HARO compared
HARO vs. Source of Sources
HARO and Source of Sources are both free email newsletters that send journalist requests to expert sources up to three times a day. HARO, founded in 2008, is run by Featured and reports more than 800,000 sources. Source of Sources was started in 2024 by Peter Shankman, the founder of HARO, and says it serves more than 20,000 journalists, broadcasters, bloggers and brands. Both are free, so you can subscribe to both.
Updated Prices and plans checked November 10, 2026Sources
The short answer
Two free newsletters with one founder
HARO (Help a Reporter Out) and Source of Sources (SOS) do the same job in the same format. Journalists submit a request for sources. The service emails those requests to subscribers. Sources reply to the ones that fit. Both are free for journalists and for sources.
The two share a founder. Peter Shankman started HARO in 2008 and sold it in 2010. He started Source of Sources in 2024, the same year Cision discontinued HARO. Featured acquired HARO in April 2025 and relaunched it as a free email newsletter. Today they are separate services with separate owners and separate lists of journalists.
Because both are free and the requests are different, the practical answer for most sources is to subscribe to both. The differences below matter most if you only want one more email in your inbox, or if you are a journalist deciding where to post.
Choose HARO if
- You want the larger network. HARO reports more than 800,000 sources and 75,000 journalists and bloggers.
- You are a journalist who wants pitches screened. HARO scores every pitch for AI-generated text and lets you filter those out.
- You want your email address masked.
- You want the option of a platform. HARO queries also appear in Connectively, with alerts and tracking.
Choose Source of Sources if
- You want the original HARO format from its original founder.
- You like a list with strict rules. One off-topic pitch can get a source removed.
- You want another free source of requests alongside HARO.
HARO wrote this page, and HARO is owned by Featured. We have kept the description of Source of Sources to what its own site says, checked on November 10, 2026. It is a good service, and we suggest reading both.
Side by side
HARO and Source of Sources at a glance
| HARO | Source of Sources | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Free email newsletter of journalist requests | Free email newsletter of journalist requests |
| Run by | Featured | Peter Shankman |
| Founded | 2008. Relaunched by Featured in April 2025 | 2024 |
| Cost for sources | Free | Free |
| Cost for journalists | Free | Free |
| Emails | Up to 3 each weekday | Up to 3 a day |
| Reported size | 800,000+ sources and 75,000+ journalists and bloggers | 20,000+ journalists, broadcasters, bloggers and brands |
| How you reply | By email, through a masked address | By email, to the journalist |
| AI screening of pitches | Yes. Every pitch is scored | Not stated |
| Platform option | Yes. HARO queries on Connectively | No. Email only |
| How it is funded | Newsletter advertising | Free. Suggests charity donations |
Checked November 10, 2026. Sources are listed at the end of this page.
Definitions
What each one is
What is HARO?
HARO, short for Help a Reporter Out, is a free service that connects journalists with expert sources. Journalists submit queries. HARO reviews them and emails them to subscribers in up to three digests each weekday. Sources reply by email, and journalists choose the responses they want to use. HARO was founded in 2008 by Peter Shankman, became part of Vocus in 2010 and Cision in 2014, and was discontinued by Cision in 2024. Featured acquired HARO in April 2025 and relaunched it as a free email newsletter supported by advertising.
What is Source of Sources?
Source of Sources, or SOS, is a free email newsletter of journalist requests run by Peter Shankman, who founded HARO. Subscribers get up to three emails a day with queries from journalists and reply to the reporter by email. The site says the list does not cost a dime and suggests a donation to an animal charity instead. It also sets firm rules: reply only when you have something useful to add, and an off-topic pitch can get you removed with no appeal.
Key differences
Five differences that matter
- 1
Different owners, same founder.
HARO is owned and operated by Featured, a company in Scottsdale, Arizona that also runs Connectively. Source of Sources is run independently by Peter Shankman. He founded HARO in 2008, so the format of the two newsletters is deliberately similar.
- 2
HARO is the larger network.
HARO reports more than 800,000 registered sources and more than 75,000 journalists and bloggers. In its 2026 statistics report, HARO said it had sent 100 million emails and handled 2 million pitches in a year. Source of Sources says it serves more than 20,000 journalists, broadcasters, bloggers and brands. A larger network means more requests and more competition for each one. A smaller network means fewer of both.
- 3
They handle spam differently.
HARO reviews journalist requests before they go out and rejects about a third of them. It scores every pitch for AI-generated text, lets journalists filter out pitches flagged as fully AI-generated (35% of journalists do), masks email addresses and bans accounts that break the rules. Source of Sources relies on a strict code of conduct enforced by removal. Its site says an off-topic pitch, even once, can get a source removed, with no exceptions and no appeals.
- 4
HARO extends beyond the email.
HARO has a public journalist directory, a newswire for press releases, and a link to Connectively for people who would rather work in a platform with keyword alerts and pitch tracking. Source of Sources is an email list by design.
- 5
Both are free.
HARO is free for journalists and sources and is funded by newsletter advertising. Source of Sources is free and suggests an optional charity donation or a public shout-out.
