Online newsroom platform checklist: 12 questions to ask every vendor in 2026

Buying an online newsroom platform means comparing vendors on details that matter daily: where the newsroom lives, who can update it, how journalists find your news, and what it costs. A checklist helps you ask the same questions to every vendor. This checklist is written for buyers in the Dutch media market. It covers the questions you should put to every vendor in 2026, with the answers PR-Newsroom gives. Before you start, read the Cision or Meltwater vendor questions for a wider view on media software.

What should a newsroom platform run on?

Your newsroom should look like part of your website, not like a third party tool. PR-Newsroom runs on your URL and in your branding. That means journalists see your domain and your logo, which builds trust before they read a single word.

Ask every vendor for a live example of a newsroom on a client's own URL. If the vendor cannot show one, ask how branding is handled. PR-Dashboard's newsroom also gives a prominent place to your contact details, so journalists know who to call.

Where is the platform hosted?

Hosting location matters for data protection and speed. PR-Newsroom is hosted by PR-Dashboard, and all development and hosting take place in the Netherlands with Dutch programmers. That is a clear answer for Dutch buyers who want their news data to stay close.

Ask each vendor where their servers are and whether data stays in the EU.

Do I need IT help to manage the newsroom?

A newsroom should be manageable by your PR team, not by your IT department. The newsroom can be managed without IT help, and you work without IT or web builders. That means your communications team can publish news items on their own.

Ask vendors how their editor works and whether training is included. PR-Dashboard's newsroom has an intuitive editor for news items including images, and you can add photos, videos, downloads and documents to news items. That covers most press room needs without custom development.

Can I control what is visible and when?

Sometimes you want to prepare a news item but not publish it yet. PR-Newsroom lets you decide what is visible and what is not, or from when a folder is visible. That gives you embargo control and the freedom to stage content.

Ask every vendor how visibility settings work. Can you hide a press release until a specific date? Can you show different folders to different audiences?

How do journalists find my news?

Findability is the whole point of a newsroom. PR-Dashboard's newsroom also lets journalists follow your news with a button, so they get updates without checking your site.

Search by labels, tags and keywords helps journalists quickly find the information they seek. Ask competitors how their media search works.

Does it connect to my press release distribution?

A newsroom works best when it is connected to your press release tool. The newsroom automatically publishes releases that you send through De Perslijst, the journalist database and sending system from PR-Dashboard. That saves a manual step after every distribution.

Ask competitors whether their newsroom integrates with their own distribution tool or with third party tools. If they do not, you will copy and paste every release. PR-Newsroom removes that work.

What does the price comparison look like?

Price transparency is rare in this market. PR-Newsroom is available from 1,750 euros per year, and the pricing page lists a Business package at 3,000 euros per year. That gives you a clear starting point for budgeting.

Prezly prices are per month, billed annually, and its Standard plan includes 2 users and up to 10,000 contacts. Mynewsdesk gives its PR distribution price on request, and Smart.pr gives a price indication on request with no public price.

How do I compare the full picture?

Your team may grow, and you need to know the cost of adding users. Prezly Standard includes 2 users, which is a published fact. For a deeper comparison of newsroom platforms, read choose a newsroom platform.

The table below gives the newsroom answer to each buyer question from this checklist, so you can hold it next to every other vendor.

How do data protection and support compare?

Data protection is a legal requirement. Ask every vendor for their data processing agreement and where they store data. Ask vendors whether they offer onboarding, documentation, and a support channel.

What should I check before signing?

A demo shows you the editor and the newsroom from the journalist's side. Ask every vendor for a live demo. For inspiration, see corporate newsroom examples in 2026.