Software · head to head
Microsoft Start vs News Break
Microsoft Start
Software
Your personalized news feed powered by Microsoft
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
News Break
Software
Local news and breaking stories for your community
- 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).; News Break newsBreak's own app listing states a price of 0 with no in-app subscription tier, so the product is free and ad supported rather than sold
- They diverge on capability: Microsoft Start covers Personalized news, News Break covers Local news aggregation.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Microsoft Start and News Break actually diverge.
| Attribute | Microsoft Start | News Break |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Web, Ios, Android, Windows | Ios, Android, Web |
| Founded | 1975 | 2016 |
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 Microsoft Start
- Personalized news
- Topic following
- Weather updates
- Sports scores
- Finance news
- Microsoft Edge
- Windows 11
- Microsoft Account
Only in News Break
- Local news aggregation
- AI personalization
- Breaking news alerts
- Community posts
- Local events
- Local publishers
- Weather services
Both cover
- Web support
- Ios support
- Android support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Microsoft Start
- Daily newsnot News Break
- Topic trackingnot News Break
- Weather updatesnot News Break
- Quick informationnot News Break
News Break
- Local newsnot Microsoft Start
- Community updatesnot Microsoft Start
- Breaking newsnot Microsoft Start
- Local eventsnot 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).
News Break
- NewsBreak's own app listing states a price of 0 with no in-app subscription tier, so the product is free and ad supported rather than sold
Pricing, plan by plan
Microsoft Start
Free- FreeFree
- Personalized news feed
- Topic following
- Cross-device sync
News Break
Free- FreeFree
- Local news
- Breaking alerts
- Personalized feed
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 News Break if
- You need local news aggregation.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Ios, Android, Web.
- You also want ai personalization.
Questions people ask
- Is Microsoft Start or News Break better?
- Neither clearly leads. Microsoft Start starts at Free and News Break at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Microsoft Start or News Break?
- Microsoft Start starts at Free and News Break at Free.
- Does Microsoft Start or News Break run on more platforms?
- Microsoft Start runs on Web, Ios, Android, Windows. News Break runs on Ios, Android, Web.
- 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 News Break is typically brought in for.
- What can Microsoft Start do that News Break cannot?
- Microsoft Start covers Personalized news, Topic following, Weather updates, Sports scores. News Break covers Local news aggregation, AI personalization, Breaking news alerts, Community posts. Both handle Web support, Ios support, Android support.