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Inoreader vs Microsoft Start

Inoreader logo

Inoreader

News

The content reader for power users

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: Inoreader free plan limited to 150 RSS feeds and 20 web feeds; Microsoft Start no pricing information available
  • They diverge on capability: Inoreader covers RSS/Atom feeds, Microsoft Start covers Personalized news.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Inoreader and Microsoft Start differ
AttributeInoreaderMicrosoft Start
Pricing modelfreemiumfree
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, Ios, Android, Windows
Founded20131975

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 Inoreader

  • RSS/Atom feeds
  • Newsletter subscriptions
  • Advanced rules engine
  • Active search
  • Content translation
  • Zapier
  • IFTTT
  • Pocket

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.

Inoreader

  • RSS feed aggregation and monitoringnot Microsoft Start
  • Social media monitoring across multiple platformsnot Microsoft Start
  • AI-powered content summarisation and article analysisnot Microsoft Start

Microsoft Start

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

Where each one falls short

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

Inoreader

  • Free plan limited to 150 RSS feeds and 20 web feeds
  • Free plan lacks advanced features like filters, rules, and social media monitoring
  • Text-to-speech limited to 5 articles per day on Pro plan
  • Article translation limited to 10 articles per day on Pro plan

Microsoft Start

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

Pricing, plan by plan

Inoreader

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 150 RSS feed subscriptions
    • Web search
    • Google News alerts
  • Pro$7.5/month
    • 2,500 RSS feed subscriptions
    • 20 web feeds
    • 20 newsletter feeds
  • Custom$null/custom
    • Flexible payment options
    • Special add-ons available
    • API access

Microsoft Start

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Inoreader if

  • You need rss/atom feeds.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want newsletter subscriptions.
Inoreader 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 Inoreader or Microsoft Start better?
Neither clearly leads. Inoreader 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, Inoreader or Microsoft Start?
Inoreader starts at Free and Microsoft Start at Free.
Does Inoreader or Microsoft Start run on more platforms?
Inoreader runs on Web, iOS, Android. Microsoft Start runs on Web, Ios, Android, Windows.
Can I use Inoreader for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Inoreader best used for?
Inoreader is most often used for rss feed aggregation and monitoring, social media monitoring across multiple platforms, ai-powered content summarisation and article analysis. Of those, rss feed aggregation and monitoring and social media monitoring across multiple platforms are not what Microsoft Start is typically brought in for.
What can Inoreader do that Microsoft Start cannot?
Inoreader covers RSS/Atom feeds, Newsletter subscriptions, Advanced rules engine, Active search. Microsoft Start covers Personalized news, Topic following, Weather updates, Sports scores. Both handle Web support, Ios support, Android support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Inoreader: What is the difference between Inoreader Free and Pro plans?

Inoreader Free includes 150 RSS subscriptions, web search, and Google News alerts. Pro upgrades to 2,500 subscriptions, 20 web feeds, 20 newsletters, 30 social feeds per service, plus API access and higher limits on translations and text-to-speech conversions.

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
Inoreader: How much does Inoreader Pro cost?

Inoreader Pro costs $7.50 per month when billed annually or $9.99 per month on a monthly plan. The annual plan is marked as the most popular option and offers a lower monthly rate.

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
Inoreader: What payment methods does Inoreader accept?

Inoreader accepts all major credit cards, debit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and PayPal. EU customers have VAT applied based on their country. Annual subscriptions have a 7-day refund window.

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
Inoreader: Does Inoreader Pro include API access?

Yes, Inoreader Pro includes API access. Custom plans with flexible payment options and special add-ons are also available through a quote request.

Source
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