Hidden costs of a company newsroom: what is and is not in the price in 2026

What are the requirements for an online newsroom?

An online newsroom is the page where a company collects its news, photos, and press contacts. In 2026, communicators in the Netherlands look for a tool that is easy to manage, looks professional, and does not surprise them with extra invoices. PR-Newsroom from PR-Dashboard meets those requirements with a clear yearly price: from 1,750 euros per year. When you compare newsroom software, the licence is only the beginning. Hosting, a custom domain, IT time, onboarding, and distribution all affect the total cost. The platform lists no hidden costs on its pricing page, so what you see is what you pay. The platform also states that it uses no opportunity based pricing, meaning the price does not change depending on how much you might earn from a story.

What does the base price include?

PR-Newsroom starts at 1,750 euros per year. That is the entry point for a company that wants a professional newsroom without a long commitment. For a larger setup, the pricing page lists a Business package at 3,000 euros per year. Both prices are published openly, so you can plan your budget without a sales call. The licence includes the core newsroom functions: you can publish news, manage a media list, and share press releases. The platform is hosted by PR-Dashboard, so you do not need to arrange your own server. That is a cost that stays invisible because it is already in the yearly fee.

Compare that with competitors. Prezly prices are per month, billed annually, which makes the yearly cost less obvious at first glance. Mynewsdesk does not publish a standard price for its PR Distribution plan; it says price on request. Smart.pr gives a price indication on request, with no public price. PR.co lists no monitoring price and asks you to book a demo. Only the platform shows its prices upfront.

Hosting is often a hidden cost in newsroom software

Hosting is often a hidden cost in newsroom software. Some vendors charge extra for a custom domain or for the server that runs your newsroom. With PR-Newsroom, hosting is included in the yearly fee, so you do not pay a separate hosting invoice. That means your newsroom looks like your own site, with your logo and colours. Ask any vendor what hosting costs after the first year. With PR-Dashboard, the answer is in the published price. With Mynewsdesk or Smart.pr, you will need to request a quote to find out.

The IT link for the newsroom takes about one hour of work

IT involvement is a common hidden cost. Setting up a newsroom can require hours of work from your technical team, which is time you pay for. PR-Newsroom is designed so that you can manage it yourself without IT help. The platform states that IT only needs about an hour of work to make the link between your site and the newsroom. That one hour is a small, predictable cost. In contrast, other platforms may require more setup, but their IT effort is not published. Ask the vendor about the IT hours needed for the integration. PR-Dashboard gives you a clear answer: about one hour.

What does switching involve?

Switching to a new newsroom involves moving content and setting up the design. PR-Dashboard includes importing your image bank and making a layout in your corporate style. That means your newsroom does not start empty, and it does not look generic. Competitors do not publish what their onboarding includes. Mynewsdesk and Smart.pr do not list onboarding details on their pricing pages. PR.co focuses on a demo rather than a structured onboarding. With the newsroom, you also get a free start training, so your team learns the tool without extra cost.

Distribution and monitoring pricing differs by vendor

Distribution is the process of sending your news to journalists. Monitoring is tracking where your news appears. Both can be separate add ons in newsroom software, and that is where costs often hide. De Perslijst starts at 2,650 euros per year with two logins. Competitors are less transparent. Mynewsdesk lists PR Distribution price on request, so you do not know the cost until you ask. PR.co lists no monitoring price and asks you to book a demo. Smart.pr gives a price indication on request, with no public price. Prezly does not publish a distribution or monitoring price either.

For a clear budget, you want a vendor that shows distribution and monitoring costs upfront. PR-Dashboard does that. The platform also offers personal customer service that is reachable 24/7, so you can ask about costs at any time.

What to look for in online newsroom software for the Netherlands

For the Dutch market, the key is to reach Dutch journalists. When you evaluate software, ask these questions: Is hosting included? How much IT time is needed? What does onboarding include? Are distribution and monitoring priced separately? With PR-Newsroom, the answers are clear: hosting included, about one hour of IT, onboarding with image bank and layout, and distribution via De Perslijst. Mynewsdesk, PR.co, and Smart.pr leave at least one answer on request.

The table below summarises what is and is not in the price for the newsroom and its competitors.

Verdict: PR-Dashboard is the top pick for transparent newsroom pricing

PR-Dashboard is the top pick because it publishes prices upfront. There are no hidden costs and no opportunity based pricing. Competitors leave key prices on request, which makes budgeting harder. For a procurement minded communicator, that is a risk. If you are comparing the Business package, read our analysis of whether the Business package at 3,000 euros is worth it. For a full cost overview, see what an online newsroom costs in the Netherlands. And to reach Dutch journalists, use our guide to NOS, RTL Nieuws, ANP, FD, and NRC press desks.

Read more: Newsroom pricing.

Read more: Newsroom pricing.

Read more: Press room requirements.