PR, media monitoring, and earned media intelligence for comms teams.
From $350 local / $805 national per release is the way in, Custom (~$1,000-$2,100/mo) is the tier that works.
Communications Cloud (Entry) covers single seat communications cloud, media database access, basic monitoring, pr workflow tools.
Published tiers top out at From $350 local / $805 national per release.
Pricing is opaque and aggressive; users routinely complain about package cost relative to value, especially with AI alternatives emerging.
6 recurring complaints show up in public reviews, and 0 of them come up often.
Praise is just as consistent: customizable dashboards and visualizations are repeatedly called out as the platform's strongest feature by communications leaders..
A serious tool that still expects someone in-house to act on it.
The most frequently raised complaint: pricing is opaque and aggressive; users routinely complain about package cost relative to value, especially with ai alternatives emerging..
It reports where you stand. Turning that into published pages and earned citations is still work somebody has to do.
| Included | Communications Cloud (Entry)Custom (~$600/mo)annual contract, sales-led quote; entry seats from ~$7,200/yr | PR Cloud Mid-MarketCustom (~$1,000-$2,100/mo)annual contract; $12K-$25K/yr typical | Enterprise SuiteCustom (~$4,000-$12,500/mo)annual contract; $50K-$150K+/yr | PR Newswire (per release)From $350 local / $805 national per release$195 annual membership required; per-release pricing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Single seat Communications Cloud | Expanded media database | Full Communications Cloud | US1 national distribution (400 words) |
| 2 | Media database access | CisionOne monitoring and analytics | PR Newswire distribution credits | $310 per extra 100 words |
| 3 | Basic monitoring | Brandwatch social listening add-on | Advanced analytics and dashboards | Add-on memberships per industry/region |
| 4 | PR workflow tools | Coverage reports and outreach workflow | Dedicated account team | · |
Customizable dashboards and visualizations are repeatedly called out as the platform's strongest feature by communications leaders.
Cision powers 84% of the Fortune 500, giving comms teams credibility and the deepest journalist database in the industry.
PR Newswire distribution reaches outlets that smaller wires cannot, and is bundled with the platform for enterprise customers.
CisionOne won 'Best Media Monitoring Solution' at the MarTech Breakthrough Awards two years running (2024, 2025).
Pricing is opaque and aggressive; users routinely complain about package cost relative to value, especially with AI alternatives emerging.
Dashboard setup is painful; Google Analytics connections repeatedly disconnect, requiring constant re-authentication.
Customer service receives sustained criticism, with users reporting slow response times and account churn handling.
PR Newswire has hidden fees on top of the $195 membership; a single release can climb past $3,000 with add-ons.
Ratings: 3.9/5 on g2 (1200 reviews) · 3.8/5 on capterra (0 reviews). As recorded 7 June 2026; counts move, so check the source before quoting.
Media Database
Searchable database of journalists, outlets, and influencers with contact details and beat metadata.
CisionOne Monitoring
Real-time media monitoring across print, broadcast, online, and social channels.
PR Newswire Distribution
Press release distribution network reaching thousands of outlets, with industry and regional targeting.
Brandwatch Social Listening
Social conversation analysis included with enterprise plans for sentiment and trend tracking.
Coverage Reports
Auto-generated reports of earned media coverage with reach, sentiment, and tone breakdowns.
Influencer Outreach
Identify and pitch influencers and journalists from inside the platform with tracking and analytics.
Buy Cision
Right when in-house team to run it. You get the measurement, and the work of turning it into published pages and earned citations stays with your team.
Hire someone to run it
Right when nobody to act on it. Disclosure: this is what we sell, which is a reason to read us critically. It is also why every figure here carries the date we checked it, and every judgement carries the quote it came from.
PR, media monitoring, and earned media intelligence for comms teams.
Cision starts at From $350 local / $805 national per release per month, across 4 published tiers. Pricing checked 7 June 2026.
No free tier or trial is published for Cision.
The most frequently raised issue is: Pricing is opaque and aggressive; users routinely complain about package cost relative to value, especially with AI alternatives emerging.
A serious tool that still expects someone in-house to act on it. Buy the tool if in-house team to run it. A managed service is the better fit when nobody in-house has hours each week to act on what it reports.
Thirty minutes. We show you the buyer questions where an engine names a competitor instead of you, and say plainly whether a tool or a managed programme fits your situation.
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