Last updated · reviewed by the Essentras editorial team
Press release distribution by country
Press release distribution in the UK: wires, prices and outlets
In the UK you send a press release through a wire, such as PR Fire from £95 + VAT or ResponseSource from £85 + VAT, or you pay a named outlet to publish it. Essentras lists 160 UK outlets, median $1,529. A paid article that promotes you must be labelled as marketing under the CAP Code.
Sources: each wire's own pricing page, the ASA and the CAP Code, legislation.gov.uk, gov.uk and 160 UK listings in the Essentras API
What you will do
- Compare the UK wires by what each publishes about price today, and see which ones only quote.
- Check 21 named UK titles with price, turnaround and label, from London business sites to national dailies.
- Pick 1 of 3 baskets quoted today ($1,410.30, $7,901.10 or $18,700) or build your own.
- Label paid articles the way the CAP Code and the ASA expect, and know the law behind it.
- Time the release for UK newsrooms on GMT, and plan for the clock change on 28 Mar 2027.
Start here in 1 click
Every UK listing sorted by price, a regional daily that runs a label, and a free shortlist. None needs an account.
UK outlets, cheapest first
Every UK listing with its price, turnaround, link policy and label, before you pay.
- Listings
- 160
- Median price
- $1,529
- At $500 or less
- 50
- Run a label
- 56 of 160
The Scotsman
$2,929
- Turnaround
- 1 to 2 weeks
- Label
- Published with a sponsored or partner label.
- Link
- Nofollow
AI Match: a shortlist for your release
Free. Describe your company in 1 sentence and get a ranked list of UK and global outlets, with the price next to each.
Paid placements are paid: they are not earned coverage, and each runs with the label its listing states. Counts and prices from the public API, 4 Nov 2026.
UK wires
UK press release distribution services and what they charge
A wire sends your release to journalists and posts it on its own site and partner sites; editors decide whether to cover it. Here is what each UK service publishes about price, read on 4 Nov 2026. Prices are in pounds, as published.
| Service | What you get | Published price | Free option |
|---|---|---|---|
| PR Fire | UK distribution, same day on weekdays for orders before 3pm. A UK Regional Newswire posts the release on 65 regional news sites, each article labelled sponsored or advertising. | From £95 + VAT; with writing £290 + VAT; Regional Newswire £600 + VAT | None listed |
| ResponseSource Press Release Wire | Distribution to journalists by category, with a Press Association (PA) add-on. | £85 (3 categories), £105 (4 to 10), £130 (more than 10); PA add-on £70; all excluding VAT at 20% | No free release; a free newsroom page comes with your first paid release |
| Pressat | UK wire with pay as you go, monthly plans and country add-on circuits. | Pay as you go from £110 per release; 5 releases a month from £290 | Not stated on the packages page |
| EIN Presswire | Global wire; each package includes 1 or 2 country targets per release. | $149 for 1 release, $499 for 5, $999 for 15; no UK price | None |
| PR Newswire UK (Cision) | UK and international circuits, sold as packages such as UK Premium. | No published price: quote form | None |
| Business Wire | Global wire, priced by word count, circuit and add-ons. | No published price for the UK: quote form (it publishes US prices only) | None |
| PA Media (Mediapoint) | Distribution to over 5,000 journalists, as PA states it. | No published price: "Contact us" | None |
| RNS, London Stock Exchange | Regulatory news for listed companies; Reach, its non-regulatory channel, also takes unlisted companies. | Free to register, then a fee per announcement; the price list is sent on request | None |
- Read on each vendor's own page on 4 Nov 2026. Pressat's packages page and Business Wire's pricing page returned HTTP 403, so they were read in Internet Archive copies of 20 Oct 2026 and 12 Jul 2026.
- GlobeNewswire (Notified) also distributes in the UK; its pages returned 403 and no price is shown here.
- RealWire's domain did not resolve on 4 Nov 2026; 3BL Media announced it had bought RealWire on 27 Apr 2022.
- Prices change often. Check the vendor page before you buy, and compare like with like: a wire posts a release, a placement buys an article on 1 named site.
