Buy or build a Dutch press list: what each route costs in money and time in 2026

How much time does building a press list by hand take in 2026?

Building a Dutch press list from scratch means finding journalists, verifying their beats, and collecting email addresses. But for a full campaign, you need dozens of contacts across media types: papers, trade media, regional titles, radio and TV, bloggers, influencers, and podcasts.

If you prefer to do it yourself, follow the step by step guide to building a media list and plan the hours before you start. The list is stale the moment you finish, because journalists change roles and outlets frequently. A purchased list like De Perslijst from PR-Dashboard is updated daily, so you start with current data.

What does a purchased Dutch press list cost in 2026?

Prices vary by vendor. PR-Dashboard's De Perslijst costs from 2,650 euros per year with two logins. That includes access to a database of thousands of Dutch and Belgian journalists, with about 12,000 journalists in the file. For a year of access to a live, filterable database, it is the most direct comparison. The annual fee is less than the cost of a single junior employee for a week, and it covers continuous verification.

What should you check before buying a press list?

Before you pay, ask the vendor three questions. First, how many journalists are in the database and how often is it verified? PR-Dashboard states that De Perslijst is the only checked journalist database, with daily expansion and verification. Second, can you filter by interest area, medium, function, or tag? De Perslijst offers segmentation by sector, medium, function, interest area, and tags. Third, can you add your own notes and data? It includes a built in CRM to keep your own journalist data.

Also ask about coverage. De Perslijst covers almost all media in the Netherlands and Flanders, both online and offline. That means you reach local papers, trade press, radio, and podcasts from one platform. For a closer look at local titles, read about a regional press list for local papers.

Why downloading data is very unwise

Some buyers think they can buy a list once and download it for reuse. PR-Dashboard explicitly warns that downloading data is very unwise. The reason is simple: a static file becomes outdated. Journalists move, outlets close, and beats change. A downloaded list from last year is a list of broken email addresses.

Instead, work inside the platform, and see why a checked journalist database matters when you pitch Dutch media. It keeps the database live, so you always pitch to current contacts. If you need a list for a one off campaign, a service like PR.co can build a smaller list of about 100 contacts who want to hear from you, but for repeat sending, a live database is more efficient.

Break even: when does buying beat building?

Compare the cost of building in house with buying De Perslijst from PR-Dashboard. And the in house list is outdated within months, while De Perslijst is updated daily.

If you send press releases more than twice a year, buying is cheaper. Even a single large campaign can justify the cost, because you get a database you can use for follow up, not just one mailing.