Press Release Distribution Pricing (2026), 22 Services Compared

By the PR Gun Research desk. Prices verified November 1, 2026.

Press release distribution pricing runs from $0 to $965 per release at the services that publish prices, checked November 1, 2026. For one 400-word U.S. national release, published prices start at $42 (IssueWire Tier 1 Pro) and top out at $965 (Newswire.com Feature). EIN Presswire Basic costs $149 and eReleases Buzz Builder costs $399. PR Newswire, Cision and GlobeNewswire are quote only. Business Wire publishes one price, $475 for 400 words on a U.S. local circuit. Word limits and add-ons are where the cost moves most.

How much does press release distribution cost in 2026?

The table lists every service we checked on November 1, 2026. Each name links to the vendor's own pricing page. The "400-word U.S. release" column is our common unit. It shows the lowest package the vendor itself describes as U.S. national, AP or PR Newswire distribution, so you can compare like with like.

Where a vendor doesn't publish a price, we say quote only. We never estimate one.

Read the middle column with care. "National" means different things at different vendors. EIN Presswire lists AP News placement in every package but sends to the USA TODAY Network based on relevance. IssueWire's $42 tier is national by IssueWire's own label. PRWeb doesn't call any package national at all.

What can you buy at each budget?

Here is what each price band buys, using only the packages vendors published on November 1, 2026.

Where do the hidden costs come from?

The sticker price is rarely the final bill. Four things change it.

Word limits and overage fees

This is the biggest one. Some packages include only 375 to 500 words, and real releases run longer.

• In PR Gun's database, the median PR Newswire release ran 615 words (82,398 releases published January 4 to October 31, 2026).
• In PR Gun's database, the median EIN Presswire release ran 834 words (6,796 releases published February 18 to October 30, 2026). That's above the 700-word limit on EIN's $149 Basic package.
• In PR Gun's database, the median release on 24-7 Press Release ran 525 words (5,331 releases published December 31, 2025 to October 30, 2026). That's above the 375-word limit on 24-7's $479 Mass Media Visibility plan.
• In PR Gun's database, the median PRLog release ran 394 words (2,275 releases published September 20 to October 30, 2026), inside PRLog's 500-word limit.

Here is what overage rules do to a 615-word release, using only the vendors' published rules.

• eReleases charges $150 per block of 100 words "or fraction of a block." On Buzz Builder ($399, 400 words) a 615-word release adds three blocks, so $849 before other add-ons. On Newsmaker ($499, 500 words) it adds two blocks, so $799.
• Send2Press S2P+Cision Pro ($699, 400 words) charges $195 per 100 words or fraction. Three blocks make it $1,284.
• 24-7 charges $110 per 100 words over 375 on Mass Media Visibility. It doesn't say whether a partial block counts as a full one, so we can't give an exact total.
• Business Wire bills longer releases in 100-word increments but doesn't publish the increment price.
• Newswire.com says its prices "cover unlimited words and images." 24-7's plans below $479 and IssueWire publish no word cap.

Before you pick a package, count your words. Then check the limit. Our guide to writing a press release covers how to keep a release tight without cutting the facts reporters need.

Multimedia and extras

eReleases lists image embedding at $150 and a YouTube embed at $200 as add-ons, plus an extra industry list, local saturation or an influencer list at $150 each. Send2Press includes image and YouTube embeds free. IssueWire includes up to 5 images and a YouTube or Vimeo embed on every tier. EIN Presswire's image count rises with the package, from 1 on Basic to 5 on Corporate.

Journalist outreach is often a separate line. PR Gun sells Media Outreach at $75 per category of 250 curated journalist contacts. PRWeb puts one industry journalist email list in its $360 Advanced package.

Circuits and geography

Big wires price by circuit. Business Wire's $475 covers a U.S. local circuit only. Regional, national and international circuits are quote-based. eReleases charges $150 per extra country or $1,000 for global. Newswire.com sells one state for $599, and says that tier isn't for regulatory distribution.

Credits, expiry and refunds

Multi-packs lower the per-release price, but credits expire and refunds are narrow.

• EIN Presswire credits are usable within 365 days. Refunds are prorated if you bought within 60 days and used under 25% of credits.
• PR Underground bulk credits are valid 6 months. NewswireJet subscription credits must be used within 30 days.
• openPR credits lapse after three years, and editing or deleting a published release costs 10 EUR.
• PR Gun credits expire 365 days after purchase. Refunds apply only before a release enters review.
• 24-7 issues no refunds once a release is distributed. IssueWire gives a credit, not a refund, for rejected releases.

