Software · head to head
Flipboard vs Microsoft Start

Microsoft Start
Software
Your personalized news feed powered by Microsoft
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Flipboard flipboard is free to use with no paid tier; the product carries no subscription, so there is no plan limit to compare against rivals that charge; 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: Flipboard covers Magazine-style layout, Microsoft Start covers Personalized news.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Flipboard and Microsoft Start actually diverge.
| Attribute | Microsoft Start | |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Web, Ios, Android | Web, Ios, Android, Windows |
| Founded | 2010 | 1975 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (free), free tier (Yes), 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 Flipboard
- Magazine-style layout
- Content curation
- Topic discovery
- Smart magazines
- Social sharing
Only in Microsoft Start
- Personalized news
- Topic following
- Weather updates
- Sports scores
- Finance news
- Microsoft Edge
- Windows 11
- Microsoft Account
Both cover
- Web support
- Ios support
- Android support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
- News consumptionnot Microsoft Start
- Content discoverynot Microsoft Start
- Magazine creationnot Microsoft Start
- Social readingnot Microsoft Start
Microsoft Start
- Daily newsnot Flipboard
- Topic trackingnot Flipboard
- Weather updatesnot Flipboard
- Quick informationnot Flipboard
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
- Flipboard is free to use with no paid tier; the product carries no subscription, so there is no plan limit to compare against rivals that charge
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
- FreeFree
- Unlimited reading
- Personalized feeds
- Magazine creation
Microsoft Start
Free- FreeFree
- Personalized news feed
- Topic following
- Cross-device sync
Which should you pick?
Choose Flipboard if
- You need magazine-style layout.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want content curation.
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 Flipboard or Microsoft Start better?
- Neither clearly leads. Flipboard 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, Flipboard or Microsoft Start?
- Flipboard starts at Free and Microsoft Start at Free.
- Does Flipboard or Microsoft Start run on more platforms?
- Flipboard runs on Web, Ios, Android. Microsoft Start runs on Web, Ios, Android, Windows.
- Can I use Flipboard for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Flipboard best used for?
- Flipboard is most often used for news consumption, content discovery, magazine creation, social reading. Of those, news consumption and content discovery are not what Microsoft Start is typically brought in for.
- What can Flipboard do that Microsoft Start cannot?
- Flipboard covers Magazine-style layout, Content curation, Topic discovery, Smart magazines. Microsoft Start covers Personalized news, Topic following, Weather updates, Sports scores. Both handle Web support, Ios support, Android support.
Related pages
More on Microsoft Start
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