News & Media · head to head
Microsoft Start vs Apple News
Microsoft Start
News & Media
Your personalized news feed powered by Microsoft
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Apple News
News & Media
All the news you want. From sources you trust.
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: 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).; Apple News apple News+ costs $12.99 per month in USD after the first month, or is included only via the $39.95 per month USD Apple One Premier bundle
- They diverge on capability: Microsoft Start covers Personalized news, Apple News covers Curated news feed.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Microsoft Start and Apple News actually diverge.
| Attribute | Microsoft Start | Apple News |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | free | freemium |
| Platforms | Web, Ios, Android, Windows | Ios, Macos |
| Founded | 1975 | 1976 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (News & Media).
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 Microsoft Start
- Personalized news
- Topic following
- Weather updates
- Sports scores
- Finance news
- Microsoft Edge
- Windows 11
- Microsoft Account
Only in Apple News
- Curated news feed
- Premium magazines
- Audio stories
- Personalization
- Offline reading
- iCloud
- Apple One bundle
- Siri
Both cover
- Ios support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Microsoft Start
- Daily newsnot Apple News
- Topic trackingnot Apple News
- Weather updatesnot Apple News
- Quick informationnot Apple News
Apple News
- Daily news readingnot Microsoft Start
- Magazine subscriptionnot Microsoft Start
- News discoverynot Microsoft Start
- Staying informednot Microsoft Start
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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).
Apple News
- Apple News+ costs $12.99 per month in USD after the first month, or is included only via the $39.95 per month USD Apple One Premier bundle
Pricing, plan by plan
Microsoft Start
Free- FreeFree
- Personalized news feed
- Topic following
- Cross-device sync
Apple News
Free- Apple NewsFree
- Free news articles
- Personalized feed
- Topic following
- Apple News+$12.99/month
- Premium magazines
- Major newspapers
- Audio stories
Which should you pick?
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.
Choose Apple News if
- You need curated news feed.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Ios, Macos.
- You also want premium magazines.
Questions people ask
- Is Microsoft Start or Apple News better?
- Neither clearly leads. Microsoft Start starts at Free and Apple News at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Microsoft Start or Apple News?
- Microsoft Start starts at Free and Apple News at Free.
- Does Microsoft Start or Apple News run on more platforms?
- Microsoft Start runs on Web, Ios, Android, Windows. Apple News runs on Ios, Macos.
- Can I use Microsoft Start for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Microsoft Start best used for?
- Microsoft Start is most often used for daily news, topic tracking, weather updates, quick information. Of those, daily news and topic tracking are not what Apple News is typically brought in for.
- What can Microsoft Start do that Apple News cannot?
- Microsoft Start covers Personalized news, Topic following, Weather updates, Sports scores. Apple News covers Curated news feed, Premium magazines, Audio stories, Personalization. Both handle Ios support.