UK outlets
UK news sites you can publish on, with price, turnaround and label
A paid placement buys an article on 1 named site, at the price and with the label its listing states. Essentras lists 160 UK outlets; 104 state no label, 55 a sponsored or partner label and 1 a discreet disclosure. Below: the whole set in numbers, then 21 national, regional and business titles, cheapest first.
| Measure | UK listings |
|---|---|
| Listings | 160 |
| Price range | $90 to $161,654 |
| Median price | $1,529 (middle 50% of listings: $411 to $3,006) |
| At $500 or less | 50 |
| At $2,500 or less | 100 |
| Label | 104 state no label, 55 a sponsored or partner label and 1 a discreet disclosure |
| Stated turnaround | 111 in business days, 3 in 1 week, 18 in up to 3 weeks, 22 in up to 4 weeks, 6 in more than 4 weeks |
| Dofollow link | 111 of 160 |
- Turnaround is counted in business days, paused while we are waiting on you, plus a 3 business day grace period, as every listing states it.
- The country is the country field of each listing in the API. A few listings under a country are niche or regional sites; the named table below shows news and business titles.
| Outlet | Price | Turnaround | Label, as the listing states it | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| London Business Journal | $417 | 1 to 3 business days | Published as a standard editorial article, with no sponsored label. | Dofollow |
| ABC Money | $500 | 3 to 5 business days | Published as a standard editorial article, with no sponsored label. | Dofollow |
| News Today | $583 | 3 to 5 business days | Published as a standard editorial article, with no sponsored label. | Dofollow |
| London Loves Business | $650 | 1 to 2 weeks | Published as a standard editorial article, with no sponsored label. | Dofollow |
| Finextra | $867 | 1 to 2 weeks | Published as a standard editorial article, with no sponsored label. | Dofollow |
| Bmmagazine.co.uk: Business Matters | $1,056 | 1 to 3 business days | Published as a standard editorial article, with no sponsored label. | Dofollow |
| IB Times (UK) | $2,000 | 3 to 5 business days | Published as a standard editorial article, with no sponsored label. | Nofollow |
| Female First | $2,000 | 1 to 3 business days | Published as a standard editorial article, with no sponsored label. | Nofollow |
| News Letter | $2,921 | 3 to 7 business days | Published with a sponsored or partner label. | Nofollow |
| The Scotsman | $2,929 | 1 to 2 weeks | Published with a sponsored or partner label. | Nofollow |
| The Yorkshire Post | $2,929 | 3 to 7 business days | Published with a sponsored or partner label. | Nofollow |
| Sharecast.Com | $3,006 | 1 to 3 business days | Published with a sponsored or partner label. | Nofollow |
| The Herald (Scotland) | $4,572 | 1 to 2 weeks | Published with a sponsored or partner label. | Nofollow |
| Evening Standard | $5,000 | 1 week | Published with a sponsored or partner label. | Nofollow |
| Independent.co.uk | $5,000 | 2 weeks | Published with a sponsored or partner label. | Nofollow |
| Entrepreneur (UK) | $5,000 | 1 week | Published as a standard editorial article, with no sponsored label. | Dofollow |
| Investing.com (United Kingdom) | $5,000 | 1 week | Published as a standard editorial article, with no sponsored label. | Nofollow |
| Cityam.com | $21,100 | 2 to 4 weeks | Published with a sponsored or partner label. | Dofollow |
| BBC | $24,000 | 4 to 6 weeks | Published with a sponsored or partner label. | Nofollow |
| Metro.co.uk | $51,599 | 2 to 4 weeks | Published with a sponsored or partner label. | Nofollow |
| Daily Mail Online | $161,654 | 2 to 4 weeks | Published with a sponsored or partner label. | Nofollow |
- Every listing: Published or your money back. Refund or free re-placement if the turnaround is missed, counted in business days with a grace period.
- The full UK list, with filters for price, label and link, is in the publisher directory.
