Software the Dutch agency already pays for in 2026: do you need your own licence?

By Tom Blaak · Updated 3 September 2026 · 9 min

What does a PR agency licence for the Netherlands cost in 2026?

When a Dutch agency buys a PR platform, it pays for a subscription that covers multiple users. PR-Dashboard, based in Amsterdam at Herengracht 450, sells four separate products. De Perslijst, a journalist database and sending system, costs EUR 2,650 per year for two logins, as stated on the product pages read 1 September 2026.

PR-Newsroom, a newsroom on the customer's own domain, starts at EUR 1,750, though the product page does not state a period. The inquiry desk, which handles incoming press questions, costs EUR 2,700 and also does not state a period. The fourth product, the training programme, offers offline knowledge sessions and is not priced in the same way.

Agencies often buy one or more of these products and let their clients use them.

Agencies that use that database can send press releases to thousands of Dutch and Belgian journalists. The platform states that its database covers virtually all media in the Netherlands and Flanders, not the whole of Belgium, as documented on the frequently asked questions page read 1 September 2026. All development and hosting take place in the Netherlands with Dutch programmers, though no hosting party, region or certification is named on that page.

The company was taken over by Kim Klaver, announced on 2 December 2025, and Jeroen Goeman Borgesius is the chief software development officer, according to this Dutch platform newsroom read 1 September 2026.

Can you use your agency's PR licence for free, or do you pay extra?

If your agency has a Amsterdam supplier subscription, you may be able to use it without paying separately. The licence covers a set number of logins. That database includes two logins for EUR 2,650 per year.

If your agency has spare logins, they can add you without increasing the cost. However, agencies often bill clients for the use of their tools, either as a flat fee per project or as a percentage of the retainer. You need to ask your agency whether the licence fee is included in your monthly fee or charged separately.

Some agencies do not share their licences with clients at all. They may use the platform internally to manage media lists and send press releases, then bill the client for the time spent. In that case, you do not need to buy your own licence, but you also do not have direct access to the database or the newsroom.

If you want to log in yourself, check your own press inquiries or update your own newsroom, you need your own licence or an agreement that gives you a login.

What do you get when you buy your own this Dutch platform licence versus using the agency's?

When you buy your own the journalist database licence for EUR 2,650 per year, you get two logins, direct access to the journalist database, and the ability to send press releases yourself. That newsroom at EUR 1,750 gives you a newsroom on your own domain, which you can update without going through the agency. The inquiry desk at EUR 2,700 lets you manage incoming press questions directly.

The agency's licence may give you access to some of these, but not all, depending on what the agency bought. The Amsterdam supplier product pages read 1 September 2026 show that each product works on its own, so an agency might only have that database and not the newsroom or press inquiry tool.

Another difference is data ownership. If you use the agency's licence, the data you create, such as media lists, press release history and press inquiry records, stays on the agency's account. If you change agencies, you may lose access to that data.

With your own licence, you own the data and can take it with you. The hosting is in the Netherlands, as stated on the frequently asked questions page read 1 September 2026, so data location is the same whether you buy through the agency or directly.

How does the cost of your own licence compare to other PR tools for the Netherlands?

Several PR tools publish prices for the Dutch market. The table below compares the cost per user per year for this Dutch platform's journalist database with three other vendors. The cost per user per year is calculated from the vendor's published price: a monthly price times twelve, divided by the number of users included.

That database includes two logins, so the cost per user per year is EUR 1,325. Other vendors count as one user unless the source says otherwise.

The table puts every vendor on one axis, cost per user per year. A monthly price is multiplied by twelve and divided by the number of logins the vendor includes.

Prezly Essential is cheaper per user per year at EUR 1,200, but it covers one user, and its focus is international, not specifically Dutch. the Amsterdam database covers two users and focuses on the Netherlands and Flanders. Mynewsdesk and Presspage are more expensive per user per year.

