// alternatives — source-request platform
The best HARO alternative, free
Free journalist-source matching by email digest — quotes, not links.
What is HARO?
HARO (Help a Reporter Out) matches journalists who need sources with people willing to be quoted, delivered as email digests. Cision shut down the original HARO and tried a paid "Connectively" relaunch in 2024, which users rejected; Featured.com then acquired the brand and relaunched HARO free in April 2025 — three digests a day, 40–100 requests each, back to the original format people used it for.
HARO vs Exchange Backlinks
| HARO | Exchange Backlinks | |
|---|---|---|
| What's exchanged | Quotes for journalists' articles | Backlinks, directly |
| Backlink outcome | Not guaranteed — depends on the journalist crediting you | Guaranteed by the match |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Time cost | Scanning + pitching, 15–45 min per digest, 3x/day | One weekly email to read and reply to |
| Niche | General press, any beat | B2B niches only |
Where HARO still wins
A quote picked up by a real publication carries a kind of authority a reciprocal exchange never will — press mentions, brand exposure, and sometimes a much stronger link than anything you'd negotiate directly. If PR reach is the goal, HARO still does something Exchange Backlinks doesn't, and it's worth running alongside a link exchange rather than instead of one.
Why teams switch to Exchange Backlinks
HARO is free in dollars but expensive in time — three digests a day, most requests irrelevant, no guarantee your pitch gets used or linked. Submit your site to Exchange Backlinks instead: it's one email a week, matched specifically to your niche, and the backlink is the actual deal — not a maybe. For other source-request digests, see how Featured.com and Help a B2B Writer compare.
Frequently asked questions
Is HARO still free?
Yes. After Cision's paid "Connectively" relaunch was rejected by users, Featured.com acquired HARO and brought back the free, email-digest format in April 2025.
How many HARO requests come through per day?
Three digests a day, each with roughly 40–100 requests across every industry and beat — most of which won't be relevant to a B2B niche site.
Does answering a HARO request guarantee a backlink?
No. Whether the journalist credits you — and links to you — is entirely their call, and plenty of used quotes go uncredited or unlinked.
What's the best free HARO alternative for a guaranteed backlink?
Exchange Backlinks — one weekly email matched to your B2B niche, and the link is the deal both sides agreed to, not something you're hoping a journalist grants. Compare it with the rest of the free alternatives.