How much does it cost to put a press release on AP News?

Several low-cost services publish a price that names AP. Check the exact wording, because "AP News," "AP Newsroom" and an "AP push" aren't the same product.

• 24-7 Press Release PR Network Plus, $89, adds AP Newsroom.
• EIN Presswire Basic, $149, lists AP News placement.
• PR Gun lists AP News on its Premium Media page at $149 per release, shown against $399 struck through. PR Max at $399 includes AP News and USA Today.
• Send2Press U.S. National Basic, $199, includes an AP push to daily and trade media.
• PR.com's $300 package adds AP Newsroom and APNews.com.
• eReleases Buzz Builder, $399, lists AP inclusion.
• Newswire.com Basic, $659, includes AP News.

What does PR Newswire cost?

PR Newswire has no public rate card. Its /pricing page returned 404 on November 1, 2026, so the only exact answer is a written quote. Our PR Newswire pricing page covers what to ask for.

Several resellers publish a price that includes PR Newswire distribution. eReleases sends national over PR Newswire from $399. PRLog sells a PR Newswire add-on at $389 per release. PRWeb Standard at $245 adds syndication "powered by PR Newswire." PR Underground US National at $419.99 includes the PR Newswire and Cision network. Send2Press sells S2P+Cision Basic at $599 and Pro at $699. 24-7's PR Newswire plan is $479.

For Business Wire's published local price and how it compares, see Business Wire pricing.

Is flat-rate press release pricing real?

Yes, at most low-cost services. 24-7 Press Release and Send2Press both say their prices are per release with no membership. Business Wire says flat-rate packages exist "for qualifying U.S. customers" but publishes no flat-rate price.

If you send often, bulk packs bring the per-release price down. These are the published figures.

For the full low-cost picture, see cheap press release distribution.

Which price fits which buyer?

Startup announcing a launch. You want Google News visibility and a link you can share, on a small budget. IssueWire's $42 Tier 1 Pro and EIN Presswire's $149 Basic both list Google News. Check the word limit first. If you need a PR Newswire line on the release, eReleases at $399 includes 400 words, so keep the release short or budget for overage.

Small business with local news. You care about one city or state, not the whole country. Newswire.com sells one state at $599. Send2Press sells U.S. State Basic at $129. If online pickup is enough, a sub-$100 plan works.

Agency sending for clients. Per-release cost and credit rules matter more than the single price. Compare EIN Presswire Corporate at $66.60 a release, PR Underground at $37.50 a release in packs of 30, or PR Gun's multi-packs at up to 40% off. Then check how long credits last.

Public company. The low-cost tier mostly doesn't say it handles regulatory disclosure. PRLog's PR Newswire add-on isn't available for public-company content, and Newswire.com's state tier isn't for regulatory distribution. Get written quotes from the quote-only wires and ask them to name what they cover.

If price is only one factor for you, our best press release distribution services ranking scores reach, word terms, refunds and turnaround as well.

Frequently asked questions

How much does press release distribution cost in 2026?

At services that publish prices, $0 to $965 per release as of November 1, 2026. A 400-word U.S. national release starts at $42 at IssueWire, $149 at EIN Presswire and $399 at eReleases. PR Newswire, Cision and GlobeNewswire are quote only.

How much does a press release cost on PR Newswire?

PR Newswire doesn't publish a rate card, so you need a written quote. Resellers publish prices that include PR Newswire distribution, such as eReleases from $399 and PRLog's $389 add-on.

How much does it cost to put a press release out on AP?

Published options start at $89 for 24-7 Press Release's AP Newsroom plan and $149 for EIN Presswire Basic with AP News. PR.com's $300 package and PR Gun's $399 PR Max also include AP distribution.

Why do some press releases cost more than the package price?

Word overages, add-ons and circuits. eReleases charges $150 per extra 100 words, so a 615-word release on its $399 package costs $849. Images, extra lists and extra countries add more.

What does Business Wire cost?

Business Wire publishes $475 for a 400-word release on a U.S. local circuit. National, regional and international circuits are quote only.

Is there flat-rate press release distribution?

Most low-cost services charge a flat price per release with no membership, for example 24-7 Press Release and Send2Press. Business Wire offers flat-rate packages to qualifying U.S. customers but doesn't publish the price.