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Calendars · head to head

Clockify vs Microsoft Start

Clockify logo

Clockify

Calendars

Free time tracker for teams

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Microsoft Start logo

Microsoft Start

News

Your personalized news feed powered by Microsoft

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Clockify the free plan stops at 5 users; Microsoft Start no pricing information available
  • They diverge on capability: Clockify covers Timer & manual time entry, Microsoft Start covers Personalized news.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Clockify and Microsoft Start actually diverge.

Attributes where Clockify and Microsoft Start differ
AttributeClockifyMicrosoft Start
Pricing modelfreemiumfree
PlatformsWeb, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Browser-extensionWeb, Ios, Android, Windows
CategoryCalendarsNews
Founded20171975

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Clockify

  • Timer & manual time entry
  • Timesheets
  • Calendar view
  • Projects & tasks
  • Reports & analytics
  • Team dashboard
  • Kiosk mode
  • Offline mode

Only in Microsoft Start

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

Both cover

  • Outlook

What people use each for

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

Clockify

  • Employee time trackingnot Microsoft Start
  • Project time budgetsnot Microsoft Start
  • Client billingnot Microsoft Start
  • Productivity analysisnot Microsoft Start
  • Payroll calculationnot Microsoft Start

Microsoft Start

  • Daily newsnot Clockify
  • Topic trackingnot Clockify
  • Weather updatesnot Clockify
  • Quick informationnot Clockify

Where each one falls short

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

Clockify

  • The free plan stops at 5 users
  • Free accounts are throttled to 30 API requests per hour and 3 webhooks
  • Reporting on the free plan only covers a 1 month range
  • Invoicing needs Standard at $5.49 per seat per month and GPS tracking needs Pro at $7.99
  • SSO, SCIM provisioning, a custom subdomain and the audit log are Enterprise only at $11.99 per seat per month

Microsoft Start

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

Pricing, plan by plan

Clockify

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited time tracking
    • Up to 5 users
    • Timer, timesheet, auto-tracker, calendar
  • Basic$4.99/month
    • All Free features
    • Kiosk access, bulk editing, project templates
    • Time import/export
  • Standard$6.99/month
    • All Basic features
    • Invoicing, time-off management, approvals
    • QuickBooks integration, overtime tracking
  • Pro$9.99/month
    • All Standard features
    • Scheduling, forecasting, expenses, GPS tracking
    • Custom fields, labor cost analysis, budgeting

Microsoft Start

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Clockify if

  • You need timer & manual time entry.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Browser-extension.
  • You also want timesheets.
Clockify 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 Clockify or Microsoft Start better?
Neither clearly leads. Clockify starts at Free and Microsoft Start at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Clockify or Microsoft Start?
Clockify starts at Free and Microsoft Start at Free.
Does Clockify or Microsoft Start run on more platforms?
Clockify runs on Web, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Browser-extension. Microsoft Start runs on Web, Ios, Android, Windows.
Can I use Clockify for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Clockify best used for?
Clockify is most often used for employee time tracking, project time budgets, client billing, productivity analysis. Of those, employee time tracking and project time budgets are not what Microsoft Start is typically brought in for.
What can Clockify do that Microsoft Start cannot?
Clockify covers Timer & manual time entry, Timesheets, Calendar view, Projects & tasks. Microsoft Start covers Personalized news, Topic following, Weather updates, Sports scores. Both handle Outlook.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Clockify: How much does Clockify cost?

Clockify Free is free for up to 5 users with unlimited time tracking. Paid plans per-seat per-month are Basic $4.99, Standard $6.99, Pro $9.99, and Enterprise $14.99 (monthly). Annual billing offers 20% discount.

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
Clockify: Can I use Clockify for free?

Yes, Clockify Free offers unlimited time tracking, timer, timesheet, auto-tracker, calendar, and reports for up to 5 users.

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
Clockify: How much savings do I get with annual billing?

Annual billing saves 20% versus monthly. For example, Basic is $3.99/seat annually ($47.88/year) versus $4.99/seat monthly ($59.88/year).

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
Clockify: What is the most expensive Clockify plan?

Enterprise plan is $14.99/seat/month (monthly) or $11.99/seat/month (annual) and includes SSO, custom subdomain, SCIM provisioning, audit logs, and account controls.

Source
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