These are 13 of the best press release distribution services you can submit a press release with in 2020. From high-end pricey options, to budget for startups, there's a newswire for distributing you can use right here.

UPDATED AUGUST 2020

You’re excited about your business, but how do you spread the word quickly and effectively on what you have to offer?

That’s where we can help. We’ve over 20 years of PR experience, so forgive our lack of humility when we say we know what we’re talking about.

Table of contents:

But first, a caveat about PR distribution services:

Press release distribution services can be tremendously effective, but that power rests on being able to craft a killer press release from the outset.

Most firms have their own strategy that consistently works for clients, and it’s quite logical. Public relation is about connection, so a strong focus on a personal, tailor-made approach to creating press releases often helps. The public likes stories they can relate to and empathise with, so that’s what we give them, and journalists like catchy stories that trigger emotion.

The approach to gaining media attention varies according to your target market. Local news for instance calls for a different strategy, but if you’re looking to publish a story or announcement in many different types of media or across numerous countries, press release distribution services are where it’s at.

Do keep in mind however, that PR distribution services will ensure your release gets to your target media outlets, but it is no guarantee that they’ll publish them.

It used to be the case that a small number of services wielded all the might in the press distribution scene, but times have changed with the rise of digital publishing platforms, and a whole host of fresh new services now occupy the territory too.

Before you commit to putting your hands in your pockets and stumping up the cash for a distribution service, we want to make sure you’re armed with the facts and knowledge that will ensure you pick one that most suits your needs.

We’ve separated the wheat from chaff, and whittled the competition down to the top 13 agencies worth your attention.

Each of their offers are slightly different, which is great for you as a customer, ensuring you grab one which ticks all the boxes.

So without further ado, here’s our rundown of the top 13 distribution services.

Pressat [Editors Choice]

Entry Option: $140 // £110

http://www.pressat.co.uk/

Like a PR homing missile, this press release distribution company is all about specific targeting rather than carpet bombing your press release and hoping it hits somewhere. They won’t spam journalists with topics they never write about, and will instead ascertain which of them are most likely to be interested based on factors such as beat, the locations and industries they cover, and which content they’ve historically written about.

They send out customised news alerts to their opt-in subscriber base of over 33,000, notifying everyone from journalists and editors to analysts and bloggers, with all press releases syndicated to Bing News, DowJones, NewsNow, Thomson Reuters and other major news agencies across the globe.

If your business has taken the time to develop a serious PR campaign that’s tailored its messages and audience profiles, Pressat are an excellent choice to get your the coverage you need.

Pressat also has a partnership with the UK's national news agency meaning clients can place their press release directly into the workflow of all major media across the UK including some of the most important news agencies across the globe.

Rating: 8.5/10

PRfire [Recommended]

Entry Option: $60 // £50

https://www.prfire.com/

PRfire is a UK based press release newswire run by ex-journalists with years of experience in the industry, knowledge and expertise in ‘what works and what doesn’t’ when targeting journalists with press releases/ pitches.

Standard service starts at £50 + VAT.

The firm distributes anything newsworthy from standard press releases, videos, infographics to event launches.

PRfire also provides guaranteed PR service with the motto “No Risk. No Fuss. Just Guaranteed Links.”

They work hands on with the client to create a newsworthy story idea then pitch this to publications/ journalists and editors using their expertise to secure coverage.

Rating: 7.5/10

PR Newswire

Entry Option: $299 // £235

https://prnewswire.co.uk/

If you’re looking for a service with big name pulling power - it’s PR Newswire. They’re incredibly well-known, and in a journalist’s eyes, they are the establishment. As one of the first Newswire's it’s hardly surprising, considering their network is comprised of over 4000 websites, almost 3,000 media outlets and 550 news content systems.

With over 39,000 PR Newswire for Journalist members in more than 9,000 media organisations, they’re the gold standard in distribution services.

For medium-sized businesses who want heavy-hitting media attention - they’re ideal. But if you want a gold-standard service, be prepared to pay a premium price, with an accompanying annual membership fee you need to sign up to.

Rating: 4/10

PR Web

Entry Option: $99 // £77

http://www.prweb.com/

PR Web gives you a budget option by focusing on quality over quantity, enabling you to target your release distribution at the appropriate sectors. They’ll also increase your visibility in search results on numerous engines from Google to Bing and Yahoo, by permanently hosting your press release on their domain.

Even though they’re not expensive, they still have the largest website distribution, sending press releases to over 30,000 bloggers and journalists.

They’re ideal for small businesses looking for a low-cost introduction to gaining media attention.

Rating: 2/10

E.releases

Entry Option: $199 // $160

https://www.ereleases.com/

If you’d like to ensure that you get what you pay for, E.releases guarantees postings on 75 different media sites in addition to a press release of up to 400 words sent out to a targeted industry list of your choice.

e.Releases permanently store their press releases in PR Newswire. They’ll also provide you with wire distribution via the Associated Press, which reaches 30,000 journalists in the US.

They’re ideal for small businesses with limited budgets, who want to know they’ll get some exposure for the money they put in, something that isn’t always guaranteed even with the most premium distribution services.

Rating: 3/10

RealWire

Entry Option: $190 // $150

https://www.realwire.com/

If you don’t want your press release to be restricted by length, RealWire can accommodate you, foregoing a limit on word count. Do remember though that more doesn’t mean better - journalists have short attention spans when they have so many stories to wade through.

RealWire have a massive list of industries and geographical categories from which they can effectively target your release, whatever the field you’re in.

