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ConvertKit vs Microsoft Start

ConvertKit logo

ConvertKit

Software

The creator platform for digital professionals

From
On request
Rated
-
Microsoft Start logo

Microsoft Start

Software

Your personalized news feed powered by Microsoft

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Only Microsoft Start has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: ConvertKit the free Newsletter plan allows only one basic visual automation, so sequences beyond a single flow require paying; Microsoft Start microsoft Start (MSN) is a free, ad-supported consumer news aggregator with no subscription tier or enterprise procurement listing anywhere on its own site (msn.com).
  • They diverge on capability: ConvertKit covers Email marketing, Microsoft Start covers Personalized news.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where ConvertKit and Microsoft Start differ
AttributeConvertKitMicrosoft Start
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android, Windows
Founded20131975

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

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 ConvertKit

  • Email marketing
  • Landing pages
  • Subscriber tagging
  • Automation workflows
  • Digital product sales
  • Broadcast emails
  • Subscriber segments
  • Email templates

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.

ConvertKit

  • Sending newsletters and email sequences to an audiencenot Microsoft Start
  • Selling paid subscriptions and digital products to a mailing listnot Microsoft Start

Microsoft Start

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

Where each one falls short

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

ConvertKit

  • The free Newsletter plan allows only one basic visual automation, so sequences beyond a single flow require paying
  • The free plan is a single user, and the Creator plan at $33 a month allows two
  • Subscriber signals, engagement analytics and paid recommendations are Pro only, at $66 a month
  • A/B testing is capped at 2 subject lines below Pro, which allows 5
  • Paid pricing is banded by subscriber count, so the published figures apply only at the smallest band

Microsoft Start

  • Microsoft Start (MSN) is a free, ad-supported consumer news aggregator with no subscription tier or enterprise procurement listing anywhere on its own site (msn.com).

Pricing, plan by plan

ConvertKit

On request
  • Creator$29/month
    • Up to 10K subscribers
    • Email campaigns
    • Landing pages
  • Creator Pro$79/month
    • Unlimited subscribers
    • Advanced automation
    • Digital products

Microsoft Start

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

Which should you pick?

Choose ConvertKit if

  • You need email marketing.
  • You also want landing pages.

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.

Questions people ask

Is ConvertKit or Microsoft Start better?
Neither clearly leads. ConvertKit 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, ConvertKit or Microsoft Start?
Microsoft Start has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for ConvertKit and Free for Microsoft Start.
Does ConvertKit or Microsoft Start run on more platforms?
ConvertKit 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. ConvertKit starts at On request.
What is ConvertKit best used for?
ConvertKit is most often used for sending newsletters and email sequences to an audience, selling paid subscriptions and digital products to a mailing list. Of those, sending newsletters and email sequences to an audience and selling paid subscriptions and digital products to a mailing list are not what Microsoft Start is typically brought in for.
What can ConvertKit do that Microsoft Start cannot?
ConvertKit covers Email marketing, Landing pages, Subscriber tagging, Automation workflows. Microsoft Start covers Personalized news, Topic following, Weather updates, Sports scores. Both handle Web support.

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