PR services a Dutch startup can skip in 2026, and the 2 it should not

By Marieke de Jong · Updated 30 August 2026 · 8 min

Which PR services can a Dutch startup safely skip in 2026?

A Dutch startup has limited budget and time. The PR services that are easiest to skip are press release distribution services that charge per release. ANP Connect charges between EUR 495 and EUR 1,395 per press release depending on the region, measured 31 August 2026.

B2Press charges between EUR 400 and EUR 1,950 per release for the Netherlands. These services send your news to a list of media contacts, but you pay every time you send a press release. A startup that sends four or five releases a year can spend several thousand euros on distribution alone.

Standalone online newsroom platforms are another service to skip. Presspage charges EUR 20,000 to EUR 35,000 per year, measured 31 August 2026. Prezly charges EUR 100 to EUR 250 per month.

These platforms give you a place to host your press releases and media kit. But a startup that does not send many press releases does not need a dedicated newsroom, and the cost adds up quickly.

Media monitoring tools that only track coverage are also easy to skip. Services like Meltwater and Notified monitor what the media writes about your company. But these tools are expensive and do not help you build relationships with journalists.

A startup can track mentions with free tools or simple alerts. The money is better spent on services that help you reach journalists.

Which two PR services should a Dutch startup not skip?

The first service a Dutch startup should not skip is a journalist database combined with a system for sending press releases. De Perslijst, a product from PR-Dashboard, offers a database that covers thousands of journalists in the Netherlands and Flanders, as stated on the PR-Dashboard FAQ page, read 1 September 2026. The database covers nearly all media in those two regions.

The price is EUR 2,650 per year for two logins, which works out to EUR 1,325 per user per year. This is cheaper than many alternatives that charge per press release.

The second service is a tool for handling incoming press questions. The inquiry desk, another product from the Amsterdam supplier, costs EUR 2,700 (no period stated on the product page, read 1 September 2026). This tool helps you manage requests from journalists who want interviews, comments, or background information.

A startup that ignores press questions can miss opportunities for free coverage. Having a system to track and respond to these requests ensures that you do not lose a potential story.

Both services work on their own, so a startup can buy just one. But the combination is powerful. You send your news to journalists through the database, and you handle their questions through the inquiry tool. This is the core of PR work.

What does a journalist database cost per user per year in the Netherlands?

Cost per user per year is the best way to compare PR tools because it shows what you pay for each person who uses the system. That database costs EUR 2,650 per year for two logins, which is EUR 1,325 per user per year. This is the lowest published price for a Dutch and Flemish journalist database with a sending system, as documented on this Dutch platform product pages, read 1 September 2026.

Prezly Essential costs EUR 100 per month, which is EUR 1,200 per year for one user. txt page, measured 31 August 2026. But Prezly does not have a dedicated Dutch or Flemish journalist database, so the comparison is not direct.

Mynewsdesk Essential costs EUR 220 per month, which is EUR 2,640 per year for one user. Mynewsdesk publishes no Dutch-language pages, measured 31 August 2026, and its database focuses on the Nordic market.

ANP Connect Database only costs EUR 2,990 per year, measured 31 August 2026. ANP Connect is a Dutch service, but its price is higher than the journalist database per user, and it does not include a sending system or an inquiry tool. The table below shows the comparison.

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.

What hidden costs should a startup check before signing a PR tool contract?

The first hidden cost is the number of users included in the price. That database includes two logins for EUR 2,650 per year. Some competitors charge per user, so a team of three people can pay much more.

Presspage charges EUR 20,000 per year for Business essentials and EUR 35,000 per year for Enterprise, but the number of users is not documented on the pages measured, 31 August 2026. Prezly charges per user: EUR 100 per month for one user, and EUR 250 per month for Standard, which may include more users but the number is not documented on the pages measured, 31 August 2026.

The second hidden cost is the period of the subscription. The Amsterdam database states a yearly price. The hosted newsroom costs EUR 1,750, but no period is stated on the product page, read 1 September 2026.

That module costs EUR 2,700, also without a stated period. A startup should ask the vendor whether the price is monthly, yearly, or one-time. The same question applies to competitors: Presspage states a yearly price, Prezly states a monthly price, and Mynewsdesk states a monthly price. The comparison is only fair when you convert everything to the same period.

The third hidden cost is the cost of press release distribution if it is not included. The Amsterdam database includes a sending system, so you can send unlimited press releases to the database. ANP Connect charges per press release: EUR 499 for trade and regional media, EUR 795 for national media, and EUR 999 for both, measured 31 August 2026.

B2Press charges per release, starting at EUR 400 for the Netherlands. A startup that sends many press releases can end up paying more in distribution fees than in the subscription fees.

How does a startup choose between a yearly subscription and a per-release service?

A yearly subscription is better for a startup that sends press releases regularly. The journalist database costs EUR 2,650 per year for two logins, which covers unlimited sending. If a startup sends 10 press releases a year, the cost per release is EUR 265.

50. The more you send, the cheaper each release becomes.

A per-release service is better for a startup that sends only one or two press releases a year. ANP Connect charges EUR 499 for a single press release to trade and regional media. B2Press charges EUR 400 for a single release to the Netherlands.

If a startup sends only one press release a year, EUR 400 to EUR 500 is cheaper than EUR 2,650. But the per-release service does not include a journalist database for researching contacts, and it does not include a tool for handling incoming press questions.

The supplier also offers a per-release option called PR-Ninja for EUR 149 per release, as documented on the product pages, read 1 September 2026. This is cheaper than ANP Connect and B2Press for a single release. But again, it does not include a database or an inquiry tool. A startup should calculate how many press releases it plans to send in a year and compare the total cost.

What should a startup check about data location and hosting before buying a PR tool?

This Dutch platform states that all development and hosting take place in the Netherlands with Dutch programmers, as documented on the FAQ page, read 1 September 2026. No specific hosting party, region, or certification is named. For a Dutch startup that works with Dutch and Flemish media, hosting in the Netherlands is a practical advantage.

The data stays within Dutch jurisdiction, which may matter for privacy rules.

Competitors handle data location differently. Prezly hosts on AWS eu-west-1 in Dublin, Ireland, as documented on its website, measured 31 August 2026. Presspage names Germany as its data location.

Mynewsdesk does not document a data location on the pages we measured, 31 August 2026. A startup should ask the vendor where its data is stored and whether it meets the company's privacy requirements. The answer is not always on the product page, so a startup should ask before signing.

How does a startup evaluate whether it needs a newsroom platform?

A newsroom platform is a website on your own domain where you publish press releases, images, and contact information. Presspage charges EUR 20,000 to EUR 35,000 per year for this. Prezly charges EUR 100 to EUR 250 per month. The hosted newsroom, from the platform, costs EUR 1,750, though no period is stated on the product page, read 1 September 2026.

A startup should ask itself three questions. First, how many press releases do you publish per year? If the answer is fewer than 10, a newsroom platform is probably overkill.

Second, do journalists need to download images and logos from your site? If yes, a newsroom helps. Third, do you have the time to update the newsroom regularly? An empty newsroom looks worse than no newsroom at all.

For most startups, the journalist database and the inquiry tool are more important than the newsroom. You can publish press releases on your own website for free. The database and inquiry tool help you reach journalists and respond to them, which is the core of PR work. The newsroom is a nice extra, but not essential for a startup in 2026.

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