Quoted today
3 UK baskets, priced by the quote API
Each basket was priced as a whole on the read date, so the total includes the volume discount the API applied. Use a basket as is or as a starting point.
| Basket | Outlets (price each) | Subtotal | Discount | Total quoted | Cart |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| London business starterA first UK announcement on 3 business news sites | London Business Journal ($417), ABC Money ($500), London Loves Business ($650) | $1,567 | -$156.70 (10% volume discount) | $1,410.30 | Add all 3 to cart |
| Labelled regional dailiesRegional reach where each listing runs a sponsored or partner label | The Scotsman ($2,929), The Yorkshire Post ($2,929), News Letter ($2,921) | $8,779 | -$877.90 (10% volume discount) | $7,901.10 | Add all 3 to cart |
| National reachNational and finance titles, 5 placements at 15% off | Evening Standard ($5,000), Independent.co.uk ($5,000), Entrepreneur (UK) ($5,000), Investing.com (United Kingdom) ($5,000), IB Times (UK) ($2,000) | $22,000 | -$3,300 (15% volume discount) | $18,700 | Add all 5 to cart |
- Totals from POST /api/agent/v1/quote on 4 Nov 2026. A quote reserves nothing and charges nothing; the cart shows the same total.
- Volume discount, as the API states it: Buy 3 or more placements for 10% off the basket, 5 or more for 15%.
- Refund terms on every listing: Refunded if not published, or if the turnaround is missed.
- London business starter: 3 no label, as each listing states it.
- Labelled regional dailies: 3 a sponsored or partner label, as each listing states it.
- National reach: 2 a sponsored or partner label, 3 no label, as each listing states it.
Labelling rules
The UK rule on labelling paid content
In the UK the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) applies the CAP Code, and the DMCC Act 2024 bans paid editorial that hides the payment. Here is what each source says, read on the day.
| Rule | What it says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| CAP Code rule 2.1 | "Marketing communications must be obviously identifiable as such." | CAP Code, section 02, asa.org.uk |
| CAP Code rule 2.4 | Marketers and publishers must make clear that advertorials are marketing communications, for example with a heading such as "advertisement feature". | CAP Code, section 02, asa.org.uk |
| ASA advice on labels | Labels such as "Ad", "Advert" or "Advertisement feature" are likely to be acceptable when they are upfront and prominent. The ASA generally advises against "sponsored" as the label for advertising, because the word is open to different readings. Marketer and publisher are both responsible. | ASA AdviceOnline, "Recognising ads: Advertisement features", 23 Mar 2023 |
| DMCC Act 2024, Schedule 20, paragraph 12 | Using editorial content to promote a product, where the trader paid for it without making that clear, is unfair in all circumstances. In force since 6 Apr 2025. | legislation.gov.uk |
What this means for a paid placement in the UK
A paid article that promotes your company is an advertorial, so it must be clearly identified as marketing. Of the 160 UK listings, 55 state a sponsored or partner label and 1 a discreet disclosure. For promotional copy, pick a labelled listing, or put the label you need ("Advertisement feature" is the ASA's own example) in your brief and confirm it before you pay. This is not legal advice; a regulatory lawyer can check a borderline case.
When to send
UK time zone and language: when to send a release
UK newsrooms work on GMT in winter and BST in summer. The clocks went back on 25 Oct 2026, so the UK is on UTC+0 until 28 Mar 2027. Plan embargoes in UK time and convert for any other market you target.
| City | Local time | Offset today |
|---|---|---|
| London | 09:00 | UTC+0 (GMT) |
| Toronto and Montreal | 04:00 | UTC-5 (Eastern time) |
| Dubai | 13:00 | UTC+4 |
| Mumbai | 14:30 | UTC+5:30 |
| Sydney | 20:00 | UTC+11 (daylight saving until 4 Apr 2027) |
- Sources: gov.uk (UK clocks); the governments of Quebec, the UAE and New South Wales; India's National Physical Laboratory (IST); CP24 for Ontario (30 Oct 2026). All read 4 Nov 2026.
Send in the UK morning
Send early in the UK working day, so journalists still have time for same-day coverage. PR Fire, for example, distributes the same day on weekdays for orders placed before 3pm.
Write embargoes in UK time
State the time zone in the embargo line ("00:01 GMT"), and remember that from 28 Mar 2027 the UK is on BST (UTC+1).
Welsh has official status in Wales
The Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011 gives Welsh official status in Wales. For Welsh-language media, send a Welsh version rather than an English release.