Along with the press release, you’re allowed to include up to three images and documents with relevant links too, distributed through M2 PressWIRE. To give your SEO a boost they also index through Google News along with other search engines.

They’re absolutely great for small businesses—particularly those in the UK—who are conducting their first foray into PR distribution.

Rating: 5/10

Vuelio

Entry Option: Price Withheld

Vuelio will get your press release sent out to over 3,500 of the most popular new websites, online services and news aggregators, and keep you updated on its progress with regular performance reports. They operate across the whole of the UK and Ireland to ensure your story reaches news desks of both the traditional and new media platforms.

As they offer custom pricing, you can guess they’re a premium service. They’re usually only suitable for bigger companies and corporations, with their client roster full of some of the biggest names in the business.

Rating: 3.5/10

Presswire

Entry Option: $250 // £200

https://presswire.com/

Presswire are another PR/ Newswire agency with a highly-tailored approach, and say they’ll send your press release directly to journalists they ascertain will be most interested in your story. To do this, they create a unique list for each release they receive, building it from their live database of media contacts. This database is said to contain over half a million editorial opportunities that stretch across national and regional newspapers, trade and consumer magazines, television, radio and online media outlets.

Registered Presswire users can upload press releases to their website or email directly, in either pure text or HTML coded with images and video included in the price.

They’re a great option for small businesses willing to spend a bit ore to ensure the right journalists will cast an eye over their press releases. In addition Presswire have failsafe measures such as testing each release to ensure it avoids spam filters and reaches the recipient’s inboxes.

Rating: 2.5/10

ReleaseWire

Entry Option: $49 // £40

http://www.releasewire.com/

If you’re based in the US and want one the cheapest options around, RelaseWire are where it’s at. Their price includes syndication to over 350 media sites and distribution to journalists from Associated Press, as well as getting your release submitted to the biggest news and search engines. Releases can also be pepped up with photos, video and audio.

For those on small budgets who want to make every dollar count, ReleaseWire are a good option to test at the beginning, safe in the knowledge your release will reach the most important media aggregators.

Rating: 1.5/10 (US Only)

BusinessWire

Entry Option: Price Withheld

https://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/

Business Wire have a patented NX network containing over 89,000 media outlets across the world in 162 countries. When opting for distribution you choose between 193 industry and trade categories, or decide on a global distribution in over 20 languages.

Their service has lots of bells and whistles, and enables you to reach a wide range of mediums, be it print, online, broadcast newsrooms, bloggers or social media networks.

If your business has a strong corporate brand centred around B2B services then BusinessWire could be a great option. However, smaller businesses may find their service overkill for their needs.

Rating: 5.5/10

PRGloo

Entry Option: Price Withheld

https://www.prgloo.com/

Not your traditional PR distribution service, PRGloo are a complete media relations platform that combines a range of tools with acute analysis. Their platform has systems for creating content before distributing stories and then following up with reports on their success.

If you want all your needs taken care of in one handy place, PRGloo will take control of the whole process for you. However, if you only need your press release putting out there, this will be an excessive, less-than-deal option.

Rating: 3.5/10 for every service, 6/10 for press release distribution alone

PRUnderground

Entry Option: $49 // £40

prunderground.com

Another service with rock-bottom pricing, PRUnderground will send a single press release to Google News and 80 major websites such as Fox, CBS, ABC and NBC.

The price also includes SEO optimisation, distribution on social media and a post on DigitalJournal.com.

They’re a viable choice for those on a budget, but remember, as they target the major players in the news industries, you need a really strong story to attract their attention.

A flexible service for disseminating your PR.

Rating: 1.5/10

24-7 Press Release

Entry Option: $49 // £40

https://www.24-7pressrelease.com/

They might be cheap, but this company sure packs a lot in. Their starter package, delivered within 48 hours, includes a news release which can appear on major search engines and will be sent to over 50 premium news sides. You can also increase the odds of your press release getting picked up by targeting up to five industry categories, with the ability to attach up to four images or documents.

As an added bonus, through 24-7, you can access statistics measuring your campaign’s progress to see how effective it has been.

With all the features on offer, they’re an excellent choice for small businesses, particularly because of the pricing. If you get off to a great start with them, you can upgrade your campaign by choosing one of their four other options at increasing price points, which include linking in with PR Newswire. Tremendously easy to use and with transparent pricing - we’re big fans of this company.

Rating: 4.5/10

So what now?

As you can see, the differences between the 13 best press release distribution companies in 2020 that you can use for your business this give you lots of wiggle room when deciding which will work best for you.

As you begin to use them, you’ll find that how much you like a company is down to the personal relationship you forge with them over time as you see how they tailor their output to suit your specific needs. Trying a few single press releases across different companies will give you a better feel for the attention and care they put in.

Salespeople may try to dazzle you with wild claims of the coverage they can get you, and while it’s usually true in theory, in practice massive coverage is much harder to obtain. Reading up on marketing strategies yourself will arm you with lots of knowledge you can put into action without help.

And remember, success with press releases rests of the story you’re able to tell. Think of a hook and angle, and what piques your interest in the news, then try to emulate it.

For inspiration, you can take a look at 19 famous PR stunts from the legend Richard Branson and give yourself the brain food to craft your own awesome press release.

Discover how to create one for maximum impact by signing up for our free press release template below.

Best of luck!

P.s. Have you used a distribution service for sending out your press release? We would love to hear your comments on how the services you ave used compare to the newswires above.