Software · head to head
Google News vs Microsoft Start
Microsoft Start
Software
Your personalized news feed powered by Microsoft
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Google News google News is free with no paid tier at all; there is no subscription to compare, and Google monetises it through advertising and Showcase partnerships rather than a user fee; 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: Google News covers AI-powered curation, Microsoft Start covers Personalized news.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Google News and Microsoft Start actually diverge.
| Attribute | Google News | Microsoft Start |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Web, Ios, Android | Web, Ios, Android, Windows |
| Founded | 1998 | 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 Google News
- AI-powered curation
- Full coverage
- Local news
- Newsstand
- Google account
- Google Assistant
- Chrome
- Android
Only in Microsoft Start
- Personalized news
- Weather updates
- Sports scores
- Finance news
- Microsoft Edge
- Windows 11
- Microsoft Account
- Outlook
Both cover
- Topic following
- Web support
- Ios support
- Android support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Google News
- News consumptionnot Microsoft Start
- Topic tracking
- Local newsnot Microsoft Start
- Researchnot Microsoft Start
Microsoft Start
- Daily newsnot Google News
- Topic tracking
- Weather updatesnot Google News
- Quick informationnot Google News
Both are used for topic tracking, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Google News
- Google News is free with no paid tier at all; there is no subscription to compare, and Google monetises it through advertising and Showcase partnerships rather than a user fee
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
Google News
Free- FreeFree
- Personalized news feed
- Full coverage feature
- Local news
Microsoft Start
Free- FreeFree
- Personalized news feed
- Topic following
- Cross-device sync
Which should you pick?
Choose Google News if
- You need ai-powered curation.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want full coverage.
Choose Microsoft Start if
- You need personalized news.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android, Windows.
- You also want weather updates.
Questions people ask
- Is Google News or Microsoft Start better?
- Neither clearly leads. Google News 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, Google News or Microsoft Start?
- Google News starts at Free and Microsoft Start at Free.
- Does Google News or Microsoft Start run on more platforms?
- Google News runs on Web, Ios, Android. Microsoft Start runs on Web, Ios, Android, Windows.
- Can I use Google News for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Google News best used for?
- Google News is most often used for news consumption, topic tracking, local news, research. Of those, news consumption and local news are not what Microsoft Start is typically brought in for.
- What can Google News do that Microsoft Start cannot?
- Google News covers AI-powered curation, Full coverage, Local news, Newsstand. Microsoft Start covers Personalized news, Weather updates, Sports scores, Finance news. Both handle Topic following, Web support, Ios support, Android support.