Features
HARO vs. Source of Sources: feature comparison
| Feature | HARO | Source of Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Basics | ||
| Cost for sources | Free | Free |
| Cost for journalists | Free | Free |
| Format | Email digests | Email digests |
| Frequency | Up to 3 emails each weekday | Up to 3 emails a day |
| Run by | Featured | Peter Shankman |
| Founded | 2008 | 2024 |
| Reported size | 800,000+ sources. 75,000+ journalists and bloggers | 20,000+ journalists, broadcasters, bloggers and brands |
| Quality controls | ||
| Review of journalist requests | Yes. About 32% are rejected | Not stated |
| AI detection on pitches | Yes. Every pitch is scored | Not stated |
| Journalists can filter AI-written pitches | Yes | Not stated |
| Masked email addresses | Yes | Not stated |
| Rule enforcement | Account bans | Removal for off-topic pitches, with no appeals |
| Beyond the email | ||
| Platform option | Yes. HARO queries on Connectively | No. Email only |
| Journalist directory | Yes | Not listed |
| Press release newswire | Yes. HARO Newswire | Not listed |
“Not stated” and “Not listed” mean the detail does not appear on sourceofsources.com as of November 10, 2026. It does not mean the service lacks it.
Pricing
HARO vs. Source of Sources: pricing
Neither newsletter charges sources or journalists.
What each one costs
| HARO | Source of Sources | |
|---|---|---|
| Sources | Free | Free |
| Journalists | Free | Free |
| Paid tiers | None | None |
| How it is funded | Newsletter advertising | Free. The site suggests donating to an animal charity |
Sources: helpareporter.com/about and sourceofsources.com.
Prefer a platform? Connectively pricing
| Plan | Monthly | Billed yearly | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0 | 3 answers and 1 bylined article a month, an expert profile page, 3 daily keyword alerts, early access to HARO queries |
| Lite | $19 | $11 a month | 10 answers a month, 10 daily keyword alerts, personalized query matching, Connectively AI |
| Pro | $49 per seat | $29 a month per seat | Unlimited answers and bylined articles (subject to abuse guardrails), link type and Domain Authority, 25 real-time alerts |
| Business | $99 per seat | $59 a month per seat | Media database, media lists and exports, premium API, white labeling, shared team access |
Yearly billing takes 40% off. Pay-as-you-go credits are also sold. Source: connectively.us/pricing.
Using both
Subscribe to both if you can
HARO and Source of Sources carry different requests from different journalists. Both are free, and each takes a few minutes a day to scan.
Whichever you read, the same habits earn coverage: answer only the requests you are qualified for, write the reply yourself, and send it before the deadline.
FAQ
HARO vs. Source of Sources: frequently asked questions
Is HARO still active?
Yes. HARO is active and free. Cision discontinued it in 2024, and Featured acquired the brand in April 2025 and relaunched it as an email newsletter that sends journalist requests up to three times each weekday.
Is HARO free?
Yes. HARO is free for both journalists and sources. It is supported by newsletter advertising.
Is Source of Sources free?
Yes. Its site says the list does not cost a dime and suggests donating to an animal charity instead.
Is Source of Sources the same as HARO?
No. They are separate services with separate owners. They look alike because Peter Shankman founded both: HARO in 2008 and Source of Sources in 2024.
Who owns HARO?
Featured, which acquired HARO in April 2025. Featured also owns and operates Connectively.
Should I subscribe to HARO, Source of Sources, or both?
Both, if you have time to read them. They are free, they carry different requests, and each takes a few minutes a day to scan.
Which is better for journalists, HARO or Source of Sources?
Both let journalists post requests for free. HARO reaches a larger list of sources and screens pitches for AI-generated text. Source of Sources reaches a smaller list governed by a strict code of conduct.
What happened to Connectively?
Cision shut down its Connectively product in December 2024. Featured relaunched Connectively in May 2026 as a separate platform. HARO queries appear there for people who prefer a dashboard to email.
Sources
Sources and how we checked
HARO wrote this page. HARO is owned by Featured. Facts about HARO come from our own site and published statistics. Facts about Source of Sources come from sourceofsources.com, a June 2024 interview with its founder and a 2024 conference announcement, checked on November 10, 2026. Where Source of Sources does not state a detail, we say so.
- About HARO (history, format, cost, scale, trust and safety)
- HARO Statistics (2026) (emails, pitches, AI-generated share, request rejection rate; August 31, 2026)
- Pangram: a year of AI detection on Featured's platforms (September 23, 2026)
- HARO on Connectively (the platform option)
- Source of Sources (cost, frequency, size, rules)
- eMarketing Association: interview with Peter Shankman on Source of Sources (June 2024)
- ASJA: 2024 conference keynote announcement (Source of Sources launched in spring 2024)
HARO, Source of Sources and other product names are trademarks of their respective owners. Spotted something out of date? Tell us at the HARO contact page and we will correct it.
Get journalist requests by email, free
Subscribe to HARO and get up to three emails of journalist requests each weekday. Reply to the ones that fit.