The Source of Sources Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Source of Sources in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Source of Sources
The Insider’s Guide
Free email list of journalist queries looking for expert sources
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among link building tools, read from Source of Sources’s own pages.
Made by Jessa and Waffle, LLC · checked Oct 23, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Source of Sources’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Source of Sources’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.8
GPA, above 45 of the 50 other link building tools we grade
Source of Sources (SOS) is a free service started by Peter Shankman, the founder of Help a Reporter Out (HARO). Journalists submit requests for expert sources through a web form, and subscribers receive them in emails up to three times a day and reply to the reporter directly. There are no paid plans; the site asks users to donate to animal charities instead.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Source of Sources, taken from its own pages and our grades.
There's no dashboard, search, archive or topic filter, and one off-topic or salesy reply gets you removed from the list with no appeal.
- 1
Best for free journalist queries by email
Source of Sources is a free email list of journalist queries, sent up to three times a day, and you reply to reporters directly.
- 2
It is free
Source of Sources has no paid plan at all. Everything is free: sources get journalist queries by email up to three times a day, and journalists post queries through a web form.
- 3
It runs on Web
Web.
- 4
Query emails
Up to three emails a day collect queries from journalists, broadcasters and bloggers who need an expert to quote.
- 5
Direct replies to reporters
Sources answer a query by emailing the journalist directly; nothing sits between the two.
- 6
Reporter submission form
Journalists file a query with its outlet, category and deadline; it goes out in the next mailing, usually within a few hours.
- 7
A 2.8 GPA, above 45 of 50
That is against the other link building tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
Source of Sources is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
Source of Sources at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Jessa and Waffle, LLC
- Category
- Backlinks & Link Building
- Our grade
- 2.8 GPA, good
The report card
Best for free journalist queries by email
Source of Sources is a free email list of journalist queries, sent up to three times a day, and you reply to reporters directly. There's no dashboard, search, archive or topic filter, and one off-topic or salesy reply gets you removed from the list with no appeal.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Completely free for sources and journalists, with no paid plan at all. The site asks you to donate to animal charities instead. |
| Free plan and trial | A | Everything is free: up to three emails of queries a day, with no paid tier holding anything back. |
| Features | D | One narrow function: an email of queries, up to three times a day. The site describes no dashboard, search or archive of past queries, and no way to filter them by topic. |
| Ease of use | B | No rating on record, but sign-up asks only for a name and email address, and queries land in your inbox. There's nothing to set up. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Email only, with no app, integrations or API on record. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Source of Sources is for
- Fits if you want press mentions and don't want to pay anything
- Works for journalists who need an expert quickly, since posting a query is free
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you want to search or filter queries, as the site describes no search or topic filter
- Too light for PR teams that need a dashboard, tracking or an archive of past queries
- Watch out: one off-topic or salesy reply to a reporter gets you removed, with no appeal
Good to know
Good for
- Experts and founders looking for press mentions at no cost
- SEO and PR teams answering journalist queries to earn coverage
- Journalists who need sources quickly
Worth knowing
- Queries arrive only by email; the site describes no dashboard, search or archive of past queries.
- Sign-up asks only for a name and email address, and the site does not describe filtering queries by topic.
- One off-topic or salesy reply to a reporter gets a source removed from the list, with no appeal.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
Source of Sources is free to use.
Completely free for sources and journalists, with no paid plan at all.
Free
$0
Media query emails up to three times a day for sources; free query submission for journalists.
The free plan
Everything is free: sources get journalist queries by email up to three times a day, and journalists post queries through a web form.
Read from sourceofsources.com on Oct 23, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Free email list of journalist queries looking for expert sources. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: link outreach, journalist requests.
One narrow function: an email of queries, up to three times a day.
- Query emails
- Up to three emails a day collect queries from journalists, broadcasters and bloggers who need an expert to quote.
- Direct replies to reporters
- Sources answer a query by emailing the journalist directly; nothing sits between the two.
- Reporter submission form
- Journalists file a query with its outlet, category and deadline; it goes out in the next mailing, usually within a few hours.
