haro vs connectively
HARO vs Connectively — features, pricing, and which to choose for your digital PR workflow in 2026.
Quick Verdict
This comparison is actually straightforward: HARO and Connectively are the same service at different points in time. HARO (Help A Reporter Out) was acquired by Cision and rebranded as Connectively in 2023, bringing significant improvements to the original platform that journalists and sources had used for over a decade.
The key difference isn't between competing tools—it's between the legacy HARO experience and the modern Connectively platform that replaced it. If you're still referring to "HARO," you're likely thinking of the old system that no longer exists in its original form.
Feature Comparison
Connectively maintains HARO's core function—connecting journalists with expert sources for media coverage—but adds AI-powered matching that the original HARO lacked. The old HARO system sent out mass emails three times daily with journalist queries, requiring sources to manually scan through dozens of irrelevant requests to find matches. Connectively's AI analyzes your expertise profile and surfaces the most relevant journalist requests, dramatically reducing the time spent filtering queries. The platform also introduced better categorization, allowing sources to specify their exact areas of expertise rather than relying on broad category tags. For journalists, Connectively offers enhanced source discovery tools and streamlined pitch management that weren't available in the original HARO interface. The response tracking system in Connectively provides clearer visibility into which pitches journalists have seen and responded to, something that was completely opaque in the old HARO system where sources submitted pitches into a black box.
Pricing Comparison
Both platforms maintain the same free tier structure, allowing unlimited access to journalist queries and source submissions at no cost. This was always HARO's strength and remains unchanged in Connectively—the core service that most PR professionals and business owners need doesn't cost anything. Premium features in Connectively are priced similarly to what HARO offered, typically ranging from basic plans around $19/month to enterprise packages over $499/month. The main difference is that Connectively's paid tiers include AI matching and advanced analytics that weren't available in HARO's premium offerings, making the paid upgrades more valuable than they were previously.
Best For
Connectively is the better choice for anyone serious about digital PR and link building through journalist outreach. Since it's the direct successor to HARO with meaningful improvements, there's no reason to seek out the old system. The AI matching alone saves hours per week compared to manually sorting through irrelevant queries. There is no scenario where the original HARO would be preferable, as it no longer exists as a standalone service. Anyone referring to HARO in 2025 should be using Connectively instead—it's the same network of journalists with better tools and matching technology.
The Verdict
Choose Connectively because it's literally the evolved version of HARO. The transition brought real improvements without losing what made the original platform valuable: free access to thousands of journalist queries and the ability to earn high-quality backlinks through legitimate media coverage. The AI matching and improved interface make it significantly more efficient than the old HARO system ever was.