Best Practices

How Much Does a Press Release Cost in 2025? The Complete Pricing Guide

📝 By Anna Doran 📅 October 1, 2025 ⏱️ 8 min min read
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Press release costs range from €99 to €5,000+. Here's exactly what you get at each price point, and how to choose the right option for your business.
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How Much Does a Press Release Cost in 2025? The Complete Pricing Guide

You need to announce your product launch, funding round, or major partnership. You know a press release is the right move. But what should it cost?

The short answer: €99 to €5,000+, depending on what you need.

The complete answer: It depends on whether you want AI automation (€99-€399), freelance writing (€400-€800), PR agency services (€2,000-€5,000), or newswire distribution (€300-€10,000+).

Here's the breakdown of every option, what you actually get, and how to choose.

Option 1: AI-Powered Platforms (€99-€399)

What You Get

  • AI-generated press release (60 seconds)
  • SEO optimization (meta tags, structured data)
  • Domain verification
  • Publication on platform
  • Basic distribution (RSS, Google News)

Best For

  • Startups with limited budgets
  • SMBs needing frequent press releases
  • Product launches, funding announcements, partnerships
  • Companies comfortable with AI-assisted writing

Pressonify Pricing

Launch Tier (€99)

  • AI-powered press release generation (16-agent PydanticAI system)
  • SEO optimization (Schema.org NewsArticle, OpenGraph, Twitter Cards)
  • Domain verification (business email required)
  • Fraud detection & anti-hallucination checks
  • Publication on Pressonify.ai
  • Google News indexing
  • RSS feed inclusion
  • Basic analytics (views, clicks, referrers)

Best for: Single announcements, testing the platform

Growth Tier (€199)

  • Everything in Launch, plus:
  • AI Journalist Outreach Agent
  • Personalized pitch generation
  • Media Intelligence (10,000+ journalist contacts)
  • Social media content generation
  • Email outreach templates
  • Advanced analytics (engagement, conversion tracking)
  • Priority support (24-hour response time)

Best for: Companies wanting journalist coverage, not just publication

Scale Tier (€399)

  • Everything in Growth, plus:
  • Multi-platform distribution (syndication partners)
  • Custom journalist lists (tailored to your industry)
  • White-label options (your branding)
  • Dedicated account manager
  • API access (integrate with your systems)
  • Bulk pricing (5+ press releases per month)

Best for: Agencies, frequent publishers, enterprise companies

Pros

  • ✅ Fastest (60 seconds generation time)
  • ✅ Cheapest (€99-€399 vs €400-€5,000)
  • ✅ SEO-optimized automatically
  • ✅ Domain verification included
  • ✅ Journalist targeting (Growth/Scale tiers)

Cons

  • ⚠️ AI-generated content (requires human review)
  • ⚠️ Limited distribution compared to major newswires (Launch tier)
  • ⚠️ Not suitable for crisis communications or highly sensitive announcements

Option 2: Freelance Writers (€400-€800)

What You Get

  • Custom-written press release
  • 1-2 rounds of revisions
  • SEO-friendly (basic keyword optimization)
  • Delivered in 2-5 business days

Where to Find Them

  • Upwork, Fiverr, Freelancer
  • LinkedIn (search "freelance PR writer")
  • Content agencies (Contently, Skyword)

Typical Process

  1. Briefing call or questionnaire (30-60 minutes)
  2. First draft delivered (2-3 days)
  3. Revisions (1-2 rounds)
  4. Final delivery (5-7 days total)

Pros

  • ✅ Human-written (no AI tone)
  • ✅ Experienced writers understand PR conventions
  • ✅ Personalized service

Cons

  • ❌ Slow (5-7 days vs 60 seconds)
  • ❌ Expensive (€400-€800 per release)
  • ❌ Quality varies (depends on writer)
  • ❌ No distribution included (you handle that separately)
  • ❌ No SEO optimization unless you pay extra
  • ❌ No journalist outreach

Bottom line: Good for one-off announcements where you want human creativity, but not cost-effective for frequent publishing.

