page, quoting PR Newswire’s price list · Oct 19, 2026 |
| Business Wire | $510 regional and $940 national (400 words); five-release flat-rate bundles of $2,595 local, $3,495 regional and $4,495 national, with unlimited words, for qualifying customers’ non-earnings releases; no membership fee, according to Business Wire’s FAQ | Prezly, updated Sep 21, 2026, which attributes the figures to Business Wire |
| GlobeNewswire | About $350 to $900 per release, an estimate | ITQlick, updated Oct 19, 2026. Prezly (Oct 9, 2026) found no rate card and gives no figure |
On starting prices alone, PR Newswire’s last public national figure ($850) sits below the $940 Prezly reports for Business Wire, and its $355 state tier below Business Wire’s published $475 local price. Neither comparison is like for like. The circuits are defined differently, and the extras that decide the invoice are quoted at both. For the whole US market, including a full worked invoice, see how much press release distribution costs in the USA.
What flat-rate distribution costs instead
For comparison, here is Presswire’s own published rate card. You can read it without speaking to anyone, and the price does not change with the length of your release.
| Presswire service | Price |
|---|---|
| Press release distribution, one region: UK, Europe, North America or Asia | $250 per release |
| Press release distribution, worldwide | $400 per release |
| PA Mediapoint: official partner placement on the Press Association’s newswire | $235 per release |
| AP online syndication: guaranteed publication on 400+ news sites led by the Associated Press | $290 per release |
| Tracking Report | $95 per release |
| Translation and geo-targeted distribution, up to 500 words | $380 per language |
| Media monitoring for one month | $235 per release |
No membership fee and no word-count surcharges. Every release includes a human editorial check and test-send, a bespoke media list, and images and embedded video at no extra cost. Prices exclude VAT; any VAT is shown at checkout before you pay. GBP and EUR prices are on our pricing page, and UK buyers can compare the British market in how much press release distribution costs in the UK.
The honest comparison is not $250 against a four-figure wire invoice. It is $250 against whatever PR Newswire quotes you, for a different product, so it is worth being clear about what the difference buys.
When PR Newswire is genuinely the right answer
PR Newswire is a serious operation with circuits no small service matches, and there are announcements for which it is the correct and possibly the only choice.
- Regulated financial disclosure. If you have a disclosure obligation and need distribution that meets your exchange’s or regulator’s requirements, that is infrastructure, and infrastructure costs money. Presswire can arrange regulated disclosure distribution on request, including Reg FD-compliant releases and SEC EDGAR filings, so it is worth asking for that quote alongside PR Newswire’s.
- Genuinely simultaneous launches across many markets. Multi-market, multi-language, tightly timed. Its circuit network is built for that.
- Volume programs. Bundles and negotiated contracts change the arithmetic. The last public national bundle was $3,895 for four releases, and an enterprise program is a different conversation again.
What the price does not buy, at any tier, is a guarantee that a journalist writes about you. No distributor can sell that, ourselves included. Distribution puts your announcement in front of people who might; the story does the rest.
How to get a comparable number
If you are pricing a release across several providers, the quotes will not be comparable unless you force them to be. Four questions do most of the work:
- How many words does the base price include, and what does each additional block cost? This is the largest hidden variable in the market.
- Are images, video, a logo and attachments included or charged? On flat-rate services they are usually included. On the American wires they are usually quoted.
- Is there a membership, setup fee, subscription or minimum commitment on top of the per-release price? Public sources disagree about PR Newswire’s, so get the answer in writing.
- What exactly does the release reach: journalists, a syndication network, or both? These are different products sold under the same name, and the price difference between them is often smaller than the difference in what you get.
Ask a provider that publishes prices and the answers are already on the page. Ask one that does not, and you will get them from a salesperson, once you have explained your budget.
If it is media in North America, Europe, the UK or Asia you need to reach, Presswire’s press release distribution is $250 per release for one region and $400 worldwide, with no membership and no word-count charges, and every release gets a human editorial check before it is sent. The full rate card, in USD, GBP and EUR, is on the pricing page. If you are still choosing between services rather than pricing one, our comparison of the best press release distribution services sets out who each one suits.
Frequently asked questions
How much does PR Newswire cost per press release?
PR Newswire no longer publishes its prices. The last public starting prices, which Prezly reports were on PR Newswire’s own pricing page until it was withdrawn, were $355 for a 400-word state release, $650 for top markets and $850 for national US distribution. eReleases, a PR Newswire reseller, quotes PR Newswire’s price list at $715–$865 for a 500-word local release and more than $1,500 national, plus a $305 setup fee. Extra words, images and wider circuits are quoted.
Does PR Newswire publish its prices?
Not any more. Both prnewswire.com/pricing/ and prnewswire.com/account/pricing/ returned a 404 on October 19, 2026. Prezly reports that PR Newswire’s pricing page listed US starting prices until it was withdrawn. Pricing is now handled through a sales conversation.
Is there a PR Newswire membership fee?
Public sources do not agree. Prezly reports that the four-release bundles listed free membership and that the single-release prices did not explain account terms. eReleases says PR Newswire members pay an annual fee. The $195 figure in older guides is historical. Ask for membership, setup and renewal terms in writing.
Why do different sites quote different PR Newswire prices?
Because they are describing different things: a starting price or a list price, 400 words or 500, a state circuit or a local one, figures read this year or copied from an old rate card. Until PR Newswire prints a price again, nobody outside a quote can tell you which is current.
Is PR Newswire more expensive than Business Wire?
On public starting prices for 400 words, not necessarily. PR Newswire’s last public figures were $355 state and $850 national. Business Wire publishes $475 for local distribution, and Prezly reports $510 regional and $940 national. The circuits are defined differently and the extras are quoted at both, so compare complete quotes for the same release. Our Business Wire vs PR Newswire comparison sets the two side by side.
What are the alternatives to PR Newswire?
For regulated financial disclosure, realistically Business Wire or GlobeNewswire; Business Wire publishes a $475 starting price and GlobeNewswire publishes none. For national distribution over PR Newswire at a published price, eReleases starts at $399 for 400 words. For corporate, product and funding announcements aimed at journalists, Presswire is $250 for one region and $400 worldwide, with no membership or word-count charges. We compare ten of them, with dated prices, in PR Newswire alternatives.
How we checked. PR Newswire’s two pricing addresses and the eReleases and EIN Presswire pricing pages were read on October 19, 2026; Business Wire’s pricing page was read in a browser on October 20, 2026; Presswire’s rates are those live on its pricing page since October 7, 2026. “Published” means taken from the provider’s own website on that date. “Reported” means attributed to a named third party and not the provider’s official rate. This page was first published on September 2, 2026 and updated on October 20, 2026 to replace superseded PR Newswire figures. Rates change, so check before you budget.