Cision One
Detailed Description
Cision is an enterprise-grade PR platform offering media outreach, monitoring, analytics, and distribution services (via PR Newswire). It integrates journalist databases, PR campaign management, and AI-powered media tracking. Best suited for large enterprises needing global PR reach and deep analytics.
Key Features
- Global media database (1.1M+ contacts).
- Integrated press release distribution (PR Newswire).
- Media monitoring across online, print, broadcast, social.
- PR performance analytics and ROI tracking.
- AI-driven insights and automation (CisionOne).
- Aims to provide a full suite of tools covering most aspects of the PR workflow.
Pros and Cons
✅ Pros:
- All-in-one communications platform.
- Extensive global media reach.
- Deep analytics linking PR to business outcomes.
- Global Reach: Strong presence and data coverage internationally.
❌ Cons:
- Very high cost.
- Complex interface and usability issues.
- Difficult contract cancellation terms.
- Frequently criticized for containing outdated contact information, inaccurate details, and irrelevant contacts, leading to high email bounce rates and wasted effort.
- Reviews frequently mention slow response times, poorly trained representatives, difficulty getting issues resolved, and inconsistent support quality.
Pricing Information
Starts around $7,200 per year for basic access.
Median costs reported by users range from $12,700 to $13,000 annually.
Costs can extend significantly higher, potentially $15,000-$20,000 or even $30,000+ depending on the package.
Database access alone estimated at $5,700-$6,000/year.
User Feedback
- G2: Overall rating around 3.9/5. Reviews highlight comprehensive features and database size but criticize usability, outdated information, and complexity, especially after updates. Cision often ranks as a leader in G2 reports due to market presence, despite satisfaction scores sometimes lagging. Direct access blocked.
- Capterra: Overall rating around 3.8/5. Reviews praise the database size and functionality but frequently complain about cost, complexity, outdated contacts, and poor customer service. Direct access blocked.
- TrustRadius: Overall score around 6.9/10. Likelihood to Recommend ~8.5/10 (based on 279 ratings for Comms Cloud ). PRWeb scores lower at 3.7/10. Reviews praise distribution capabilities and database scope but criticize outdated data, usability issues (especially list building), cost, and support responsiveness.
- Trustpilot: Overall rating 1.3/5 (based on 1,167 reviews). Note: This Trustpilot score seems exceptionally low compared to other platforms and may reflect issues specific to certain services or billing/contract disputes often aired on Trustpilot. Snippets reference Trustpilot but don't provide Cision reviews directly.
Summary
Cision is recognized as a powerful, comprehensive platform with unparalleled distribution reach via PR Newswire and the largest media database. However, its reputation is significantly hampered by persistent user complaints regarding data accuracy, a complex and often unintuitive user interface, high costs, and inconsistent customer support. Its value is often perceived as a trade-off between extensive features/reach and usability/reliability.
