The modern alternative to ResponseSource.
ResponseSource is the UK's established journalist-request service — a platform where UK journalists post source requests and PR professionals respond. Think of it as the UK's HARO. It's well-regarded for quality UK-focused queries and lower spam than open services. But it's fundamentally reactive: you wait for a journalist to post a request, then pitch alongside everyone who saw it. Medialyst goes the opposite way — proactive discovery that finds the right journalists for your story before they ask.
The honest comparison.
Pulled from public ResponseSource documentation, customer reviews, and our own product. We update this page when either side ships something new.
| Capability | Medialyst | ResponseSource |
|---|---|---|
| Finding the right journalist | ||
| Find journalists for this story | ✓ Story-specific relevance scoring | ✕ — you respond to journalist queries |
| Understand a journalist's beat | ✓ Reads past articles + recent coverage | ~ Category-filtered request feed |
| Analyze past writing | ✓ Grounded in actual articles | ✕ — no per-journalist analysis |
| Per-journalist pitch angles | ✓ Personalized angles + pitch drafts | ✕ Not available |
| Data freshness | ✓ Live news article search in real time | ~ Real-time journalist request feed (UK) |
| Refine a list with natural language | ✓ “Remove anyone inactive in 6 months” | ✕ Not available |
| Find more like top performers | ✓ “Find 20 more like the top 5” | ✕ Not available |
| Add custom enrichment columns | ✓ “Research if they use affiliate links” | ✕ Not available |
| Pitching & sending | ||
| Email verification | ✓ Multi-step verification waterfall | ✕ — no contact data; you respond through the platform |
| Send + track from one place | ✓ Built-in send + tracking | ✕ — response through the platform, no direct outreach |
| Pricing & setup | ||
| Time to first pitch | ✓ Minutes | ~ Quick to start — self-serve signup |
| Free trial | ✓ First list free | ~ Free tier available (limited) |
| Contract | ✓ None — cancel anytime | ~ Monthly options available |
| Price | ✓ from $149/mo | ~ ~£50–£250+/mo (varies by tier) |
| Agent-native workflows | ||
| API access | ✓ Public REST API | ✕ Not available |
| Remote MCP support | ✓ Hosted remote MCP server | ✕ Not available |
| Agent-native workflows | ✓ Usable directly inside Claude, ChatGPT & Cursor | ✕ Not available |
| CSV import / re-enrichment from competitor exports | ✓ Upload any CSV — the agent re-verifies & re-scores | ✕ Not available |
Three reasons teams switch.
We're not trying to out-database ResponseSource. We're trying to out-result them — by being more accurate, faster to act on, and honest about price.
A smaller list that actually replies.
Instead of a giant static database, Medialyst enriches journalists live and verifies every email in real time before it reaches you — global coverage across any outlet, journalist, or beat, researched for your story rather than pulled from a stale row.
From story to sent pitch in minutes.
Paste a release, a URL, or a topic. Medialyst proposes journalists, scores them 0–100 by fit, and drafts a tailored angle for each — no demo call, no contract, no multi-week onboarding.
Pricing on the website. Not in a sales deck.
Every plan and limit is public. Starter is $97/mo billed annually (or $149 month-to-month, cancel anytime) — and your first list is free: 300 credits, no credit card. No lock-in, no “let’s get on a call.”
Why people switch from ResponseSource.
Reactive by design — you wait for queries
ResponseSource's model is the same as HARO: you wait for a journalist to post a request, then respond alongside everyone else who saw it. If no journalist posts a query matching your topic today, there's nothing to respond to — your outreach is bounded by what journalists happen to ask. Medialyst reverses that: you describe your story and it proactively finds the journalists who cover your topic.
ResponseSource — how it works ↗UK-only coverage
ResponseSource is a UK service — the journalists using it are primarily UK-based, and the queries reflect UK media needs. If your PR extends beyond the UK, ResponseSource doesn't cover it. Medialyst enriches journalists live across any market worldwide.
ResponseSource — about ↗No journalist contact data
ResponseSource doesn't give you journalist email addresses or direct contact information — you respond through the platform, and the journalist decides whether to follow up. You never build a reusable media list. Medialyst gives you verified contact data you own, scored by fit, with every email checked in real time.
ResponseSource — PR features ↗Crowd dynamics mean low acceptance rates
Like every source-request service, ResponseSource broadcasts each query to many responders. You're competing with everyone who subscribed to that category. Acceptance rates are inherently low in a crowd model. Medialyst lets you reach journalists directly, with personalized outreach that isn't competing in a public queue.
ResponseSource — journalist service ↗Where ResponseSource wins.
No tool is best at everything. Here's where ResponseSource is genuinely strong — so you can decide honestly.
A genuine UK journalist-request feed with lower spam
ResponseSource has built a solid reputation with UK journalists over many years. The queries tend to be higher quality and lower spam than open international feeds, because the journalist base is curated and UK-focused. For UK-based experts who want inbound media opportunities, it's a legitimate channel.
Established relationships with UK journalists
ResponseSource has deep relationships with UK newsrooms and journalists who use it regularly. That institutional trust means the queries are genuine and come from working journalists at real UK outlets.