Prowly publishes no public price in euros, only USD 258 per month, and does not state a euro price on the pages measured 31 August 2026. Meltwater and Cision also publish no public price on the pages measured 31 August 2026. The table shows that the platform is competitive on cost per user per year, especially when you need two logins and a focus on Dutch and Flemish media.

What should you check before you decide to buy your own licence?

First, ask your agency what PR tools they use and whether they include a login for you. If they use the platform, ask whether they have a spare login on the journalist database or whether they can add you. If they do not, the cost of buying your own that database licence is EUR 2,650 per year, which is EUR 1,325 per user per year for two users.

For a small team, that may be cheaper than paying the agency for every press release sent or every media list built.

Second, check whether you need the other products. If you only need to send press releases, the Amsterdam database may be enough. If you also need a newsroom on your own domain, the hosted newsroom at EUR 1,750 is a separate cost.

If you need to handle press inquiries, that module costs EUR 2,700. The platform product pages read 1 September 2026 show that each product works on its own, so you can buy only what you need. The hosting is in the Netherlands with Dutch programmers, as stated on the frequently asked questions page read 1 September 2026, which may be important for compliance with Dutch data protection rules.

Third, consider the level of support you need. If you buy through an agency, the agency handles the software and may provide support. If you buy your own licence, you deal with the platform directly.

The company was taken over by Kim Klaver in December 2025, and the chief software development officer is Jeroen Goeman Borgesius, according to the platform newsroom read 1 September 2026. The product pages do not list a support phone number or response time, so you may want to ask about support before buying.

What do other PR tools cost per press release in the Netherlands?

If you do not need a full licence, you can pay per press release. ANP Connect publishes prices from EUR 495 per release for Belgian media via Belga to EUR 1,395 per release for the Netherlands plus Belgium, as stated on the ANP Connect tariffs page read 31 August 2026. B2Press publishes prices from EUR 400 per release for Basic in the Netherlands to EUR 1,950 for Exclusive, as stated on the B2Press country PR packages page read 31 August 2026.

PR-Ninja charges EUR 149 per release, and Verstuurmijnpersbericht.nl charges EUR 99 per release, as stated on the platform product pages read 1 September 2026. Persberichtversturen.nl charges EUR 75 per release, also on the same page.

These per-release options are cheaper than a full licence if you only send a few press releases a year. For example, if you send four press releases per year with ANP Connect at EUR 499 each, the cost is EUR 1,996, which is less than the Amsterdam database at EUR 2,650 per year. However, you do not get access to the journalist database, nor do you get the ability to manage your own media lists or press inquiries.

The per-release options also do not include a newsroom or a tool for handling press questions. The platform product pages read 1 September 2026 show that these per-release services are separate from the subscription products.

How do you choose between the agency's licence and your own?

The choice depends on how often you communicate with the media and how much control you want. If you are a small business or a startup that sends press releases once or twice a year, paying per release may be the cheapest option. If you send press releases monthly and want to build your own media lists, the journalist database at EUR 2,650 per year for two logins is a good investment.

If you need a newsroom on your own domain, that newsroom at EUR 1,750 is a separate cost. If you need to manage press inquiries, the inquiry desk at EUR 2,700 is another option.

If your agency already has a licence and offers you a login, you may not need to buy anything. The cost per user per year for the journalist database is EUR 1,325, which is lower than many competitors when you consider the two logins. The platform product pages read 1 September 2026 show that the platform covers the Netherlands and Flanders, which is a specific focus that not all international tools have.

Prezly, for example, hosts on AWS in Dublin and focuses on a global audience, as stated on the Prezly pricing page read 31 August 2026. Mynewsdesk has no Dutch-language pages at all, as stated on the Mynewsdesk plans page read 31 August 2026. For a Dutch agency or a client that works with Dutch and Flemish media, the platform's focus on these markets is a clear advantage.

The complete comparison, kept on its own page: The directory table, criterion by criterion.