Paid placements run on their own clock
A paid article runs within the window its listing states, counted in business days, paused while we are waiting on you, plus a 3 business day grace period. 114 of 160 UK listings state 1 week or less.
Which route
Wire, paid placement or pitching: which route fits a UK release
The 4 routes buy different things. You can combine 2 of them: a wire for the record, and either pitching or a paid placement for an article on a named site.
| Route | What you get | Cost | Who decides if it runs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wire | Your release sent to journalists and posted on the wire and its partner sites | From £85 to £600 + VAT where published; quote only at PR Newswire, Business Wire and PA | Editors decide on coverage; partner sites post the release as a release |
| Paid placement | An article on 1 named site, with writing available, a draft to review and a live link | From $90; median $1,529 across 160 UK listings | You buy the slot and review the draft. The listing states: Published or your money back. Refund or free re-placement if the turnaround is missed, counted in business days with a grace period. |
| Pitching journalists | Earned coverage, if a journalist picks the story | Your time, or an agency fee | The journalist and the editor; nothing can be bought |
| RNS (listed companies) | A regulatory announcement on the London Stock Exchange news service | Fee per announcement; price list on request | Required for listed companies when the rules call for it |
London media coverage without a retainer How to distribute a press release What press release distribution costs
Step by step
How to distribute a press release in the UK, step by step
1. Decide what the release must do
A record of the news (a wire), coverage on named UK sites (pitching or a paid placement), or a regulatory announcement (RNS if you are listed).
2. Write it the UK way
British spelling, a dateline such as "LONDON, 4 November 2026", prices in pounds, a quote from a named person and contact details that answer during UK hours.
3. Choose the wire and the circuit
Compare the published prices above. Pay for the UK circuit you need, not a global circuit, unless the news is global.
4. Pick named outlets for the article
Filter the UK listings by price, label and turnaround. For promotional copy, choose a listing that runs a label.
5. Set the time
Send early in the UK morning, GMT until 28 Mar 2027, and write any embargo in UK time.
6. Follow up and keep the proof
Answer journalists the same day. For paid placements, keep the live link and screenshot each listing provides.
Templates
Copy-ready UK release header, pitch and placement brief
Replace everything in square brackets. Keep them short and put the news in the first 2 lines.
UK release header
The first lines of a release for a UK wire or a newsroom inbox.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (or: EMBARGOED UNTIL 00:01 GMT, [Day] [Date] [Month] [Year]) [Headline: what happened, in under 12 words] [CITY], [Date] [Month] [Year]: [Company], [what it does in 6 words], today [announced / launched / reported] [the news in 1 sentence, with the number that matters]. [Second paragraph: why it matters to UK readers, with a figure in pounds if you have it.] "[Quote from a named person, 1 or 2 sentences.]" said [Name], [Title] at [Company]. Media contact: [Name], [Email], [UK phone number], available [hours] GMT
Pitch email to a UK journalist
For a reporter who covers your sector. Send it before 10am UK time.
Subject: [The news in under 10 words] ([Sector], [Region if local]) Hi [First name], [1 sentence: the news and the number behind it.] Why your readers: [1 sentence linking it to a story they ran, or to a UK trend they cover]. I can offer [an interview with Name / the data set / photos] today. The release is below, and nothing is embargoed. [Your name] [Phone]
Brief for a paid UK placement
What to send with a paid placement order, so the article runs labelled and on time.
Outlet: [listing name] Label: [the label the listing states, or the wording you need, for example "Advertisement feature"] Angle: [the news in 1 sentence] Key facts: [3 facts with sources] Quote: [1 quote from a named person] Link: [1 URL] Deadline: [date], counted from the order in business days Approver: [name and email]
Often added to UK distribution, and cheaper ways to start
Optional. You can do everything on this page without any of these.
Often added
The Guaranteed 7 (US reach)
From $999
For a launch that needs US reach as well as UK coverage: your story on 7 named US outlets, including MSN, USA Today and AP News. Published on all 7, or your money back.
See the Guaranteed 7AI Visibility Tracker
$49 a month
Checks every week whether AI assistants mention your brand, so you can see what the coverage changed.
Track AI mentions
Not ready yet?
Press Monthly
$97 a month
1 press placement every month. The outlet is matched to your niche and shown to you before anyone writes.
