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Microsoft Start vs Parse.ly

Microsoft Start logo

Microsoft Start

News

Your personalized news feed powered by Microsoft

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Parse.ly logo

Parse.ly

News

Analytics platform for publishers

From
$500/month
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; Parse.ly no published pricing rates or specific plan costs
  • They diverge on capability: Microsoft Start covers Personalized news, Parse.ly covers Content analytics.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Microsoft Start and Parse.ly actually diverge.

Attributes where Microsoft Start and Parse.ly differ
AttributeMicrosoft StartParse.ly
Starting priceFree$500/month
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 Parse.ly

  • Content analytics
  • Audience tracking
  • Real-time metrics
  • Recommendations
  • Google Analytics
  • GDPR
  • Cloud deployment
  • English language support

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Microsoft Start

  • Daily newsnot Parse.ly
  • Topic trackingnot Parse.ly
  • Weather updatesnot Parse.ly
  • Quick informationnot Parse.ly

Parse.ly

  • Real time analytics on article and page performance for publishersnot Microsoft Start
  • Attributing conversions and subscriptions to contentnot Microsoft Start
  • Comparing audience engagement across authors, sections and channelsnot 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

Parse.ly

  • No published pricing rates or specific plan costs
  • All pricing tiers direct users to contact sales for details
  • Custom/enterprise pricing model requires demo or direct contact

Pricing, plan by plan

Microsoft Start

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

Parse.ly

$500/month
  • Standard$500/month
    • Content analytics
    • Audience insights

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 Parse.ly if

  • You need content analytics.
  • You also want audience tracking.
Parse.ly review

Questions people ask

Is Microsoft Start or Parse.ly better?
Neither clearly leads. Microsoft Start starts at Free and Parse.ly at $500/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Microsoft Start or Parse.ly?
Microsoft Start has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Microsoft Start and $500/month for Parse.ly.
Does Microsoft Start or Parse.ly run on more platforms?
Microsoft Start runs on Web, Ios, Android, Windows. Parse.ly runs on Web.
Can I use Microsoft Start for free?
Yes. Microsoft Start has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Parse.ly starts at $500/month.
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 Parse.ly is typically brought in for.
What can Microsoft Start do that Parse.ly cannot?
Microsoft Start covers Personalized news, Topic following, Weather updates, Sports scores. Parse.ly covers Content analytics, Audience tracking, Real-time metrics, Recommendations. 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
Parse.ly: How much does Parse.ly cost?

Parse.ly does not publish specific pricing amounts. The company offers three tiers (Content Performance, Content Value, and Content Advocacy) but requires customers to request quotes or schedule a demo with a content analytics expert.

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
Parse.ly: What are the differences between Parse.ly pricing tiers?

The Content Performance tier offers basic analytics and 1 site tracking. Content Value adds conversions and attribution analytics for 2 sites. Content Advocacy adds geographic segmentation, video tracking, and SSO for 3 sites.

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
Parse.ly: How can I get a custom pricing quote from Parse.ly?

Customers can book a demo with a Parse.ly content analytics expert through their pricing page, or request more details using the provided contact options.

Source
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