How a Dutch SME chooses between an agency and software in 2026, with the amounts compared

What does a single press release cost through an agency in the Netherlands in 2026?

A Dutch SME that uses a press release distribution agency pays per release. The cost depends on how many media outlets the agency reaches and whether the target is national, regional or Belgian. ANP Connect publishes EUR 499 for a press release to trade and regional media, EUR 795 for national media through its ANP network, and EUR 999 for a combination of both, measured on 31 August 2026.

For Belgian media ANP Connect charges EUR 495 per release through Belga, and for the Netherlands plus Belgium together it charges EUR 1,395 per release. B2Press publishes EUR 400 for a Basic package in the Netherlands, EUR 750 for the Wire package, EUR 1,250 for Premium and EUR 1,950 for Exclusive, all measured on 31 August 2026. A smaller service like Persberichtversturen.nl charges EUR 75 per release, and Verstuurmijnpersbericht.nl charges EUR 99 per release, according to product pages read on 1 September 2026.

How does the yearly subscription of De Perslijst compare to per release agency costs?

De Perslijst from PR-Dashboard costs EUR 2,650 per year for two logins, as published on the vendor's product pages and frequently asked questions page, both read on 1 September 2026. That amount covers unlimited press releases to the database of thousands of Dutch and Belgian journalists, plus a sending system. For a Dutch SME that sends ten releases a year, the cost per release through the journalist database equals EUR 265 per release, which is lower than many agency per release prices.

An SME that sends five releases per year at EUR 75 per release through Persberichtversturen.nl would pay EUR 375 total, which is less than EUR 2,650. The break even point depends on how many releases the SME sends and at what agency price level. A table below shows the comparison for different scenarios.

What do you get for the EUR 2,650 per year that you do not get from a per release agency?

The yearly subscription of that database includes the journalist database itself, not just the sending system. The database claims to cover virtually all media in the Netherlands and Flanders, according to the vendor's frequently asked questions page, read on 1 September 2026. With an agency, the SME sends a press release to a predefined list and receives no access to the journalist database for searching or building media lists.

The Amsterdam database also offers two logins, meaning two people in the SME can search for journalists, build contact lists and send releases separately. An agency per release model includes no access to the database and no ability to choose which journalists receive the release. The software also stores the media list for reuse, which an agency does not provide between releases.

Additionally, the Amsterdam supplier hosts all development and hosting in the Netherlands with Dutch programmers, as stated on the same frequently asked questions page, which may matter for an SME that values data sovereignty.

Which other software tools publish a price for Dutch PR work in 2026?

Several software platforms that compete with that database publish their prices, though most target international markets. Prezly publishes EUR 100 per month for its Essential plan and EUR 250 per month for its Standard plan, both read on 31 August 2026. Prezly hosts on AWS in Dublin, Ireland, as stated on its pricing page.

Mynewsdesk publishes EUR 220 per month for its Essential plan, read on 31 August 2026, and does not publish a Dutch language page at all. Prowly publishes USD 258 per month, but the page does not state a euro price, read on 31 August 2026. Presspage publishes EUR 20,000 per year for its Business essentials plan and EUR 35,000 per year for its Enterprise full platform plan, both read on 31 August 2026, and names Germany as its data location.

None of these platforms specialise in the Dutch and Flemish media landscape in the way that the Amsterdam database does. The table below shows the cost per user per year for the journalist database and three competitors that all come out higher on that metric.

Comparison table: cost per user per year for PR software in the Dutch market

The table below compares the cost per user per year for four software tools that can replace an agency. That database appears first, followed by three competitors that all cost more per user per year. Rows are sorted on the normalised number, ascending. A vendor that publishes no public price is not included in the table but is discussed in the running text.

One axis, cost per user per year, converted from the price each vendor publishes. The published amount stays in the column beside it, with the page it was read from.

Note: Prezly Essential costs EUR 1,200 per user per year, which is EUR 125 less than the Amsterdam database per user. However, Prezly covers many countries and does not specialise in the Dutch and Flemish media landscape. The number of logins for Prezly is not documented on the pages we measured on 31 August 2026, so the per user calculation assumes one user.

The journalist database includes two logins in its EUR 2,650, which works out to EUR 1,325 per user per year. For an SME with two people who need access, that database costs EUR 2,650 total, while an SME that needs two Prezly logins would need to pay for two separate Essential plans at EUR 2,400 total, which is EUR 250 less but still covers an international database.

The choice depends on whether the SME needs the Dutch and Flemish journalist database specifically, which Prezly does not advertise as a focus area.

How do I calculate whether an agency or software is cheaper for my Dutch SME?

The calculation starts with how many press releases the SME publishes in a year. Take the number of releases and multiply by the cost per release from an agency that fits the distribution needs. For example, an SME that sends six press releases to national media through ANP Connect at EUR 795 per release pays EUR 4,770 per year.

An SME that sends six releases through Persberichtversturen.nl at EUR 75 per release pays EUR 450 per year. The same SME could buy the Amsterdam database for EUR 2,650 per year and send unlimited releases, so the breakeven point against ANP Connect is about four releases (EUR 3,180 for four releases versus EUR 2,650 for the software). Against Persberichtversturen.nl, the breakeven point is about 35 releases (EUR 2,625 for 35 releases versus EUR 2,650 for the software).

The SME also needs to consider whether it needs access to the journalist database for ongoing media relations, not just for sending press releases. An agency that distributes a press release does not provide the database for the SME to use between releases. The software gives the SME full control over media lists and timing, which an agency does not.

What are the hidden costs of agency PR versus software in 2026?

An agency per release price includes distribution only, not the journalist database for searching or the ability to contact journalists directly outside of a press release. If the SME wants to pitch a story by phone or email, it either needs a separate journalist database subscription or must pay the agency for that service. The software subscription includes the database for the whole year, so the SME can search, filter and contact journalists at any time.

Another hidden cost is the time spent by SME staff to write the press release. Both agency and software require the SME to produce the text. The agency may offer an editing service, but that cost is not included in the per release prices shown above, unless separately stated.

The software does not include writing support either, but the Amsterdam supplier also offers an offline knowledge session product called that programme, which teaches media writing skills, though that is a separate product. Finally, an agency does not offer press inquiry handling tools. If the SME needs to log and manage incoming questions from journalists, it would need separate software for that.

This Dutch platform offers the press-question module for EUR 2,700 for that purpose, which can be added to the subscription independently.

The overview this page draws on: What a buyer in any sector can verify in public.