Option 3: PR Agencies (€2,000-€5,000 per release)

What You Get

  • Strategy consultation
  • Custom-written press release
  • Media list development
  • Journalist pitching
  • Follow-up with journalists
  • Reporting on coverage

Typical Retainer Model

Most PR agencies work on monthly retainers:
- Startup tier: €3,000-€5,000/month (1-2 releases)
- Growth tier: €5,000-€10,000/month (2-4 releases)
- Enterprise tier: €10,000-€50,000+/month (ongoing)

Per-Release Pricing (Less Common)

Some agencies offer per-release pricing:
- Standard release: €2,000-€3,000
- Major announcement: €3,000-€5,000
- Crisis communication: €5,000-€10,000+

Pros

  • ✅ Strategic guidance (when to announce, how to frame)
  • ✅ Journalist relationships (warm introductions)
  • ✅ High-touch service (multiple rounds of revisions)
  • ✅ Best for crisis communications (experienced handlers)

Cons

  • ❌ Very expensive (€2,000-€50,000+ per month)
  • ❌ Slow (1-2 weeks for releases)
  • ❌ High commitment (3-6 month retainers common)
  • ❌ Not cost-effective for frequent publishing
  • ❌ Results not guaranteed (you pay for effort, not coverage)

Bottom line: Best for companies with €50,000+ annual PR budgets, high-stakes announcements, or crisis situations.

Option 4: Newswire Services (€300-€10,000+ per release)

What You Get

  • Distribution to journalist databases
  • Publication on newswire network
  • SEO benefits (backlinks from high-authority sites)
  • Multimedia support (images, videos, PDFs)

Major Newswire Pricing

PR Newswire

  • Local release (single metro area): €500-€800
  • State/regional: €800-€1,500
  • National: €1,500-€3,000
  • International: €3,000-€10,000+
  • Multimedia add-ons: €200-€500

Business Wire

  • Regional: €800-€1,200
  • National: €2,000-€4,000
  • Global: €5,000-€15,000+

GlobeNewswire

  • US National: €1,200-€2,500
  • International: €2,000-€8,000

PRWeb (Budget Option)

  • Basic: €99 (limited distribution)
  • Standard: €200 (more visibility)
  • Advanced: €400 (full features)

Pros

  • ✅ Wide distribution (thousands of journalists, news sites)
  • ✅ SEO benefits (high-authority backlinks)
  • ✅ Media monitoring (track pickups)
  • ✅ Credibility (established newswire brands)

Cons

  • ❌ Very expensive (€500-€10,000+ per release)
  • ❌ No personalization (same release to everyone)
  • ❌ Low journalist engagement (most ignore mass distribution)
  • ❌ No writing services (you provide the release)
  • ❌ Declining value (journalists increasingly ignore newswires)

Bottom line: Best for public companies, major announcements, or when you need official "on the record" distribution. Less effective for startups and SMBs.

Option 5: DIY / Free Options (€0-€50)

What You Get

  • You write the press release yourself
  • Free publication on your website
  • Manual outreach to journalists
  • Free distribution via social media

Tools You'll Need

  • Writing software (Google Docs, free)
  • Journalist database (Hunter.io, €49/month for emails)
  • Email outreach tool (Mailchimp free tier or Gmail)
  • Analytics (Google Analytics, free)

Pros

  • ✅ Cheapest option (€0-€50)
  • ✅ Full control over messaging
  • ✅ No middlemen

Cons

  • ❌ Time-consuming (4-6 hours per release)
  • ❌ Requires PR writing skills
  • ❌ No domain verification (harder to reach journalists)
  • ❌ No SEO optimization (unless you're an expert)
  • ❌ Limited distribution (only as far as you can reach)
  • ❌ No analytics (unless you set up tracking)

Bottom line: Only viable if you have PR writing experience and lots of time. Most companies waste 4-6 hours and still produce subpar results.

Cost Comparison: What €1,000 Gets You

AI Platform (Pressonify)

  • €1,000 budget = 2-3 Scale tier releases (€399 each) OR 5 Growth tier releases (€199 each) OR 10 Launch tier releases (€99 each)
  • What you get: Professional AI-generated releases, SEO optimization, domain verification, journalist outreach (Growth/Scale), fast turnaround (60 seconds each)

Freelance Writer

  • €1,000 budget = 1-2 press releases
  • What you get: Human-written content, revisions, 5-7 day turnaround
  • What you DON'T get: Distribution, journalist outreach, SEO optimization (unless paid extra)

PR Agency

  • €1,000 budget = 0.2-0.5 releases (agencies charge €2,000-€5,000 per release)
  • What you get: Strategic guidance, journalist relationships, high-touch service

Newswire Service

  • €1,000 budget = 1-2 regional releases OR 0.3-0.5 national releases
  • What you get: Wide distribution, SEO backlinks
  • What you DON'T get: Writing services, personalization, guaranteed coverage

DIY

  • €1,000 budget = 20 press releases (€50 tools cost per release)
  • What you get: Full control
  • What you DON'T get: Time back (4-6 hours per release = 80-120 hours), professional quality, journalist contacts

How to Choose the Right Option

If You're a Startup

Best option: AI platform (Pressonify Growth tier, €199)