See Press MonthlyAI Match shortlist
Free
Describe your company in 1 sentence and get a ranked list of outlets that fit, with the price next to each.
Get my free shortlistFree press release distribution
Free
The free routes that still work, what they reach and where they stop.
Read the free guide
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How much does press release distribution cost in the UK?▾
UK wires that publish prices start at £85 (ResponseSource) and £95 + VAT (PR Fire), read on 4 Nov 2026. PR Newswire UK, Business Wire and PA Media quote per job. A paid article on a named UK site costs $90 to $161,654 in the Essentras catalog, median $1,529.
What is the best press release distribution service in the UK?▾
It depends on the job. For a low-cost UK send, PR Fire and ResponseSource publish their prices. For investor news, listed companies use RNS. For an article on a named UK site, a paid placement buys the exact title, price and label up front.
Is there free press release distribution in the UK?▾
None of the UK wires above lists a free distribution tier on its pricing page; ResponseSource adds a free newsroom page to your first paid release. Pitching journalists yourself costs only time, and nothing makes them cover it. Free global sites exist, but most reach few UK readers.
Does a paid article in the UK need a label?▾
If it promotes your company, yes. CAP Code rule 2.4 says marketers and publishers must make clear that advertorials are marketing communications, and the DMCC Act 2024 bans paid editorial that hides the payment. Each Essentras listing states its label before you pay.
What time should I send a press release in the UK?▾
Early in the UK morning on a weekday. The UK is on GMT (UTC+0) until 28 Mar 2027, then BST (UTC+1). Write any embargo with its time zone, for example 00:01 GMT.
How fast do paid placements go live in the UK?▾
Each listing states its own window. 114 of the 160 UK listings state 1 week or less, counted in business days, paused while we are waiting on you, plus a 3 business day grace period. IB Times (UK), for example, states 3 to 5 business days.
Can UK coverage be guaranteed?▾
Not by a wire or a pitch: editors decide. A paid placement is bought, and its only guarantee is the refund. Every listing states: Published or your money back. Refund or free re-placement if the turnaround is missed, counted in business days with a grace period.
Next steps
- 01
Pick the route
A wire for the record, a paid placement for a named UK site, or both.
- 02
Shortlist UK outlets
Filter by price, label and turnaround, or start from 1 of the 3 quoted baskets.
- 03
Check the label
For promotional copy, choose a listing that runs a label, or ask for a label in your brief.
- 04
Send on UK time
Early morning GMT, embargo written with its time zone.
Browse UK outlets with live prices
160 UK listings, each with its price, turnaround, link policy and label stated before you pay.
Browse UK outlets Compare other countriesChecked on . Wire prices, rules and clock dates were read on each source page that day. Essentras prices, labels and basket totals come from the public API on the same day.
Sources
- PR Fire, pricing (read 4 Nov 2026)
- PR Fire, UK Regional Newswire (read 4 Nov 2026)
- ResponseSource, Press Release Wire pricing (read 4 Nov 2026)
- Pressat, packages (Internet Archive copy of 20 Oct 2026; live page 403 on 4 Nov 2026)
- EIN Presswire, pricing (read 4 Nov 2026)
- PR Newswire UK, membership and quote form (read 4 Nov 2026)
- Business Wire, pricing quote page (Internet Archive copy of 12 Jul 2026; live page 403 on 4 Nov 2026)
- PA Media, Mediapoint press release distribution (read 4 Nov 2026)
- LSEG, Regulatory News Service (read 4 Nov 2026)
- 3BL Media, acquisition of RealWire (27 Apr 2022; read 4 Nov 2026)
- CAP Code, section 02: Recognition of marketing communications (read 4 Nov 2026)
- ASA, Recognising ads: Advertisement features (23 Mar 2023; read 4 Nov 2026)
- Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, Schedule 20 (read 4 Nov 2026)
- gov.uk, When do the clocks change? (read 4 Nov 2026)
- Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011, section 1 (read 4 Nov 2026)
- Essentras public API, UK listings (read 4 Nov 2026)
Prices, rules and terms change. Check each source before you buy. This page is general information, not legal advice. Paid placements are advertising bought from the outlet and run with the label each listing states.