Softwr

News · head to head

Business Wire vs Microsoft Start

Business Wire logo

Business Wire

News

Global news distribution and regulatory disclosure

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Microsoft Start logo

Microsoft Start

News

Your personalized news feed powered by Microsoft

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Microsoft Start has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Business Wire no transparent pricing published for press release distribution services; Microsoft Start no pricing information available
  • They diverge on capability: Business Wire covers News distribution, Microsoft Start covers Personalized news.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Business Wire and Microsoft Start actually diverge.

Attributes where Business Wire and Microsoft Start differ
AttributeBusiness WireMicrosoft Start
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelusage-basedfree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android, Windows
Founded19611975

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (News).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Business Wire

  • News distribution
  • SEC/SEDAR filing
  • Multimedia support
  • Tradeshownews
  • News analytics
  • Bloomberg Terminal
  • Thomson Reuters
  • Google Finance

Only in Microsoft Start

  • Personalized news
  • Topic following
  • Weather updates
  • Sports scores
  • Finance news
  • Microsoft Edge
  • Windows 11
  • Microsoft Account

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Business Wire

  • Earnings releasesnot Microsoft Start
  • SEC filingsnot Microsoft Start
  • Corporate announcementsnot Microsoft Start
  • Product launchesnot Microsoft Start
  • M&A newsnot Microsoft Start

Microsoft Start

  • Daily newsnot Business Wire
  • Topic trackingnot Business Wire
  • Weather updatesnot Business Wire
  • Quick informationnot Business Wire

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Business Wire

  • No transparent pricing published for press release distribution services

Microsoft Start

  • No pricing information available
  • Service appears to be consumer-facing rather than commercial product
  • No pricing model published

Pricing, plan by plan

Business Wire

On request
  • US Local$525/one-time
    • Local distribution
    • Online posting
    • Basic analytics
  • US Regional$875/one-time
    • Regional distribution
    • Wire services
    • Enhanced analytics
  • US National$1525/one-time
    • National distribution
    • Full wire coverage
    • Premium analytics
  • GlobalFree
    • International reach
    • Translation services
    • Custom circuits

Microsoft Start

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Personalized news feed
    • Topic following
    • Cross-device sync

Which should you pick?

Choose Business Wire if

  • You need news distribution.
  • You also want sec/sedar filing.
Business Wire review

Choose Microsoft Start if

  • You need personalized news.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Windows.
  • You also want topic following.
Microsoft Start review

Questions people ask

Is Business Wire or Microsoft Start better?
Neither clearly leads. Business Wire starts at On request and Microsoft Start at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Business Wire or Microsoft Start?
Microsoft Start has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Business Wire and Free for Microsoft Start.
Does Business Wire or Microsoft Start run on more platforms?
Business Wire runs on Web. Microsoft Start runs on Web, Ios, Android, Windows.
Can I use Microsoft Start for free?
Yes. Microsoft Start has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Business Wire starts at On request.
What is Business Wire best used for?
Business Wire is most often used for earnings releases, sec filings, corporate announcements, product launches. Of those, earnings releases and sec filings are not what Microsoft Start is typically brought in for.
What can Business Wire do that Microsoft Start cannot?
Business Wire covers News distribution, SEC/SEDAR filing, Multimedia support, Tradeshownews. Microsoft Start covers Personalized news, Topic following, Weather updates, Sports scores. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Business Wire: How much does Business Wire cost?

Business Wire does not publish standard pricing on its website. The company offers press release distribution services with pricing that varies based on your audience reach, distribution scope, and multimedia options. You must contact their sales team for a custom quote.

Source
Microsoft Start: How much does Microsoft Start (MSN) cost?

Microsoft Start (formerly MSN.com) is a free service with no subscription required. The platform provides news, weather, and personalized content at no cost to users.

Source
Business Wire: What is the Business Wire pricing model?

Business Wire charges per press release distribution, not as a subscription. Pricing depends on factors including geographic reach, industry targeting, journalist lists, and whether you include multimedia elements like images or videos.

Source
Microsoft Start: Does Microsoft Start offer any paid services or premium features?

Microsoft Start does not publish any paid tiers or premium features. The service is entirely free to access and use without any payment or subscription.

Source
Microsoft Start: Are there ads on Microsoft Start?

Microsoft Start provides personalized news and content free of charge. Any advertising present on the service helps support the free platform offering.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Business Wire

More on Microsoft Start

Keep looking

Other head to heads