20+ Free PR Submission Sites for Entrepreneurs Who Can't Afford an Agency
A curated, tested list of free press release distribution sites with domain authority ratings, effort levels, and practical notes on what actually drives results.
Press releases aren’t dead. They’re just expensive: at least through the traditional channels. A single distribution through PR Newswire or Business Wire runs $500 to $2,000+, which is fine for funded startups and established companies but prohibitive for bootstrapped entrepreneurs and small businesses.
The good news is there’s a tier of free press release distribution sites that provide meaningful visibility, indexing, and backlink diversity without the cost. The bad news is that most lists of these sites are outdated, include defunct platforms, or don’t tell you which ones are actually worth the effort.
We tested and categorized over 20 free PR submission platforms. Here’s what’s worth your time.
The High-Value Tier (DA 70+)
PRLog at prlog.org carries a domain authority of 82 and provides free press release distribution with link support. The submission process is moderate effort — you need a well-formatted release with a clear news angle, but the indexing is reliable and the visibility is real. This is the first platform you should submit to.
Online PR Media at onlineprnews.com has a DA of 75 and offers free basic submissions with paid upgrade options for additional visibility. The free tier is sufficient for backlink diversity and Google indexing.
PR.com carries a DA of 77 and offers both free press release publishing and a company profile page. The profile page is an underrated feature; it creates an additional indexed page with your business information that persists beyond individual releases.
The Solid Middle Tier (DA 55-70)
IssueWire at issuewire.com has a DA of 72 and includes one free press release per month. The SEO impact increases with paid tiers, but the free submission provides nofollow links and Google indexing.
NewswireToday at newswiretoday.com carries a DA of 68 and is more B2B focused, which can be an advantage if your business serves other businesses. Setup is straightforward and indexing is reliable.
1888 PressRelease at 1888pressrelease.com has a DA of 66 and offers free submission with links. Upgrading to paid tiers converts nofollow links to dofollow, but even the free tier provides indexing and diversity value.
Press Release Point at pressreleasepoint.com has a DA of 64 and requires an account but accepts niche and small business releases readily.
ClickPress at clickpress.com carries a DA of 61 with a simple release interface. Releases are indexed by Google typically within 48 hours.
The Quick-Win Tier (DA 50-60)
These platforms are lower authority but require minimal effort, making them useful for broadening your backlink profile without significant time investment.
Free Press Release Center at free-press-release-center.info has a DA of 58 and is the simplest submission process in the group. If you have a formatted release ready, you can submit and be indexed within a day.
PRFree at prfree.org carries a DA of 56 and is good for backlink diversity with very quick submission times.
How to Get Actual Value from Free PR Distribution
The platforms themselves are just distribution channels. The value depends entirely on what you’re distributing. A poorly written press release submitted to all 20 platforms generates 20 low-value indexed pages. A well-crafted release submitted strategically generates awareness, backlinks, and potential pickup by journalists who monitor these platforms.
Write for journalists, not algorithms. Your press release should answer a question a reporter might have, not stuff keywords into a corporate announcement. The most successful free PR submissions tell a story. A founder’s journey, a novel approach to a problem, a data point that surprises.
Include exactly one link to your most important page. Not your homepage. The specific page you want to rank. Every platform allows at least one URL in the release body. Make it count by pointing it at the page that benefits most from an additional backlink.
Submit to the high-value tier first and monitor results before expanding to the full list. If your release gets traction on PRLog and PR.com. Comments, views, journalist inquiries. Consider investing in a paid distribution through one of the mid-tier platforms to amplify it.
Repurpose every release across your own channels. The same news angle that drives a press release should appear on your blog, your social media, and your email list. The PR distribution is amplification, not origination.
Free PR distribution won’t replace a dedicated media relations strategy. But for entrepreneurs building authority on a budget, it provides a legitimate, measurable channel for backlink building, brand awareness, and the occasional journalist pickup that punches well above its cost, which is nothing.