Tools and providers
Part of Press release distribution supplier selection framework
Press release distribution supplier comparison: judging control, not promotional nouns
Compare announcement route categories and a manual baseline on identical controllable outputs, evidence, data, rights, costs and exit fields.
What to take away
- Match the job to the route first. UK trade press fits Pressat, ResponseSource or JournoLink, while wider reach fits a wire such as PR Newswire or GlobeNewswire.
- The buyer rarely controls reach. PR Newswire, Business Wire and GlobeNewswire run their own networks and refund nothing after send.
- Self-service tools let you configure the send, not the editorial outcome.
- Every figure below is an indicative range. Ask for a written quote naming the service, UK availability and the refund position.
Match the job to the route
Best-fit route
- UK trade press
- Pressat, ResponseSource or JournoLink
- Global wire
- PR Newswire, Business Wire or GlobeNewswire
- Cost-led first release
- Pressat or EIN Presswire
Reason
- UK trade press
- UK outlets and opted-in journalist lists
- Global wire
- Network reach across media, sites and databases
- Cost-led first release
- Self-service setup at the lowest entry price
A market-sensitive announcement needs a wire with a named disclosure feed, so check that service's own reporting and timestamp terms before you buy.
How the seven providers compare
| Provider | Evidence returned | Indicative price |
|---|---|---|
| PR Newswire (Cision) | Delivery and pickup reports, analytics | £400 to £1,500 per release |
| Business Wire | NewsTrak reports with impressions and clicks | £500 to £2,000 per release |
| GlobeNewswire (Notified) | Analytics dashboard, pickup report | £350 to £1,200 per release |
| Pressat | Distribution and syndication report | from £60 plus VAT |
| ResponseSource | Delivery report to opted-in list | from £150 plus VAT |
| EIN Presswire | Distribution report, online pickup | from $99 |
| JournoLink | Send report, media list | £20 to £60 per month |
Control divides along network lines. PR Newswire, Business Wire and GlobeNewswire choose the endpoints their networks carry. Pressat and EIN Presswire hand configuration to the buyer. ResponseSource and JournoLink send to journalists who opted into alerts.
Every price here is an indicative range drawn from published packages, and it changes. VAT is excluded unless stated. Ask for a written quote naming the exact service, UK availability and what the fee covers. The costs and budget guide sets out the ledgers behind those figures.
Example: PR Newswire against Pressat on one announcement
Take one approved 500-word product launch with UK and US readers, sent through each supplier.
- ControlPR Newswire sets its endpoints, while Pressat lets you choose UK categories and outlets.
- EvidencePR Newswire returns delivery and pickup reports, and Pressat returns a distribution and syndication report.
- Rightsboth expect a distribution licence, and you keep copyright. Check media, territory, term and alterations.
- Costindicative figures are £400 to £1,500 for PR Newswire and from £60 plus VAT for Pressat. Neither refunds after send.
Choose PR Newswire when the job needs network reach and cross-market reporting. Choose Pressat for UK trade press on a tight budget.
Control, rights and exit checklist
- Name the legal entity and the exact service.
- Define what accepted means and who creates that state.
- Confirm paid placement is identified apart from earned coverage.
- List every right you grantcopy, logos, images, video, monitoring extracts, archives.
- Record correction, export, deletion and exit terms, including refunds.
The word accepted is the term most likely to mislead. It may mean the supplier received a file, not that a publisher displayed anything.
Is the state evidence?
Who creates the state?
record creator and trigger
ask for endpoint evidence
Rights follow a common pattern. The buyer keeps copyright and grants a distribution licence covering media, territory, term and alterations. The IPO's copyright ownership guidance notes that the creator is usually first owner and commissioned work does not transfer automatically.
Exit clauses usually mean no refund after send. Check the contract issues to settle with a distribution service before you sign.
Contact data and paid placement rules
A supplier's contact count is not permission to email those people. The ICO's B2B marketing guidance says public personal data is not automatic agreement to marketing. Under UK GDPR you need a lawful basis, and PECR sets separate rules for electronic marketing.
Keep a record for any list you hold or buy. Note the source, the purpose, the recipients, the retention period and every objection or suppression. If a supplier builds the list, ask for the provenance and the lawful basis in writing.
Where a package includes paid placement, CAP Code Section 2 requires a clear distinction between advertising and editorial. Do not let a supplier blend paid space into earned media language.
Common questions
Which route should a UK startup choose for a first release?
Pressat or EIN Presswire if self-service setup and a low entry price matter. ResponseSource or JournoLink if the target is UK journalists. Ask for a written quote either way.
Is a bought media list safe to email?
Not automatically. The data protection walkthrough follows a record from provenance to deletion, which is the check a bought list needs.
Do I keep copyright when I distribute a release?
A release usually keeps the buyer as copyright owner while the supplier takes a distribution licence. Check media, territory, term and alterations in writing.
What does an accepted status prove?
Only that the supplier's system recorded an event you have not defined. Ask who creates the state and whether a failure appears in the report.
