Press release distribution cost: what you pay for, and which outlets you get

What determines press release distribution cost?

Short answer: four things. Where the release goes is the main variable; then the number of resellers in between, add-ons, and whether writing or translation is billed separately.

What do the wires charge? Prices they publish themselves

Short answer: a few wires publish prices on their own websites, and they differ in structure as much as in amount. Others don't publish a price list at all, so you contact their sales team for a quote. The table lists only prices each company publishes on its own site, checked on 22 October 2026; they change, so confirm on the page before you decide.

We can't verify figures for PR Newswire or GlobeNewswire because neither publishes a price list on its website; we found no pricing page on either site when we checked. If you are comparing them, ask for a written quote that answers the five questions in our guide to choosing a service.

Source: Business Wire: Pricing & Distribution Plans (from US$475 for 400 words on a US local circuit; checked 2026-10-22)

Source: PRWeb: Pricing (per news release)

Source: EIN Presswire: Pricing

Source: ACCESS Newswire: PR Software Subscription Pricing

• Five questions to ask before you pay: how to choose a press release distribution service →

Which outlets will a press release appear on?

Short answer: in the US, a distributed release usually appears on four kinds of site: financial portals and wire sites, newspaper sites, TV and radio station sites, and local news and trade sites. The table gives examples with estimated monthly traffic.

Financial portals reach investors and business readers, which suits milestones, partnerships and market entry. Newspaper sites reach general and local readers. TV and radio station sites are numerous and widespread, which suits consumer brands that want reach. Local news and trade sites are the largest and lowest-cost group, good for routine news and a first test.

Outlets normally label where a release came from and keep it in a news or press release section, separate from their own reporting. That is the convention. What you get is your official statement, dated, on a site readers know, where customers and AI tools can find it later.

Source: Vokolla: Partner media list (DR and monthly visits are third-party estimates, October 2026)

• See the full partner media list (type, location, authority, monthly visits) →

Can you pay for a journalist to cover you?

Short answer: no. A story a journalist chooses to write can't be bought. Treat any promise of guaranteed coverage or a guaranteed front page as a red flag.

What you can do is make the release worth reporting and send a short, relevant pitch to the few journalists who cover your beat. Our playbook covers both.

• How to get your company featured in major media: a writing and distribution playbook →

How should you budget at each stage?

Short answer: use an entry package for a first test and routine news, a broad network for launches, add named major outlets for real milestones, and a concentrated high-traffic network to build international visibility.

Disclosure: I'm the founder of Vokolla. The examples use our published packages because the prices and outlets can be checked on our site; you can apply the same logic to any provider's quote.

Source: Vokolla: Publishing packages and prices

What does a year of press releases cost?

Short answer: for six releases in a year, our example comes to US$1,804. It's an illustration, not a recommended fixed mix.

One Global Impact release (US$659) for the year's biggest milestone; two Premium Media releases (2 × US$379 = US$758) for a product launch and a trade show such as CES or your industry's main event; three Global Reach releases (3 × US$129 = US$387) for routine news. Total: 659 + 758 + 387 = US$1,804, and a clear, dated timeline in the public record.

Compare that with advertising. When ad spend stops, the traffic stops. A release needs no further payment to stay online; it stays on the publisher's site for as long as the publisher keeps it.

• Why a timeline matters: why press releases matter →

How do you avoid wasting money on press release distribution?

Short answer: be careful with five things: no outlet list, guarantees, no rejection or refund rules, screenshots instead of links, and prices far below everyone else's.

• 'Hundreds of outlets' without a list you can see.
• Promises of a guaranteed headline, guaranteed journalist coverage or guaranteed rankings.
• No written rules on rejections and refunds. Ask before you pay.
• Screenshots instead of live links, which you can't verify.
• A price far below the market. Ask for a sample report first.

Where are Vokolla's prices and rules published?

Short answer: packages, prices, the partner media list and the refund policy are all public on our site. Opaque pricing is what made media coverage feel like something only large companies could afford; publishing the price is the first step to fixing that.

The rules are written down. Until a release is submitted, you can cancel it in your workspace for a full refund. If editors reject a release, you can revise it and resubmit; after three submissions without approval the order is refunded in full. If one outlet in a package doesn't accept the release while the others publish it, you can revise and resubmit to that outlet, or take a refund of that outlet's share, calculated from your package price. After publication, the report lists every live link. You pay by card, and invoices are available in your account.

Every release is subject to editorial review, and each outlet decides whether to publish it. An outlet list is not a promise of placement.

Source: Vokolla: Publishing packages and prices

Source: Vokolla: Partner media list (DR and monthly visits are third-party estimates, October 2026)

Source: Vokolla: Refund policy (updated 16 October 2026)

• Read the refund policy →
• See the partner media list →

How did we check the facts in this guide?

Competitor prices are only those each company publishes on its own website, checked on 22 October 2026 and cited above; we did not use third-party price lists or quotes. Monthly visits come from Vokolla's media list and are third-party estimates as of October 2026, which change over time. Vokolla's packages, coverage and refund rules were checked against our pricing, media list and refund policy pages.

The US$1,804 budget is an illustration at published prices, not a customer case. This guide was researched and drafted by Vokolla with AI assistance, every fact was checked against its original source, and the author reviewed it.

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about price and outlets.