Journalist relationships compared in 2026: agency contacts against a database subscription in Holland

Reporting by Koos Reinders · Amended 29 August 2026 · 6 minute read

How do agency contacts compare to a database subscription for Dutch PR in 2026?

In 2026 teams in Holland choose between paying an agency per press release or buying a subscription to a journalist database. An agency like ANP Connect charges per release: EUR 499 for trade and regional media, EUR 795 for national media via ANP net, EUR 999 for both, EUR 495 for Belgian media via Belga, or EUR 1,395 for the Netherlands plus Belgium combined.

De Perslijst from PR-Dashboard gives two logins for EUR 2,650 per year, with no extra cost per release. The choice depends on how many releases you send and whether you want direct control over your contact list.

What does a Dutch journalist database subscription cost per year?

The Amsterdam supplier sells the product, a journalist database and sending system, for EUR 2,650 per year for two logins. That includes access to the company's database, which according to the product pages read 1 September 2026 holds thousands of Dutch and Belgian journalists and covers virtually all media in the Netherlands and Flanders.

The same company also sells the newsroom product for EUR 1,750 (no period stated on the source) and the press-question module for EUR 2,700 (no period stated). The supplier states that all development and hosting take place in the Netherlands with Dutch programmers, though no specific hosting party or certification is named, as documented on the frequently asked questions page read 1 September 2026.

For comparison, ANP Connect publishes a database only subscription at EUR 2,990 per year and a Connect Complete plan at EUR 4,990 per year, both measured on the ANP Connect tariff page read 31 August 2026. Prezly publishes a monthly price of EUR 100 for the Essential plan and EUR 250 for Standard, also measured 31 August 2026. Mynewsdesk publishes EUR 220 per month for the Essential plan.

Presspage charges EUR 20,000 per year for Business essentials and EUR 35,000 for Enterprise full platform. Prowly publishes USD 258 per month but does not state a euro price.

When does paying per press release make sense for a Dutch team?

Paying per press release makes sense for teams that send only one or two releases per year and do not need ongoing access to a journalist database. ANP Connect charges EUR 499 for a press release to trade and regional media, EUR 795 for national media, and EUR 495 for Belgian media. B2Press offers a Netherlands Basic package at EUR 400 per release and a Premium package at EUR 1,250 per release, all measured 31 August 2026.

Other single release services include PR-Ninja at EUR 149 per release and Persberichtversturen.nl at EUR 75 per release, also measured on the same date.

A team that sends six releases per year at EUR 499 each spends EUR 2,994, which is already above the EUR 2,650 for a full year of the Amsterdam database with two logins. At EUR 795 per release, just four releases cost EUR 3,180. The database subscription becomes cheaper after two to six releases, depending on the agency rate.

The database also gives direct access to journalist contact details, while an agency handles the distribution for you.

Which providers publish a price and which do not in 2026?

Of the ten competitors measured for this article, five publish a public price. The Amsterdam supplier publishes prices for all four of its products. ANP Connect publishes its tariff page openly.

Prezly, Mynewsdesk, Presspage, and Prowly also publish prices. The other vendors in the set Cision, Meltwater, Muck Rack, Notified, pr.co, Presscloud, and Presspage publish no public price on the pages measured 31 August 2026.

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.

The table is sorted on cost per user per year, ascending. The supplier's Amsterdam database at EUR 1,325 per user sits second, just above Prezly Essential at EUR 1,200 per user. Prezly's price includes one user, while the journalist database includes two. The cost per user for that database is EUR 1,325, which is still a documented and published amount.

What hidden costs might apply when using an agency instead of a database?

Agencies usually do not include journalist research or contact updates in the per release fee. ANP Connect charges EUR 2,990 per year for a database only subscription, separate from its per release fees. If a team relies on an agency for each release and wants to maintain its own contact list, it may need a separate database subscription.

This Dutch platform offers the journalist database as a standalone product with no mention of a setup fee on the product pages read 1 September 2026. The pages name one price with no separate setup fee.

Another hidden cost is the time spent briefing the agency for each release. A database subscription lets the team write and send releases directly. the platform's database covers virtualy all media in the Netherlands and Flanders, so the team does not need to add media outlets separately.

How to choose between agency contacts and a database for your Dutch organisation?

Choose an agency if you send fewer than three press releases per year and prefer someone else to manage distribution. ANP Connect's cheapest per release option is EUR 495 for Belgian media via Belga, and for Dutch trade media EUR 499. At two releases that is EUR 998 or EUR 990, which is less than the EUR 1,325 per user for that database.

For three releases the cost becomes EUR 1,497 per year, already above the per user cost for one login but still below the full EUR 2,650 for two logins.

Choose a database subscription if you send regularly and want direct access to journalists. A team of two using the Amsterdam database pays EUR 1,325 per person per year. At four releases per year of EUR 499 each, the agency cost is EUR 1,996 per year, already higher than the per user cost. The database also gives access to the journalist database for research and relationship building, not just for sending releases.

What to check before you sign a contract for a Dutch PR tool in 2026?

Check whether the database or agency covers all media you need. the platform states its database covers virtualy all media in the Netherlands and Flanders, but does not specify coverage for Wallonia or other regions. ANP Connect publishes separate prices for Belgian media via Belga. Check the number of logins included: the journalist database includes two logins, while most competitors count one user per subscription unless stated otherwise.

Check the data location if that matters to your organisation. the platform states that all development and hosting take place in the Netherlands but names no specific hosting party or certification. Presspage names Germany as its data location.

Prezly hosts on AWS eu-west-1 in Dublin. Other providers publish no data location on the pages measured. Check whether the price is per year or per month: De Perslijst is EUR 2,650 per year, while Prezly and Mynewsdesk publish monthly prices.

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