How Much Does HARO Cost?

HARO, or Help A Reporter Out, is an online platform that connects journalists and bloggers with sources of expertise. If you're a business owner or industry professional, HARO can be a valuable tool for increasing brand awareness, driving website traffic, and earning backlinks to your website. 

But before diving in, you might wonder - how much does HARO cost? Well, signing up for the platform is free with five monthly pitch credits. But spending $19 a month will give you 15 pitches. And if you need more, it’ll cost $1 for each additional pitch. 

However, there are also $49 and $149 tiers, which give you more benefits, like more keyword alerts, profiles, and premium support. Besides, the price per link can vary massively if you plan to outsource HARO to a vendor. Let’s break it all down. 

HARO Cost Breakdown: Do It Yourself

As we mentioned already, signing up for HARO is free, and with the basic plan, you get five pitch credits per month. When you move to the Standard plan at $19 per month, this allows for 15 pitches with each additional one costing $1. 

There are two higher plans, priced at $49 and $149. Typically, they suit those needing advanced features such as additional keyword alerts, the ability to create more profiles and access to priority support. 

Here’s a table that overviews what you get from each plan. 

Feature	Basic (Free)	Standard ($19/mo)	Advanced ($49/mo)	Premium ($149/mo)
Monthly Pitches Credits	5 ($1 for each additional credit)	15 ($1 for each additional credit)	50 ($1 for each additional credit)	Unlimited
Keyword Filters and Alerts	0	2	3	Unlimited
Profile	1	1	3	Unlimited
Text Alerts	Not Available	Available	Available	Available
Head Start (Priority Alert)	Not Available	Limited	Always Available	Always Available
Support	Email	Email	Phone & Email	Phone & Email

With the Advanced and Premium plans, you get a great advantage of being at the front of the line. This means you'll be one of the first contacted about new requests. This gives you more time to make your pitch before other companies see it. 

Yet, many users aren’t quite satisfied with the tier plans due to the keyword limits. As you can see from this post on Reddit, most of them wanted more choices for filtering keywords for the money they spend.

HARO Cost Breakdown: Outsourcing

If you don't have the time or expertise to manage your HARO outreach yourself, You can outsource HARO services to vendors. This means you can hire people specializing in securing backlinks through HARO. However the cost of outsourcing HARO can vary significantly, typically ranging from $330 to $850 per link.

This can be influenced by several factors. For example, it could be the vendor's experience, your industry niche, the desired turnaround time, and any guarantees offered (such as a specific Domain Rating for the link).

Here are some common ways to outsource HARO:

1. Finding the Right Agency

Finding experienced PR agencies with a proven track record in your specific sector can be a good option. Agencies will have specialized HARO departments or consultants who know how to secure high-quality links.

2. Hiring a Freelancer

You can hire freelance public relations specialists or dedicated HARO outreach personnel on a project basis. Freelancers offer flexibility but may not have the same resources as an agency.

3. Using Turnkey Services

Turnkey HARO services manage the entire process for a hands-off approach, from pitching journalists to follow-up. However, these types of services tend to be more expensive.

4. Virtual Assistant Support

Hiring a Virtual Assistant (VA) to scour through the daily HARO emails can work well. The VA can summarize the most relevant queries to your business and handle the initial outreach.

5. AI Software Solutions

There are PR bots and AI assistant tools that can recommend the most relevant HARO queries based on your website topic and industry. This provides targeted leads without much effort.

Should You Do It Yourself or Outsource?

The answer to this question entirely depends on your action plan and budget. But here's a simple cost comparison between doing HARO yourself and outsourcing that might help you decide.

Approach	Cost	Pros	Cons
Doing it Yourself	$20/month + $1 per additional pitch	Lower cost, maintain control	Requires time commitment, effort needed for crafting pitches
Outsourcing HARO	$330 - $850 per link	Saves time, potentially faster results	Higher cost, quality of links may vary, less control over process

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there any free alternatives to HARO?

Yes, there are several free alternatives to HARO, such as Pitch Engine, ProfNet, and SourceBottle. However, these platforms may not have the same reach or journalist base as HARO.

What are guaranteed DR links, and should I get them?

"DR" or Domain Rating is a way to see how influential a website is. Some agencies offer "guaranteed DR links" from sites with a certain DR score. Yet, you should focus more on how the website relates to your business. An on-topic backlink from a smaller site can help more than one from an unrelated big site.

Are there additional costs involved in using HARO besides the platform fee?

Beyond the platform fee, no additional costs are generally associated with using HARO. However, if you outsource HARO, the vendor's fees may cover additional services like crafting pitches or building relationships with journalists. So, it's important to clarify what's included in the vendor's pricing beforehand.

Conclusion

HARO is a great way to meet journalists and raise your online profile. The free basic account lets you get started, but the paid plans give you more options. You can also hire someone else to do HARO for you.

If you outsource, it costs more money. But you save time by not doing the work. Deciding which path depends on your budget, skills, and how hands-on you want to be. 

So, think about how much you can afford and what your goals are. Do you want more customization, or can you use the basic tools? Do you have experience writing pitches? Or do you need help from professionals? Answering these questions will guide you to a better decision.