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Productivity · head to head

FigJam vs Microsoft Start

FigJam logo

FigJam

Productivity

Free online whiteboard 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: FigJam organization and Enterprise tiers are billed annually only, with no monthly billing option; Microsoft Start no pricing information available
  • They diverge on capability: FigJam covers Infinite whiteboard, Microsoft Start covers Personalized news.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where FigJam and Microsoft Start differ
AttributeFigJamMicrosoft Start
Pricing modelfreemiumfree
PlatformsWeb, Windows, Macos, Ios, AndroidWeb, Ios, Android, Windows
CategoryProductivityNews
Founded20121975

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 FigJam

  • Infinite whiteboard
  • Real-time collaboration
  • Sticky notes
  • Drawing tools
  • Shapes
  • Widgets
  • Templates
  • Voting

Only in Microsoft Start

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

Both cover

  • Web support
  • Windows support

What people use each for

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

FigJam

  • Teams running collaborative brainstorming and whiteboarding sessions bundled into an existing Figma plannot Microsoft Start

Microsoft Start

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

Where each one falls short

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

FigJam

  • Organization and Enterprise tiers are billed annually only, with no monthly billing option
  • Free Starter plan caps AI credit usage at 150 credits per day and 500 per month, well below the 3,000 monthly AI credits on a Professional full seat

Microsoft Start

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

Pricing, plan by plan

FigJam

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited editable boards
    • Basic tools
    • Unlimited viewers
  • Paid$5/month
    • Everything in Free
    • Advanced templates
    • Moderation tools

Microsoft Start

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

Which should you pick?

Choose FigJam if

  • You need infinite whiteboard.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, Macos, Ios, Android.
  • You also want real-time collaboration.
FigJam 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 FigJam or Microsoft Start better?
Neither clearly leads. FigJam 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, FigJam or Microsoft Start?
FigJam starts at Free and Microsoft Start at Free.
Does FigJam or Microsoft Start run on more platforms?
FigJam runs on Web, Windows, Macos, Ios, Android. Microsoft Start runs on Web, Ios, Android, Windows.
Can I use FigJam for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is FigJam best used for?
FigJam is most often used for teams running collaborative brainstorming and whiteboarding sessions bundled into an existing figma plan. Of those, teams running collaborative brainstorming and whiteboarding sessions bundled into an existing figma plan is not what Microsoft Start is typically brought in for.
What can FigJam do that Microsoft Start cannot?
FigJam covers Infinite whiteboard, Real-time collaboration, Sticky notes, Drawing tools. Microsoft Start covers Personalized news, Topic following, Weather updates, Sports scores. Both handle Web support, Windows support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

FigJam: Is FigJam included with Figma or sold separately?

FigJam is included at no additional cost with all Figma plans, from the free Starter plan through Enterprise.

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
FigJam: How many AI credits does each Figma plan include for FigJam?

The Professional plan includes 3,000 AI credits per month, Organization plan includes 3,500 AI credits per month, and Enterprise plan includes 4,250 AI credits per month. Starter (free) does not include AI features.

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
FigJam: What can I do with FigJam's open sessions feature?

FigJam allows anyone to join open sessions for 24 hours without needing a Figma account, and you can create unlimited open sessions across your team.

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
FigJam: What diagramming capabilities does FigJam include?

FigJam includes advanced shapes for technical diagramming such as AWS, GCP, Azure, and Kubernetes components, plus standard diagramming tools and connectors. All these features are available on every paid plan.

Source
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