HiddenPeople who send news to journalists often ask whether they need a big PR platform or a simple list of contacts. The two are different products. This page compares them using only what each vendor publishes. We make the Newsroom Atlas, so read our claims about it with that in mind, and check the vendors' own pages for theirs.
What a PR platform does
A platform such as Muck Rack or Cision is a service you subscribe to. Muck Rack's pricing page lists, in all three of its tiers, online article search, email and Slack alerts, media database search, media list building and pitching. Its Standard and Premier tiers add podcast monitoring and AI-powered journalist recommendations. Muck Rack says its tools are free for journalists.
Cision's pages describe modules for media monitoring, journalist outreach and social listening, and each page carries a Request pricing button.
In short, a platform follows the media for you, and it is built for teams who do this every week.
What a directory file does
The Newsroom Atlas is an Excel file of news outlets with contact pages, public newsroom mailboxes and social profiles. You pay once, you keep the file, and you work from it yourself. The global edition has 3,688 outlets in 207 countries. It lists outlets, not individual journalists. It does not monitor coverage, send alerts or send pitches.
Side by side
| Newsroom Atlas | Muck Rack | Cision | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What you get | Excel file of outlets with contact pages, public mailboxes and social profiles | Online platform: search, alerts, media database, list building, pitching | Online platform: modules include monitoring, journalist outreach, social listening |
| How you pay | EUR 49 per world region, once, by invoice | Not published; custom proposal by sales | Not published; Request pricing form |
| Level of detail | Outlet | Not stated on the pricing page | Not stated on the pages we read |
| Monitoring and alerts | No | Yes, in all tiers | Monitoring module listed |
| Pitching tools | No | Yes, in all tiers | Journalist outreach module listed |
| Database size | 3,688 outlets, 207 countries (global edition) | Not published on the pricing page | Not published on the pages we read |
Where a cell says "not published", we did not find the figure on the vendor's own page. We do not use third-party estimates of their prices, because we cannot check them.
Who should buy which
A platform may suit you if you handle public relations for a company or clients all year, need to know when you are mentioned, and have a team that will use the tools every week. You will probably need a quote, and a plan sized to your users.
A directory file may suit you if you have one story, one launch or one market to approach, want to start from a list you own, and are willing to read each outlet and write each pitch yourself. A one-time cost also suits people who cannot commit to a subscription.
Many people will need neither at first. If you only need ten outlets in one country, reading their sites may be enough.
The honest limits of the Atlas
- It is outlet-level. It will not tell you which reporter covers your topic.
- Only part of the outlets list a public mailbox: 1,053 of 3,688 in the global edition. For the rest you get a contact page or a social profile.
- It is a snapshot, built in September 2026. Newsrooms change, so check each contact before you write.
- It does not monitor or alert you.
Questions to ask before you buy anything
- How many users will use it, and does the price change with that number?
- Does the contract renew automatically, and how do you cancel?
- Which countries and languages does the database cover, and how is it kept current?
- Can you export your lists if you leave?
- What do you get on day one, and who helps you start?
Ask the same questions of a file: when was it built, how many of the contacts were checked, and what does it not contain? We answer those for the Atlas above.
The cost of your own time
A file costs little but needs your hours: reading outlets, finding the right desk, writing each pitch. A platform costs more and saves some of those hours. Neither removes the work that matters most, which is a story that a particular reporter wants. Count your hours, not only the price.
How to use either one well
Whatever you buy, the pitch decides the result. Read our guide on pitching newsrooms in a new country before you start, and write to one person at a time.
Tool that fits
The Newsroom Atlas costs EUR 49 per world region, paid once by invoice, as an Excel file. If you need an ongoing monitoring service, ask Muck Rack and Cision for quotes, using their own pages above.
What to do next
The Newsroom Atlas lists news outlets with contact pages, public newsroom mailboxes and social profiles. The global edition has 3,688 outlets in 207 countries; one world region is €49, paid once.
Questions people ask
Is the Newsroom Atlas a replacement for Cision or Muck Rack?
No. They do different jobs. Those platforms monitor coverage, send alerts and manage pitching. The Atlas is a one-time Excel list of outlets and their public contact points.
What does Muck Rack cost?
Muck Rack's pricing page, checked on 16 October 2026, shows no prices. It lists three tiers, each with a Contact us button, and says pricing depends on factors such as the number of users.
What does Cision cost?
We did not find a price list on cision.com on 16 October 2026. Its pages offer a Request pricing button, so prices come from its sales team.
Sources
- Muck Rack, pricing page (checked 16 October 2026)
- Cision, home page with its Request pricing form (checked 16 October 2026)
- HiddenWay, Newsroom Atlas
We checked each source on 16 October 2026. If a fact here is out of date, tell us at hello@hiddenway.info.