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Microsoft Start vs Podomatic

Microsoft Start logo

Microsoft Start

News

Your personalized news feed powered by Microsoft

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Podomatic logo

Podomatic

Podcasting

Simple podcast creation and hosting

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Microsoft Start no pricing information available; Podomatic free plan caps storage at 500MB and bandwidth at 15GB per month, which Podomatic equates to roughly 300 listens
  • They diverge on capability: Microsoft Start covers Personalized news, Podomatic covers Podcast hosting.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Microsoft Start and Podomatic differ
AttributeMicrosoft StartPodomatic
Pricing modelfreefreemium
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, WindowsWeb
CategoryNewsPodcasting
Founded19752005

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Podomatic

  • Podcast hosting
  • Distribution
  • Built-in recording
  • Audio editing
  • Podcast website
  • RSS feed
  • Podcast platforms
  • Social media

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Microsoft Start

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

Podomatic

  • Hosting and publishing a podcast with a ready made listener pagenot Microsoft Start
  • Starting a podcast on a free tier before paying for bandwidthnot Microsoft Start
  • Serving audio downloads to a growing audience on metered bandwidth plansnot 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

Podomatic

  • Free plan caps storage at 500MB and bandwidth at 15GB per month, which Podomatic equates to roughly 300 listens
  • Pro Plus at $9.99 per month caps storage at 3GB and bandwidth at 200GB per month
  • Pro Platinum at $24.99 per month still caps bandwidth at 500GB per month
  • Unlimited storage and bandwidth require the $49.99 per month Broadcaster plan
  • Billing is metered on listener bandwidth, so a popular episode consumes the monthly allowance regardless of how few files are stored

Pricing, plan by plan

Microsoft Start

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

Podomatic

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Podcast hosting
    • Basic distribution
    • Audio player

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 Podomatic if

  • You need podcast hosting.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want distribution.
Podomatic review

Questions people ask

Is Microsoft Start or Podomatic better?
Neither clearly leads. Microsoft Start starts at Free and Podomatic at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Microsoft Start or Podomatic?
Microsoft Start starts at Free and Podomatic at Free.
Does Microsoft Start or Podomatic run on more platforms?
Microsoft Start runs on Web, Ios, Android, Windows. Podomatic runs on 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 Podomatic is typically brought in for.
What can Microsoft Start do that Podomatic cannot?
Microsoft Start covers Personalized news, Topic following, Weather updates, Sports scores. Podomatic covers Podcast hosting, Distribution, Built-in recording, Audio editing. 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
Podomatic: What does Podomatic's free plan include?

The free plan includes 500 MB storage (up to 6 hours of recording), first 20 episodes, and 15 GB bandwidth per month. Source: https://www.podomatic.com

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
Podomatic: How much do Podomatic's PRO plans cost?

Podomatic mentions PRO plans starting at $9.99 but does not publish specific pricing tiers or features for paid plans on their main website. Source: https://www.podomatic.com

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
Podomatic: Can I use Podomatic free forever?

Yes, Podomatic emphasizes free podcast hosting forever, though paid premium options exist for expanded capacity at undisclosed rates. Source: https://www.podomatic.com

Source
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