A press release costs nothing to write yourself and, per DesignRush's 2026 data, $1,000 to $10,000 when a small PR project includes writing, pitching and basic outreach. Wire distribution adds a base rate of $325 to $8,700 for a 400-word PR Newswire release. Who should write it depends on the news: routine updates suit an in-house writer, while funding, regulatory or launch news justifies an experienced PR writer.
How much does it cost to have a press release written?
Having a press release written costs anywhere from no fee, if you do it yourself, to several thousand dollars when experienced PR people write it as part of a project. DesignRush, a marketing directory, put small PR projects at $1,000 to $10,000 in its 2026 pricing guide, with hourly rates of $25 to $100 and a timeline of one to three months. Those projects usually bundle writing with media pitches and basic outreach, so the writing alone costs less.
In the United Kingdom, Whito, an independent research publisher, reported in June 2026 that a standalone release written professionally costs roughly £1,200 to £2,400. That figure covers research and angling the story for journalists. It does not cover distribution.
| Option | Typical cost | What the fee covers | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Write it yourself | No fee | Your own time, no outreach | Not applicable |
| Professional writer, one release (UK) | £1,200 to £2,400 | Research, news angle, drafting | Whito, June 2026 |
| Small PR project (US) | $1,000 to $10,000 | Release, pitches, basic outreach | DesignRush, 2026 |
| Wire distribution (UK) | £150 to £400 per release | Delivery to a list of outlets | Whito, June 2026 |
| PR Newswire (US) | $325 to $8,700 base, 400 words | Distribution, with extras billed on top | DesignRush, citing Prezly |
| Agency retainer (US) | $5,000 to $15,000 a month | Ongoing strategy, outreach, reporting | DesignRush, 2026 |
Whito reports in pounds and DesignRush in dollars, and the two measure different markets. Compare the structure of the costs, not the totals.
What does wire distribution cost on top of writing?
Wire distribution is a separate fee on top of writing: £150 to £400 per release in the UK, and a base rate of $325 to $8,700 for a 400-word release on PR Newswire in the United States. DesignRush also lists a $195 membership fee, and says extra words, images and branding raise the bill. Its example is a 1,000-word national release with two images and branding, which it puts at about $2,985 or more.
A wire fee buys delivery to a list of outlets. It does not buy a story. Whito makes the same point: a release lands in newsrooms, and whether a journalist uses it depends on whether the news is worth reporting.
The mistake I see most often is a company spending the larger share of its release budget on the wire and the smaller share on the story. A well-angled release sent to ten reporters who cover your industry usually does more than a weak release sent to thousands.
Who should write a press release for your company?
The person who should write a press release is whoever can state the news in one sentence and name the reporter who would care about it. That test matters more than job title or writing talent.
- A founder or in-house communications manager can write routine news such as a new hire, an event date or a minor product update.
- An experienced PR writer should handle news with outside stakes, such as a funding round, a major launch, a regulatory filing or anything investors will read.
- A general content writer who has never pitched a reporter is the wrong choice for either, because a release is judged by journalists, not by customers.
The writing is the smaller skill. The harder skill is knowing which part of your announcement a newsroom will treat as news, and leading with it. I wrote about that discipline in my book, For Immediate Release, and it applies to every release I read.
When does an agency make sense for a press release?
An agency makes sense for a press release when the goal is coverage rather than delivery, because an agency adds a targeted media list, direct outreach to reporters and follow-up after the release goes out. A wire subscription alone does none of those three things.
The cost comparison also favors agencies more often than founders expect. DesignRush estimates that an in-house team of two to three PR specialists costs roughly $150,000 to $250,000 a year in salaries and benefits, and it reports that agency retainers of $5,000 to $15,000 a month are usually more cost effective unless a company is very large.
5W's own pricing guide, published October 6, 2026, states that a release costs from under $100 to several thousand dollars. It names four drivers: the distribution tier, whether professional writing is included, multimedia add-ons, and whether an agency manages the pitch. Readers can compare those drivers in 5W's press release cost guide. 5WPR, which I founded in 2003, does this work in house, from drafting through reporter outreach, and describes it under its public relations agency services.
What should a press release writer deliver for the fee?
A press release writer should deliver a news angle, a headline, an executive quote you have approved, a boilerplate paragraph and a version sized for the channel it will run on. If a quote lists fewer items than that, ask what is missing.
The headline deserves the most attention. Reporters decide in seconds whether to open a release, so the headline must carry the news itself, not the company's slogan.
Format matters as well. A release announces news that has already happened, while an invitation to an upcoming event is a different document. I explain the difference in media advisory versus press release, and I cover the full structure in my guide on how to write a press release.
How do I judge a quote for press release writing?
A quote for press release writing is good when it states what is included, what is billed separately and how many rounds of revisions are allowed. Four questions settle most disagreements before work starts.
- Does the fee include distribution, or only writing?
- Who writes the draft, and have they pitched reporters in your industry?
- How many revision rounds are included before extra charges apply?
- Does the price include a media list and outreach, or only a document?
DesignRush advises asking for a line-item budget, because hard costs such as distribution and tools are commonly billed on top of a retainer, often with a markup. The same discipline applies to a single release.
What should you budget for your next release?
Budget according to what the news is worth, not what the release usually costs. For routine news, write the release yourself and spend only on a modest distribution fee. For news with outside stakes, pay an experienced PR writer and budget separately for distribution. When you need coverage, price a project that includes outreach, and judge it by reporters reached, not by pages delivered.
Frequently asked questions
How much does press release writing cost?
Writing costs nothing if you do it yourself. A professional writer in the UK runs about £1,200 to £2,400 per release according to Whito, and a small US PR project that includes a release runs $1,000 to $10,000 according to DesignRush. Distribution is billed separately.
Can I write my own press release?
Yes, and for routine news you probably should. A release needs a clear news angle, a plain headline and a quote from a named executive. Write it yourself when you can state the news in one sentence, and hire help when the stakes are outside the company.
Is a wire service worth paying for?
A wire service is worth paying for when the news has regulatory or investor weight and needs to reach many outlets at once. For smaller announcements, direct outreach to a few reporters who cover your industry often does more than a wide distribution.
Does a press release guarantee media coverage?
No. Distribution delivers the release to newsrooms, and a journalist chooses whether to use it. Coverage depends on whether the news is genuinely worth reporting and on whether someone follows up with the right reporters.
How long should a press release be?
Wire pricing is built around roughly 400 words, so tight writing also lowers the distribution bill. Lead with the news in the first paragraph and cut anything a reporter would not need to write the story.
Should a freelancer or an agency write my press release?
A freelancer suits a single release when you will handle the pitching yourself. An agency suits cases where you also need a targeted media list, reporter outreach and follow-up, which is work a document alone does not cover.
What is the difference between a press release and a media advisory?
A press release announces news, and a media advisory invites reporters to an upcoming event. They serve different purposes and are written differently, which is why paying for the wrong one wastes the fee.
By Ronn Torossian. Updated October 21, 2026.
Disclosure: I am the founder of 5WPR, and I own and write this site. This article links to 5WPR pages and cites 5W's own pricing guide. Third-party figures come from the DesignRush and Whito pages linked above, which I reviewed on October 21, 2026.