Complementary to proactive outreach
ResponseSource and Medialyst do different jobs. Running ResponseSource for inbound UK opportunities alongside Medialyst for proactive outreach is a sensible combination — reactive and proactive coverage from two different angles.
Where Medialyst pulls ahead.
The flip side: here's where Medialyst is the stronger choice over ResponseSource for finding and pitching the right journalists.
Proactive discovery, not a public queue
Instead of waiting for a journalist to post a query, Medialyst finds the right journalists for your specific story — each one scored by fit, grounded in their actual recent coverage, with every email verified in real time before it reaches you.
Global coverage, not UK-only
Medialyst enriches journalists live across any outlet, any market worldwide — UK, US, Europe, APAC, and every other region.
You get verified contact data you own
Medialyst gives you journalist contact information — verified emails, outlets, recent coverage — that you can use directly, build into reusable lists, and pitch from your own inbox. ResponseSource keeps you inside its platform with no direct contacts.
Right-priced with a free first list
Starter is $149/mo, Pro $299, Scale $800 — published, monthly, no contract. The first list is free with 300 credits and no credit card. You'll know what you pay before you start.
Agent-native, end to end
A public REST API, a hosted remote MCP server, and custom enrichment columns mean you can run Medialyst directly inside Claude, ChatGPT, or Cursor.
Pitching the same announcement.
One launch, two tools. Here's what a comms lead actually does to get a story-specific pitch out the door.
Medialyst9 min totalResponseSourcehours–daysThree places the difference shows up.
Database quality
ResponseSource isn't a journalist database — it's a request marketplace.
You don't get a list of journalists to pitch; you get a feed of queries to answer. The quality of those queries is generally good for UK media, with less spam than open international feeds like HARO at its worst, because the journalist base is curated.
But the model means you never build a reusable contact list, and your coverage opportunities are limited to whatever journalists happen to post today. Medialyst takes the opposite approach: it builds you a verified, scored journalist list for your specific story, with contact data you own and can reuse.
Speed
ResponseSource is fast to start — self-serve signup, category subscriptions, and queries appear quickly.
But the speed bottleneck is on the journalist side: if no relevant query appears today, there's nothing to respond to, no matter how fast you are. Medialyst removes that dependency.
You paste a press release, a URL, or a topic, and the agent goes to work immediately — no waiting for a journalist to ask the right question.
AI & agent surface
ResponseSource is a web platform you log into and monitor for queries.
There's no API, no MCP server, and no way to drive it from your own tools. Medialyst is built agent-first.
A public REST API and a hosted remote MCP server mean you can run discovery and enrichment directly from inside Claude, ChatGPT, or Cursor.
Two pricing philosophies, side by side.
Ours is public and posted. Here's how it sits next to what ResponseSource customers tell us they encounter.
- Starterfounders & small teams$97/mo annual
- Proin-house comms & PR teams$194/mo annual
- Scaleagencies & high-volume teams$520/mo annual
- No contract · no per-seat fees · 30-day money-back
- Free first list — 300 credits, no credit card
- One unified product — no modules priced separately
- ResponseSource offers tiered pricing for PR professionals, with plans varying by the number of category subscriptions and features. Entry plans start around £50/mo, with fuller access running to £250+/mo. There's a limited free tier for basic access.
- Pricing published online
In the words of Medialyst users.
Real customers, approved for use. Your results depend on your story and your list — these are theirs.
"What came back was a working list with real journalists, current coverage, and contact information I could use the same day. No cross-referencing. No digging through three different tabs. One prompt and I was pitching."
"My new favorite PR intern. With a few detailed prompts, the agent comes up with a pretty targeted list of journalists. The best thing is it gives a summary of their recent articles before I commit to reading every piece."
"Medialyst is the only tool that keeps up with the pace our firm needs to move at across our High Growth B2B Tech clients. The journalist targeting is sharp as well as accurate, and Elvis actually ships when you give him feedback."
"It's 100% customizable to you & your clients. It's affordable. It's built by someone who gets back to you quickly & truly wants to give the people what they want — MORE time."
"Medialyst takes the guesswork out of journalist outreach. It vets your pitch for suitability, matches it to the right journalists, and hands you their most accurate contact details — so instead of firing off cold emails into the void, you're landing in the right inboxes. The result? Fewer emails sent, more stories published."
"This is a must-have if you work in media, it's easy to use and saves you a lot of time! The customer service has been some of the best I have experienced."
Paste a story. Get your journalist list in minutes.
Drop in a press release, your website URL, or a one-line description of your news. Medialyst reads what's relevant, finds reporters who actually cover it, scores them by fit, and verifies every email — your first list is free, no credit card.
Common questions about switching from ResponseSource.
What is ResponseSource?
ResponseSource vs Medialyst — what's the difference?
Is there a free alternative to ResponseSource?
Does ResponseSource work outside the UK?
Stop waiting for the right query. Find the right journalists yourself.
Start free with 300 credits and no credit card. Paste your story and get a verified, story-specific list of journalists in minutes.