A pilot agreement before a full Dutch PR contract in 2026: what to write in it

By Marit Elzinga · Last edited 3 September 2026 · 6 min

What is a pilot agreement for a Dutch PR tool and why do you need one in 2026?

A pilot agreement is a short contract that lets you test a PR platform before you commit to a long term deal. In the Netherlands and Flanders, PR tools often combine a journalist database, an online newsroom, and press inquiry handling. A pilot lets you check that the database covers your sector and that the sending system reaches the right Belgian and Dutch journalists.

PR-Dashboard product pages, read 1 September 2026, state that De Perslijst costs EUR 2,650 per year for two logins. A pilot agreement should name that exact product and the number of users allowed.

Without a pilot agreement, you might sign a full contract and discover that the database misses key Flemish trade media or that the newsroom lacks the custom domain you need. A pilot protects both sides. The vendor shows confidence in the product. You get proof that the tool fits your team before you pay a full year amount.

Which products and prices should a pilot agreement cover in a Dutch PR contract?

The pilot agreement must list each product by name. PR-Dashboard sells four separate products: De Perslijst, the newsroom product, the press-question module, and that programme. The Amsterdam database includes the journalist database and sending system for EUR 2,650 per year, for two logins, according to the product pages of the Amsterdam supplier, read 1 September 2026.

That newsroom costs EUR 1,750, no period stated on the source page. The inquiry desk costs EUR 2,700, also with no period stated on the product page measured 1 September 2026.

If you test only the database, the pilot agreement should say that. If you also test the newsroom, the agreement should name the hosted newsroom and the price. Do not let the vendor bundle all products into one pilot price without a breakdown.

You need to know what each part costs so you can drop a module later without renegotiating the whole contract. The agreement should also state whether the pilot price is the same as the full contract price, or if the price changes after the pilot period ends.

What data rights must a pilot agreement specify for a Dutch PR tool?

During a pilot, you will upload journalist contacts, press releases, and maybe media lists. The agreement must say who owns that data and what happens to it after the trial. The supplier states on its FAQ page, read 1 September 2026, that all development and hosting take place in the Netherlands with Dutch programmers.

That means your data stays inside Dutch jurisdiction during the pilot. The agreement should confirm that you can export all your contacts and press materials in a standard format, such as CSV or XML, at any time.

The agreement must also state a deletion timeline. If you do not sign a full contract, the vendor should delete your data within a set number of days, not keep it for marketing or resale. Some vendors charge a data export fee.

The pilot agreement should say whether that fee exists. The product pages name one price for the journalist database with no separate setup fee on the page, read 1 September 2026. That is a sign that the vendor does not add hidden costs, but the pilot agreement should still state that explicitly.

How do pilot agreement terms compare between the supplier and other Dutch PR vendors?

Only five vendors in the Dutch PR tool market publish a public price. The table below compares the cost per user per year for the Amsterdam database and three other vendors that publish a price. The normalised number divides the published amount by the number of users included.

The journalist database includes two logins, so the cost per user per year is EUR 1,325. The other vendors count as one user unless the source says otherwise.

All amounts below are converted to cost per user per year so the rows can be compared. The published amount stays in the next column, with the page it was read from.

5 columns. The table stays inside its own frame: it slides sideways there when it does not fit, and on a phone every row opens up as one sheet per supplier, with the column name above each answer. The page itself never moves.

Prezly Essential is cheaper per user per year on the published amount, but Prezly does not document the number of users included in that price on the pages we measured, 31 Aug 2026. For a team of two, that database at EUR 2,650 per year for two logins may be more predictable. Mynewsdesk and Presspage come out higher per user per year.

The pilot agreement should compare the normalised cost and not just the headline monthly number.

What per-release costs should a pilot agreement mention for a Dutch PR tool?

Some PR tools charge per press release on top of a subscription. ANP Connect publishes per release amounts: EUR 499 for a release to trade and regional media, EUR 795 for national media, and EUR 1,395 for the Netherlands plus Belgium, according to the ANP Connect tariff page, read 31 Aug 2026. B2Press publishes EUR 400 for a Basic release and EUR 1,950 for an Exclusive release in the Netherlands, read 31 Aug 2026.

The Amsterdam database is a subscription with no per release fee mentioned on the product pages, measured 1 September 2026.

If your pilot involves sending multiple press releases, the agreement should state whether those releases cost extra. A per release fee can turn a EUR 2,650 yearly subscription into a EUR 6,000 cost if you send ten releases at EUR 350 each. The agreement should also name the per release price for any additional services, such as media monitoring or targeted distribution to specific media sectors.

What notice period and exit terms should a pilot agreement include?

A pilot agreement typically lasts one to three months. The notice period should be short, such as 14 days before the end of the pilot. The agreement must state that you can switch to a full contract or cancel without penalty.

Some vendors require a notice period of 30 days even for a pilot. The agreement should also say what happens to any user accounts you created during the pilot. The journalist database for two logins means you create two user accounts. If you cancel, the vendor should delete those accounts and your data within a set number of days.

The exit terms should also cover auto renewal. Many SaaS contracts auto renew. The pilot agreement should state that it does not auto renew into a full year contract.

You should receive a reminder at least 30 days before the pilot ends, so you have time to decide. The agreement should also state that the vendor provides a test data export before the pilot ends, so you can verify the export format works with your internal systems.

Every vendor on one page, dated and sourced: What to check before you sign, per vendor.