Distribution services help businesses get their press release in front of a wider audience. While there are a few options that are technically free, they are limited in their distribution, and often only publish your release on low-quality newswires. That said, there are a few effective ways to distribute your release for free or without a large budget. We’ll cover the best options here, along with a few creative alternatives that can save you money.

The Truth About Free Press Release Distribution Services

Many companies invest heavily in time and resources when writing a press release but then nullify their efforts by not investing in quality distribution practices and services. While free press release distribution services may get your press release published, it likely won’t deliver it into the hands of journalists who will be interested and can help you reach your target audience and so meet your business goals.

Businesses that are considering using a free press release distribution service over a paid one should first consider whether a free one will really help them succeed. To make this consideration process easier, here are the pros and cons of a free press release distribution service versus the pros and cons of a paid press release distribution service (based on the typical offerings of each):

Free vs Paid Press Release Distribution Services

Clearly, paid distribution services offer far more options than free ones to help you reach your target audience. The best press release services^[1] earn wide reach of your news story, and build on your press release distribution benefits with added traction. In contrast, many free distribution sites offer the ability to only publish your release on the distribution service website and little visibility before key media contacts and your target audience. This contrast means few free press release distribution services are worth the effort of using them.

5 Truly Free Press Release Distribution Services

If you are on a tight budget and need a release published, there are a few press release services that offer a very limited list of features for free. While we don’t generally recommend using a free service due to their limited effectiveness, if that’s the route you plan to head, here are several free options that could be worth considering. In most cases, these are free versions of services that also offer more features on paid plans.