News · head to head
ConvertKit vs Microsoft Start
The short version
- 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 no pricing information available
- They diverge on capability: ConvertKit covers Email marketing, Microsoft Start covers Personalized news.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which ConvertKit and Microsoft Start actually diverge.
| Attribute | ConvertKit | Microsoft Start |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | freemium | free |
| Platforms | Web | Web, Ios, Android, Windows |
| Founded | 2013 | 1975 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 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
- No pricing information available
- Service appears to be consumer-facing rather than commercial product
- No pricing model published
Pricing, plan by plan
ConvertKit
Free- FreeFree
- Up to 10,000 subscribers
- Unlimited landing pages and forms
- Unlimited email broadcasts
- Creator$33/month
- Up to 1,000 subscribers
- Unlimited visual automations
- Email sequences
- Pro$66/month
- Up to 1,000 subscribers
- Everything in Creator plan
- Subscriber engagement scoring
Microsoft Start
Free- FreeFree
- Personalized news feed
- Topic following
- Cross-device sync
Which should you pick?
Choose ConvertKit if
- You need email marketing.
- You want to start without paying.
- 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 Free 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?
- ConvertKit starts at Free and Microsoft Start at Free.
- Does ConvertKit or Microsoft Start run on more platforms?
- ConvertKit runs on Web. Microsoft Start runs on Web, Ios, Android, Windows.
- Can I use ConvertKit for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- 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.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
ConvertKit: How much does ConvertKit cost?
ConvertKit offers a free tier and two paid plans: Creator at $33/month (annual $390/year saving $78) and Pro at $66/month (annual $790/year saving $158). All plans include unlimited landing pages, email broadcasts, and audience management features.
SourceMicrosoft 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.
SourceConvertKit: What does the free ConvertKit plan include?
The free plan supports up to 10,000 subscribers with unlimited landing pages, forms, email broadcasts, audience tagging, and digital product sales. No credit card required to start.
SourceMicrosoft 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.
SourceConvertKit: What are the subscriber limits on ConvertKit plans?
The free plan supports up to 10,000 subscribers. Both Creator and Pro paid tiers support up to 1,000 subscribers. This creates a subscriber limit decrease when upgrading from free to paid plans.
SourceMicrosoft 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.
SourceRelated pages
More on Microsoft Start
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