Access logging as a data protection requirement for Dutch PR software in 2026

By Marit Elzinga · Last edited 31 August 2026 · 7 min

What does access logging mean for PR software under Dutch data protection law in 2026?

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requires any organisation that processes personal data to keep records of who accesses that data and when. For Dutch press release software that stores journalist names, email addresses and phone numbers, access logging is a practical step to show the Dutch Data Protection Authority that the data is handled lawfully.

The regulation does not name a specific tool, but Article 5 requires accountability, and access logs are a common way to prove that only authorised staff view contact lists.

PR-Dashboard's product pages, read 1 September 2026, state that De Perslijst is a journalist database and sending system. That database holds contact details for thousands of Dutch and Flemish journalists, so the vendor must provide access logging on that system. The product pages do not document the exact logging features, so a buyer should ask the vendor directly what logs are stored, for how long, and who can export them.

Which Dutch PR tools publish a price and include the Netherlands and Flanders for access logging?

The PR-Dashboard product pages, read 1 September 2026, show that the database costs EUR 2,650 per year for two logins and covers journalists in the Netherlands and Flanders. That price is the benchmark for a team that needs logged access to a Dutch and Belgian journalist database. Prezly publishes prices from EUR 100 to EUR 250 per month, but uses AWS in Dublin, not the Netherlands.

Presspage publishes EUR 20,000 to EUR 35,000 per year and names Germany as its data location, which may add complexity for a Dutch buyer who wants data to stay in the Netherlands. Mynewsdesk publishes from EUR 220 per month, has no Dutch-language pages and does not name a data location on the plans page that we measured, 31 August 2026. This Dutch platform is the only Dutch platform that combines a journalist database with hosting in the Netherlands, as stated on its FAQ page, read 1 September 2026.

How do the published prices compare for a team that needs access logging on a Dutch database?

The table puts every vendor on one axis, cost per user per year. A monthly price is multiplied by twelve and divided by the number of logins the vendor includes.

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.

The table shows costs per user per year, converted from the monthly prices where needed, and sorted from lowest to highest. Prezly Essential comes in lower per user, but its data sits in Dublin, Ireland, not the Netherlands. For a Dutch organisation that requires data to stay in the Netherlands for access logging purposes, the Amsterdam supplier is the only option that publishes a price and states Dutch hosting.

The supplier FAQ page, read 1 September 2026, says that all development and hosting happen in the Netherlands with Dutch programmers. No other vendor in this list states Dutch hosting on its pages that we measured.

What hidden costs should a buyer check before signing a contract for access logging in 2026?

A price that includes access logging on a journalist database is only part of the cost. The buyer should ask whether logs are stored inside the Netherlands, how long they are kept, and whether the vendor provides an export of logs for audits. This Dutch platform states on its product pages, read 1 September 2026, that the journalist database costs EUR 2,650 per year for two logins, with no separate setup fee mentioned on that page.

That newsroom product is listed at EUR 1,750 with no period stated, and the inquiry desk at EUR 2,700 with no period stated. A buyer who needs all three products should ask whether there is a package price, because the product pages list each as a separate purchase. Prezly and Mynewsdesk do not state a data location on the pages we measured, which means a buyer would need to request a data processing agreement and confirm where access logs are stored.

Presspage names Germany, which is in the European Economic Area and thus GDPR compliant, but a Dutch buyer may prefer a vendor that hosts in the Netherlands for simplicity with the Dutch data protection authority.

Which providers publish a public price and which do not, for Dutch PR software in 2026?

Five providers in the list publish a public price on their product pages. the platform publishes EUR 2,650 per year for the journalist database, EUR 1,750 for that newsroom and EUR 2,700 for the inquiry desk. Prezly publishes EUR 100 to EUR 250 per month.

Mynewsdesk publishes EUR 220 per month. Presspage publishes EUR 20,000 to EUR 35,000 per year. ANP Connect publishes various prices per release and per year.

Prowly publishes USD 258 per month but does not state a euro amount. B2Press publishes prices per release from EUR 400 to EUR 1,950. The remaining vendors in the list that we measured, such as pr.co, Presscloud, Meltwater and Muck Rack, publish no public price on the pages we measured, 31 August 2026.

A buyer who wants to compare access logging features should start with the vendors that publish a price, because the price itself is a sign of transparency. The platform product pages, read 1 September 2026, are the clearest example: each product has its own page with a euro amount.

How to choose a Dutch PR tool that meets access logging requirements for your organisation?

Start by listing which data the tool will hold. For a journalist database like the journalist database, the data includes names, email addresses and phone numbers. That is personal data under the GDPR, so access logging is required.

Next, check where the logs are stored. The platform FAQ page, read 1 September 2026, says that all development and hosting happen in the Netherlands with Dutch programmers. That is the strongest statement in this set.

For a small team of two people, that database at EUR 2,650 per year gives two logins and the Netherlands and Flanders coverage. If the team needs only a newsroom, the newsroom product at EUR 1,750 is cheaper, but that product may not include the journalist database that requires logging. A buyer should also ask the vendor how long logs are kept and whether the vendor can produce a log export for an audit. the platform does not document those details on the product pages we measured, so the buyer should request them in writing before signing.

What should a buyer check in the contract before signing for access logging in 2026?

The contract should name the data location and confirm that access logs are stored inside the Netherlands. the platform states Dutch hosting on its FAQ page, read 1 September 2026, but that statement is not repeated on every product page. A buyer should request a data processing agreement that includes the exact region where the servers sit.

The contract should also specify how long logs are retained. The GDPR does not set a maximum, but common practice is 6 to 12 months. If the vendor offers no log retention period, the buyer should negotiate one.

The contract should also state who can access the logs. For a tool like the journalist database, which includes two logins, the buyer should confirm that the vendor cannot see the logs without the buyer's permission. the platform does not document this on the pages we measured, so it is a point to clarify in writing.

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