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Pricing Guide

Tech PR Pricing: What Does PR Really Cost?

Transparent guide to PR agency pricing. Understand retainer costs, project fees, and what to budget at every stage of company growth.

Proven Track Record

Success stories demonstrating $3.1B+ in client value creation

$3.1B+

Total Client Value

10

Case Studies

$3.4M+

Earned Media Value

2,000%+

Avg Funding Goal

Viber

Mobile Messaging/VoIP

$900M Exit

4 years of sustained coverage in major publications globally. Reached 300M+ users and became top 5 messaging app worldwide. Acquired by Rakuten for $900M in 2014.

Media: New York Times, Wired, Forbes, TechCrunch, Reuters

Zebra Medical

MedTech/AI Imaging

$200M Exit

Multiple FDA approvals secured through strategic media coverage. Named Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies and selected twice by WIRED Magazine. Acquired by Nanox for $200M in 2021.

Media: Forbes, Fast Company, TechCrunch, WIRED, CNBC

Applause

Software Testing/QA

$115.8M Raised

5 consecutive years on Inc. 5000 list. Forbes Most Promising Companies (ranked #7). Grew to 500,000+ testers from 200+ countries. Acquired by Vista Equity Partners in 2017.

Media: TechCrunch, CNBC, Forbes, Reuters, TIME, Wired

IOTA

Blockchain/Crypto

$13B Valuation

Data marketplace announcement moved IOTA from 13th to 3rd on CoinMarketCap. Secured partnerships with Jaguar Land Rover, STMicroelectronics, and government support through Japanese NEDO program.

Media: Reuters, Bloomberg, Forbes, Cointelegraph, CoinDesk

StoreDot

Battery Technology

$48M Series B

700 publications, 3M video views in 48 hours, 2M+ social shares with zero ad budget. Went from anonymity to ubiquity overnight. Announced $48M Series B months after PR campaign.

Media: Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, TechCrunch, CNN, BBC, Fortune

Yo App

Mobile Messaging

Record-Breaking

3,600 unique articles across tech and mainstream media. 1 million downloads in 48 hours (beat Instagram's record). Coverage overshadowed Amazon Fire smartphone launch on same day.

Media: Financial Times, ABC News, CNN Business, The Verge, The Guardian

Pre-Seed / Seed

Early Stage

$5K-$10K/mo

Basic PR support, founder thought leadership, funding announcement. Consider project-based until you have consistent news flow.

Series A

Growth Stage

$10K-$20K/mo

Full-service PR program, regular media relations, content development, executive visibility, and measurement.

Series B+

Scale Stage

$15K-$35K/mo

Comprehensive program including analyst relations, international expansion, crisis readiness, and integrated campaigns.

Enterprise

Mature Stage

$25K-$100K+/mo

Global PR programs, multiple verticals, extensive thought leadership, crisis teams, and integrated marketing support.

Wire Service Fees

Distribution of press releases typically costs + per release depending on reach. Most agencies pass these through at cost.

Media Monitoring

Tools like Meltwater or Cision can cost /year. Some agencies include basic monitoring; comprehensive tools are often extra.

Travel & Events

Media tours, conferences, and event support often require separate budgets for travel, hosting, and materials.

Content Production

Research reports, videos, infographics, and extensive content development may be scoped separately from core retainer.

Crisis Support

Crisis communications often carry premium rates or additional fees. Ask about crisis coverage in your agreement.

Analyst Relations

Working with industry analysts (Gartner, Forrester) often requires dedicated budget and expertise beyond core PR.

Get Your Custom PR Quote

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How much does tech PR cost? +
Tech PR typically costs $8,000- for boutique agencies, $15,000- for mid-size firms, and +/month for large agencies. Project-based work ranges from + depending on scope.
What's included in a PR retainer? +
Typical retainers include: media relations and pitching, press release drafting, media monitoring, monthly reporting, strategic counsel, and limited content creation. Extra costs often include: wire distribution, media events, extensive research, crisis support, and analyst relations.
Is retainer or project-based PR better? +
Retainers work best for ongoing visibility needs and consistent PR programs. Project-based works for specific campaigns, launches, or when you're testing an agency. Retainers typically provide better value for sustained efforts; projects are good for defined, time-bound initiatives.
Why is PR so expensive? +
PR requires experienced professionals with media relationships, strategic thinking, and crisis readiness. Quality agencies invest in senior talent, tools, and capabilities. Cheap PR often means junior execution and poor results. You generally get what you pay for in PR.
How much should a startup budget for PR? +
Pre-seed/seed startups should budget $5,000- for basic PR support. Series A companies typically spend $10,000-. Series B+ companies usually invest $15,000-. Very early startups may benefit from project-based work until they have consistent news flow.
What are hidden PR costs to watch for? +
Watch for: wire service fees + per release), media database subscriptions, monitoring tools, travel and event expenses, content production, research costs, and crisis support premiums. Ask agencies specifically what's included vs. extra.