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Microsoft Start vs NewsWhip

Microsoft Start logo

Microsoft Start

News

Your personalized news feed powered by Microsoft

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
NewsWhip logo

NewsWhip

News

Viral content tracking and audience insights for media companies

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Microsoft Start has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Microsoft Start no pricing information available; NewsWhip no pricing published on website
  • They diverge on capability: Microsoft Start covers Personalized news, NewsWhip covers Viral content tracking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Microsoft Start and NewsWhip differ
AttributeMicrosoft StartNewsWhip
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreequote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, WindowsWeb
Founded19752011

Identical on both: 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 Microsoft Start

  • Personalized news
  • Topic following
  • Weather updates
  • Sports scores
  • Finance news
  • Microsoft Edge
  • Windows 11
  • Microsoft Account

Only in NewsWhip

  • Viral content tracking
  • Social media monitoring
  • Competitor intelligence
  • Trend identification
  • Custom dashboards
  • Alert system
  • Content recommendations
  • Audience insights

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Microsoft Start

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

NewsWhip

  • Viral trackingnot Microsoft Start
  • Trend identificationnot Microsoft Start
  • Competitor monitoringnot Microsoft Start
  • Audience insightsnot Microsoft Start

Where each one falls short

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

Microsoft Start

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

NewsWhip

  • No pricing published on website

Pricing, plan by plan

Microsoft Start

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

NewsWhip

On request
  • Enterprise$undefined/custom
    • Viral tracking
    • Competitor analysis
    • Trend identification

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.
Microsoft Start review

Choose NewsWhip if

  • You need viral content tracking.
  • You also want social media monitoring.
NewsWhip review

Questions people ask

Is Microsoft Start or NewsWhip better?
Neither clearly leads. Microsoft Start starts at Free and NewsWhip at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Microsoft Start or NewsWhip?
Microsoft Start has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Microsoft Start and On request for NewsWhip.
Does Microsoft Start or NewsWhip run on more platforms?
Microsoft Start runs on Web, Ios, Android, Windows. NewsWhip runs on Web.
Can I use Microsoft Start for free?
Yes. Microsoft Start has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. NewsWhip starts at On request.
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 NewsWhip is typically brought in for.
What can Microsoft Start do that NewsWhip cannot?
Microsoft Start covers Personalized news, Topic following, Weather updates, Sports scores. NewsWhip covers Viral content tracking, Social media monitoring, Competitor intelligence, Trend identification. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
NewsWhip: What does NewsWhip cost?

NewsWhip does not publish pricing on its website. The company directs customers to request a demo to receive custom pricing based on their needs.

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
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
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