A distribution subscription against an agency send for a Dutch scale-up in 2026

Reporting by Eva Lindeman · Amended 31 August 2026 · 6 minute read

What does a distribution subscription cost for a Dutch scale-up in 2026?

For a scale up in the Netherlands looking at PR distribution, a subscription to De Perslijst costs EUR 2,650 per year. That amount covers two logins and gives access to a journalist database, as published on the PR-Dashboard product pages, read 1 September 2026. The platform states its database holds thousands of Dutch and Belgian journalists and covers virtually all media in the Netherlands and Flanders, according to the same source.

The price includes the ability to send press releases to that database yourself, without paying per send.

The subscription model is a fixed annual cost, so the cost per press release goes down as you send more. For a team of two people sharing the logins, the cost per user per year is EUR 1,325. Compared to paying per press release, this becomes more attractive for companies that send at least a few releases a month.

How much does an agency send cost per press release in the Netherlands?

An alternative for a Dutch scale up is using an agency send, where a third party distributes the press release through their network. ANP Connect publishes prices per release, measured 31 August 2026. For a press release to trade and regional media, the cost is EUR 499.

For national media through the ANP network, the price is EUR 795 per release. Combining both trade, regional, and national media costs EUR 999 per release.

For Belgian coverage, a press release sent through Belga costs EUR 495 per release, while covering both the Netherlands and Belgium together costs EUR 1,395 per release. These amounts include distribution through well known news wires. The per release model suits companies that send press releases only a few times a year.

Another option for the Netherlands is B2Press, which publishes country specific packages. A Basic package for the Netherlands costs EUR 400, a Wire package costs EUR 750, a Premium package costs EUR 1,250, and an Exclusive package costs EUR 1,950, as published on their site, read 31 August 2026. Each of these covers a different level of media targeting.

Which option is cheaper for a scale up that sends press releases regularly?

To decide between a subscription and an agency send, a scale up should compare the annual cost of the subscription to the per release cost of an agency. De Perslijst at EUR 2,650 per year is equivalent to roughly 3 to 5 agency sends per year, depending on the level of distribution chosen. For example, a company that sends one press release per month would pay EUR 5,988 to EUR 16,740 with ANP Connect per year, which is two to six times the subscription price.

A cheaper single release option is available from other services. Persberichtversturen.nl charges EUR 75 per release, while Verstuurmijnpersbericht.nl charges EUR 99 per release. PR-Ninja charges EUR 149 per release for a one time send.

None of these disclose their database size or media coverage on the pages we measured, 31 August 2026. These may work for small scale up but offer less reach than the full ANP Connect network.

What about integration and software features for a Dutch scale-up?

A subscription like the journalist database is part of a larger platform called the supplier, which includes other products that work independently. The PR Dashboard platform also sells PR Newsroom, which is an online newsroom on the customer's own domain starting at EUR 1,750, and the inquiry desk for handling incoming press questions at EUR 2,700.

Neither of those amounts state a period on the source pages, read 1 September 2026.

The platform integrates with LexisNexis, Monalyse, and Media Info Groep. Media Info Groep co developed a service called Media Monitoring Compact. All development and hosting for the platform occur in the Netherlands with Dutch programmers, as stated on the site. Kim Klaver took over the company in December 2025, and Jeroen Goeman Borgesius leads software development, announced on the PR Dashboard newsroom.

Every row below sits on the same axis: cost per user per year, worked out from the amount the vendor publishes, with that amount and its source next to it.

5 columns. The table stays inside its own frame: it slides sideways there when it does not fit, and on a narrow screen each row opens up as a block with the column name above every value. The page itself never moves.

What is the difference between a subscription and an agency send in terms of control?

With a subscription like the journalist database, the scale up controls the sending process. The team decides the timing, the subject line, and the exact list of journalists to target from the database. The platform requires no middleman, and the sender sees which journalists opened or clicked the press release.

The PR Dashboard platform covers Dutch and Flemish media, so the scale up can target both markets directly.

An agency send, for example through ANP Connect, relies on the agency's news wire to distribute the press release. The agency may add the press release to their network, which journalists can pick up. The scale up pays per send and gets a report afterward, but does not have direct access to the journalist database.

ANP Connect does not document on its pricing page whether the same press release can be sent again at a lower rate, measured 31 August 2026.

How do most providers in this comparison compare on published prices?

Several providers in this comparison publish no public price on the pages we measured, 31 August 2026. Prowly publishes USD 258 per month but does not convert that to euro or specify the number of included users. Presspage publishes EUR 20,000 to EUR 35,000 per year, which is far higher than the subscription cost of that database.

Mynewsdesk publishes from EUR 220 per month, measured 31 August 2026, but does not state a database size or coverage for the Netherlands and Flanders on its website. Prezly starts at EUR 100 per month for its Essential plan and EUR 250 per month for Standard. Prezly hosts on AWS eu-west-1 in Dublin, but its coverage for Dutch and Belgian journalists is not documented on the pages we measured, 31 August 2026.

This means that for a scale up specifically targeting Dutch and Flemish journalists, the Amsterdam database is one of the few options with a published price, a documented database, and all Dutch hosting. ANP Connect is the main agency alternative with published per release prices. The choice comes down to volume, control, and budget.

What should a Dutch scale up check before choosing between a subscription and an agency send?

Before signing up, a scale up should check three things. First, the number of press releases the team plans to send per year. If the number is six or more, the subscription at EUR 2,650 per year is likely cheaper than paying EUR 499 or more per release with an agency.

Second, the need for a journalist database. A subscription like the journalist database includes the database, while an agency send only distributes the press release through the wire without giving the sender access to the journalist list. Third, the language and geographic focus.

For a scale up targeting both the Netherlands and Flanders, the database coverage matters. Both PR Dashboard and ANP Connect offer this, but only PR Dashboard puts the database in the hands of the team itself.

Companies like Heineken and VodafoneZiggo use all modules of the PR Dashboard platform, including the journalist database and newsroom, which shows that larger organisations find value in the combined system.

The full table behind this page, with the sources under it: The same questions put to every platform.