qwoted vs muck-rack
Qwoted vs Muck Rack — features, pricing, and which to choose for your SEO workflow in 2026.
Quick Verdict
Qwoted and Muck Rack represent two fundamentally different approaches to digital PR. Qwoted operates as a query-matching platform where experts respond to journalist requests, while Muck Rack functions as a comprehensive PR management suite with media database access and proactive outreach tools.
The choice between them often comes down to your PR strategy: reactive expert positioning versus proactive media outreach. Qwoted excels at establishing subject matter expertise through HARO-style query responses, while Muck Rack provides the infrastructure for full-scale PR campaigns with journalist research and relationship management.
Feature Comparison
Qwoted's core strength lies in its journalist query matching system. You create an expert profile, specify your areas of expertise, and receive relevant media requests directly in your inbox. The platform focuses entirely on connecting sources with journalists who need quotes, making it straightforward for experts to build authority and earn mentions. Their query filtering and response tracking features help manage the volume of requests effectively. Muck Rack takes a broader approach with its comprehensive journalist database containing over 1 million media contacts. You can research journalists by beat, publication, and social media activity, then conduct targeted outreach campaigns. The platform includes media monitoring to track brand mentions, PR reporting dashboards, and relationship management tools to maintain ongoing journalist connections. Their pitch templates and automated follow-up sequences streamline the outreach process. The feature gap is significant: Qwoted handles inbound query responses, while Muck Rack manages complete PR workflows from research to campaign reporting.
Pricing Comparison
Qwoted offers a free tier that includes basic query matching and expert profile creation, making it accessible for individual experts and small businesses testing PR waters. Their paid plans add advanced filtering, priority query access, and enhanced profile features, but specific pricing isn't publicly disclosed. Muck Rack operates on custom enterprise pricing, typically starting around $300-500 per month per user based on industry reports. This reflects their comprehensive feature set and extensive journalist database, but creates a significant barrier for smaller organizations. The investment makes sense for PR agencies and larger companies running consistent media outreach campaigns, but pricing scales quickly with team size and feature requirements.
Best For
Qwoted works best for subject matter experts, consultants, and businesses looking to establish thought leadership through reactive PR. If you have deep expertise in specific niches and want to respond to relevant journalist queries without the overhead of proactive outreach, Qwoted's streamlined approach delivers results efficiently. It's particularly valuable for solo practitioners and small teams who need PR wins without dedicated PR staff. Muck Rack suits PR professionals, agencies, and marketing teams executing proactive media campaigns. When you need to research journalists, pitch story ideas, monitor brand mentions, and manage multiple client campaigns, Muck Rack's comprehensive toolset justifies the investment. It's built for organizations treating PR as a core marketing channel requiring dedicated resources and systematic processes.
The Verdict
Choose Qwoted if you're positioning yourself or your business as an expert source and prefer responding to journalist requests over initiating contact. The free tier and query-matching approach make it ideal for building authority without significant PR investment. Choose Muck Rack if you need comprehensive PR infrastructure for proactive media outreach, journalist relationship management, and campaign tracking. Despite the higher cost, Muck Rack's database and workflow tools are essential for serious PR operations.