Why:
- Limited budget (can't afford €2,000-€5,000 per release)
- Need frequent publishing (product updates, milestones, partnerships)
- Want journalist outreach (not just publication)
- Fast turnaround (can't wait 5-7 days)

If You're an SMB

Best option: AI platform (Pressonify Launch or Growth tier, €99-€199)

Why:
- Cost-effective for regular publishing
- Professional quality without hiring agencies
- SEO benefits included
- Domain verification builds credibility

If You're an Enterprise

Best option: PR agency (€5,000-€20,000/month retainer) + AI platform (for frequent updates)

Why:
- Strategic guidance from agency
- Journalist relationships matter at scale
- AI platform handles routine announcements (product updates, partnerships)
- Agency handles high-stakes announcements (M&A, executive changes, crisis)

If You're a Public Company

Best option: PR agency + newswire distribution

Why:
- Regulatory requirements (official distribution channels)
- High-stakes announcements (earnings, executive changes)
- Need "on the record" distribution
- Budget isn't primary concern

If You Have One Major Announcement

Best option: Freelance writer (€400-€800) + newswire distribution (€500-€2,000)

Why:
- Human creativity for important announcement
- Professional writing quality
- Wide distribution for maximum impact
- One-time cost (no subscription)

The Hidden Costs

Time

  • DIY: 4-6 hours per release
  • Freelance writer: 1-2 hours (briefing, revisions)
  • PR agency: 2-4 hours (strategy calls, reviews)
  • AI platform: 10 minutes (input details, review output)

Opportunity Cost

What could you do with those 4-6 hours?
- Build product features
- Talk to customers
- Close deals
- Hire team members

Value of founder time: €200-€500/hour
Cost of 4-6 hours: €800-€3,000 in lost productivity

Learning Curve

  • DIY: Months to learn PR writing, SEO, journalist outreach
  • AI platform: 10 minutes to learn the interface
  • Freelance writer: Need to learn how to brief writers effectively
  • PR agency: Need to learn how to manage agency relationships

ROI: What's Worth It?

Pressonify (€99-€399)

  • Cost per release: €99-€399
  • Time investment: 10 minutes
  • Expected coverage: 2-5 journalist pickups (Growth/Scale tiers)
  • SEO value: €500-€1,500 (organic traffic from Google News)
  • Total value: €1,000-€7,500
  • ROI: 3x-19x

Freelance Writer (€400-€800)

  • Cost per release: €400-€800
  • Time investment: 1-2 hours
  • Expected coverage: 0 (no distribution included)
  • SEO value: €100-€300 (if you handle SEO yourself)
  • Total value: €100-€300
  • ROI: 0.1x-0.4x (negative ROI unless you add distribution)

PR Agency (€2,000-€5,000)

  • Cost per release: €2,000-€5,000
  • Time investment: 2-4 hours
  • Expected coverage: 5-20 journalist pickups (depending on agency relationships)
  • SEO value: €1,000-€5,000
  • Total value: €6,000-€25,000
  • ROI: 1.2x-5x (positive ROI if agency has strong relationships)

Newswire (€500-€3,000)

  • Cost per release: €500-€3,000
  • Time investment: 30 minutes (submit release)
  • Expected coverage: 0-2 journalist pickups (most ignore newswires)
  • SEO value: €300-€1,000 (backlinks from newswire network)
  • Total value: €300-€3,000
  • ROI: 0.1x-1x (barely breaks even)

The Bottom Line

For 90% of companies: AI platforms like Pressonify (€99-€399) offer the best value:
- 50x faster than manual writing
- 57-95% cheaper than agencies
- 3x-19x ROI
- Professional quality
- SEO optimization included
- Journalist outreach built-in (Growth/Scale tiers)

For high-stakes announcements: PR agencies (€2,000-€5,000) still make sense:
- Strategic guidance
- Journalist relationships
- Crisis management experience

For public companies: Newswire distribution (€500-€3,000) is required:
- Regulatory compliance
- Official distribution channels

For everyone else: Skip DIY, skip freelance writers, skip expensive newswires. Use AI automation and reinvest the savings into product and growth.

Get Started with Pressonify

Generate professional, SEO-optimized, domain-verified press releases in 60 seconds.

Pricing:
- Launch: €99 (perfect for testing)
- Growth: €199 (includes journalist outreach)
- Scale: €399 (full platform features)

Try it today: pressonify.ai/generate

Anna Doran is Head of Product at Pressonify.ai, where she leads development of the world's first 16-agent AI system for press releases, powered by PydanticAI. She previously managed PR strategy at Google and advised 200+ startups on media relations.