PR Gun vs IssueWire (2026), IssueWire Pricing and Fit
By the PR Gun Research desk. Prices verified November 1, 2026.
Disclosure. This page is PR Gun's, and PR Gun sells a service that competes with IssueWire. IssueWire costs less than PR Gun at the entry level. We've put that up front.
IssueWire pricing on November 1, 2026 starts with one free release, then Tier 1 at $21, Tier 1 Pro at $42, Tier 2 at $45, Tier 2 Pro at $65 and Tier 2 Premium at $99 per release. PR Gun's tiers are $49, $99, $199 and $399. If the lowest price matters most, IssueWire wins, and Tier 1 Pro at $42 is its cheapest tier with U.S. nationwide distribution. PR Gun fits buyers who want writing, AP News and journalist outreach.
IssueWire vs PR Gun, line by line
| Criterion | PR Gun | IssueWire |
|---|---|---|
| Free option | None | First release only, sent to fewer sites |
| Paid tiers, per release | $49 / $99 / $199 / $399 | $21 / $42 / $45 / $65 / $99 |
| Price for one 400-word U.S. release | $49 to $399 by tier | $42, Tier 1 Pro, with U.S. nationwide distribution |
| Placements listed | Tiers are described by network, not placement count | 145+ on Tier 1 up to 700+ on Tier 2 Premium |
| Premium networks | FOX, NBC, CBS and ABC digital affiliates from PR Standard. AP News and USA Today on PR Max. | Premium News Network and a U.S. TV and radio network from Tier 2 |
| Word limit | None published. 450 to 800 words recommended. | Not published |
| Media | Not itemized on the pricing page | Up to 5 images, a YouTube or Vimeo embed and 4 anchor links on every tier |
| Writing | Pricing FAQ says writing is free | Not priced on the pricing page |
| Journalist contacts | 250 on PR Pro, 500 on PR Max | Not listed |
| Refunds | Before review starts | None once paid. Rejected releases get a credit. |
| Language | Not stated | English only |
| Trustpilot | No profile | 3.1 from 147 reviews |
IssueWire was also running a 15% off banner for the fourth quarter when we checked. Its page loads prices with JavaScript, so we read the values from the page code. Its FAQ separately confirms the $21 and $45 tier prices.
How much do IssueWire's bulk packs save?
IssueWire sells every tier in bundles. The per-release cost falls fast at volume, which makes it a strong option for frequent senders.
| Tier | 1 release | 10 releases | 100 releases |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | $21 | $180 | $960 |
| Tier 1 Pro | $42 | $350 | $3,000 |
| Tier 2 | $45 | $350 | $3,000 |
| Tier 2 Pro | $65 | $530 | $4,250 |
| Tier 2 Premium | $99 | $850 | Largest pack listed is 20, at $1,580 |
PR Gun's multi-packs work as percentages instead, 10% off at 3 releases up to 40% off at 24, on PR Standard, Pro and Max. Even at 40% off, PR Gun's tiers don't reach IssueWire's 100-pack rates.
What we can and can't measure
We hold no 2026 IssueWire sample in PR Gun's database of published press releases, so there are no output figures for IssueWire on this page. We won't guess at them. IssueWire's own pages do tell you a few useful things.
- Its FAQ says releases are reviewed in order, based on editorial queue volume.
- Releases submitted Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern, get published.
- It accepts English-language releases only.
- It offers a publicly traded company option, with eligible releases mentioned in Google Finance and Barcharts.
- Its terms are governed by the laws of India.
Choose IssueWire if...
- The lowest price matters most. Tier 1 at $21 is under half of PR Gun's $49 PR Basic.
- You want U.S. nationwide distribution under $50. Tier 1 Pro at $42 adds it.
- You send dozens of releases. 100 Tier 1 releases cost $960, or $9.60 each.
- You want a free first try. Your first release can go out free, to fewer sites.
- You want TV and radio network syndication on a budget. Tier 2 at $45 adds a U.S. TV and radio network.
Choose PR Gun if...
- You need writing. PR Gun's pricing FAQ says writing is free. IssueWire's pricing page doesn't price writing.
- You want AP News or USA Today. PR Max at $399 names both. AP News is also sold alone for $149.
- You want journalist outreach. The $199 PR Pro tier adds 250 journalist contacts from one category.
- You want a refund option. PR Gun refunds before review starts. IssueWire's terms rule out refunds once you pay.
Both services turn down some topics. IssueWire's FAQ rejects legal-case news and cryptocurrency releases unless they come from public or venture-backed companies. PR Gun's guidelines also exclude cryptocurrency sales, plus alcohol and politics. Check both lists before you buy.
IssueWire or PR Gun, by buyer type
Startup. Try IssueWire's free first release, then Tier 1 Pro at $42 for nationwide pickup. If your founder can't write, note that PR Gun's FAQ says writing is free, and PR Standard is $99.
Small business. For routine updates, IssueWire's bundles are hard to beat. For one big story where AP News matters, PR Max at $399 names it.
Agency. IssueWire's 200-pack pricing suits agencies with many small clients. PR Gun suits agencies that bill for written releases with journalist pitching.
Public company. IssueWire has a public-company option. PR Gun doesn't describe one. For regulated disclosure, look at the larger wires in PR Newswire vs Business Wire.
Want more on IssueWire alone? Read our IssueWire review. For other low-cost services, see cheap press release distribution.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does IssueWire cost?
- On November 1, 2026 IssueWire listed one free release, then $21 for Tier 1, $42 for Tier 1 Pro, $45 for Tier 2, $65 for Tier 2 Pro and $99 for Tier 2 Premium, per release.
- Is IssueWire cheaper than PR Gun?
- Yes. IssueWire's tiers run $21 to $99, and PR Gun's run $49 to $399. PR Gun includes writing per its FAQ and names AP News on PR Max.
- What is a good IssueWire alternative?
- If you want writing, AP News or journalist outreach, PR Gun is one alternative at $49 to $399. If you mainly want low prices, IssueWire's $21 Tier 1 was the lowest paid single-release price in our November 1, 2026 vendor check.
- Does IssueWire offer refunds?
- No. Its terms say paid Tier 1 and Tier 2 credits aren't refunded. A rejected release gets a credit instead.
- Is IssueWire free?
- Only your first release, and it goes to fewer sites than a paid tier, per IssueWire's FAQ.
- Which IssueWire tier includes U.S. nationwide distribution?
- Tier 1 Pro at $42 is the lowest tier with "New US Nationwide Distribution" checked on IssueWire's pricing page.
How we researched this
- IssueWire pricing, FAQ, about and terms pages, read November 1, 2026. Prices were read from the pricing page's data attributes and checked against the FAQ text.
- PR Gun pricing, premium, guidelines and terms pages, read November 1, 2026.
- Trustpilot read November 1, 2026. G2 and Capterra blocked our requests.
- No 2026 IssueWire sample exists in PR Gun's database of published press releases, so this page has no corpus figures.
- PR Gun sells press release distribution and competes with the services on this page.
Want it written and pitched? PR Gun's PR Pro at $199 includes 250 journalist contacts, and its pricing FAQ says writing is free. See PR Gun pricing.
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