- Verified journalists
- Queries from an outlet's own email domain go out faster; a first query from a personal address is held until the journalist's identity is checked.
- Urgent queries
- A journalist with a deadline under four hours can ask for the query to be posted on Threads straight away.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
Source of Sources is made by Jessa and Waffle, LLC.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
45/50
Other link building tools it is graded above
Source of Sources's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 45 of the 50 other link building tools we grade, and level with 4.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 47 of 50) and worst on features (D, above 0).
Source of Sources has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 51 link building tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Source of Sources’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 40 of 50
- AFree plan and trialAbove 47 of 50
- DFeaturesAbove 0 of 50
- BEase of useAbove 44 of 50
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 50
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 45 link building tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Source of Sources is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
Source of Sources is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 2.8 is higher than 45 of the 50 other link building tools we grade.
What you could make
- Link outreach: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- A network of journalists who post requests for sources.
What this rests on. Source of Sources’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Qwoted, Featured, SourceBottle, ResponseSource and JustReachOut
The 5 tools Source of Sources is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 1.8GPA
Qwoted
Free plan · from $149/mo
Marketplace where reporters request expert sources and PRs pitch.
- Source of Sources also covers link outreach.
- Qwoted also covers reports.
- 2.4GPA
Featured
Free plan · from $29/mo
AI assistant for PR that finds journalist requests and drafts pitches.
- Source of Sources also covers link outreach.
- Featured also covers chat assistant, workflow automation and AI search visibility.
- 2.4GPA
SourceBottle
Free plan · from $65/mo
Media call outs and expert profiles for people seeking press.
- 2.4GPA
ResponseSource
Free trial · from £625/yr
UK journalist request service with a press release wire.
- Source of Sources has a free plan. ResponseSource does not, though it has a free trial.
- Source of Sources also covers link outreach.
- ResponseSource also covers reports.
- 1.8GPA
JustReachOut
Free trial · from $98/mo
Journalist search, pitch requests and link outreach in one tool.
- Source of Sources has a free plan. JustReachOut does not, though it has a free trial.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
11
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Source of Sources free?
Yes. Source of Sources is free to use.
How much does Source of Sources cost?
Source of Sources lists one plan. Free: $0.
What platforms does Source of Sources work on?
Source of Sources is available on Web.
Does Source of Sources have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 23, 2026. Source of Sources is listed for Web.
Does Source of Sources have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 23, 2026. Source of Sources is listed for Web.
Is Source of Sources open source?
Source of Sources is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 23, 2026.
Who makes Source of Sources?
Source of Sources is made by Jessa and Waffle, LLC.
What are the alternatives to Source of Sources?
The closest alternatives to Source of Sources in our directory are Qwoted, Featured, SourceBottle, ResponseSource and JustReachOut.
How does Source of Sources compare with other link building tools?
Source of Sources's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 45 of the 50 other link building tools we grade, and level with 4.
Is Source of Sources good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Source of Sources A for value for money. Source of Sources has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of Source of Sources?
Source of Sources is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Source of Sources’s own pages on Oct 23, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 23, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Source of Sources' own pages on 23 October 2026. Its site returned a server error when we checked it again later that day. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Jessa and Waffle, LLC. Prices change, so check sourceofsources.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Source of Sources, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/source-of-sources
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Source of Sources: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 23, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/source-of-sources
Know someone choosing between link building tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/source-of-sources/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded link building tools after Source of Sources, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Backlinks & Link Building Insider's GuideEvery one of the 51 link building tools we grade, compared
- LinkCheck Insider's GuideFree backlink monitor for up to 5,000 links you import3.0 GPA
- HARO Insider's GuideFree email digest of journalist requests for expert sources2.8 GPA
- Internal Link Juicer Insider's GuideWordPress plugin that builds internal links from your keywords2.8 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Source of Sources’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Source of Sources is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Jessa and Waffle, LLC. Prices and plans change: check sourceofsources.com before you buy.