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Microsoft Start vs ProfitWell

Microsoft Start logo

Microsoft Start

News

Your personalized news feed powered by Microsoft

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
ProfitWell logo

ProfitWell

Business Intelligence

Revenue analytics by Paddle

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Microsoft Start no pricing information available; ProfitWell profitWell is now part of Paddle and its pricing page redirects to paddle.com, so it is no longer sold or priced independently
  • They diverge on capability: Microsoft Start covers Personalized news, ProfitWell covers Free Metrics.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Microsoft Start and ProfitWell differ
AttributeMicrosoft StartProfitWell
Pricing modelfreefreemium
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, WindowsWeb, Api
CategoryNewsBusiness Intelligence
Founded19752012

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 ProfitWell

  • Free Metrics
  • Churn Reduction
  • Price Optimization
  • Revenue Recognition
  • Benchmarking
  • Stripe
  • Chargebee
  • Recurly

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Microsoft Start

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

ProfitWell

  • Subscription revenue metrics and churn reportingnot Microsoft Start
  • Recovering failed payments and reducing involuntary churnnot 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

ProfitWell

  • ProfitWell is now part of Paddle and its pricing page redirects to paddle.com, so it is no longer sold or priced independently
  • Reaching any figure requires going through Paddle's own pricing rather than a ProfitWell rate card

Pricing, plan by plan

Microsoft Start

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

ProfitWell

Free
  • Free MetricsFree
    • Revenue Metrics
    • Dashboards
    • Basic Reports
  • RetainFree
    • Churn Reduction
    • Payment Recovery
    • Custom Pricing

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 ProfitWell if

  • You need free metrics.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want churn reduction.
ProfitWell review

Questions people ask

Is Microsoft Start or ProfitWell better?
Neither clearly leads. Microsoft Start starts at Free and ProfitWell at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Microsoft Start or ProfitWell?
Microsoft Start starts at Free and ProfitWell at Free.
Does Microsoft Start or ProfitWell run on more platforms?
Microsoft Start runs on Web, Ios, Android, Windows. ProfitWell runs on Web, Api.
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 ProfitWell is typically brought in for.
What can Microsoft Start do that ProfitWell cannot?
Microsoft Start covers Personalized news, Topic following, Weather updates, Sports scores. ProfitWell covers Free Metrics, Churn Reduction, Price Optimization, Revenue Recognition. 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
ProfitWell: Is ProfitWell still available as a standalone product?

ProfitWell has been integrated into Paddle. The ProfitWell Metrics analytics tool is now part of Paddle's suite and is available at no cost.

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
ProfitWell: What is Paddle's standard pricing model?

Paddle charges 5% plus 50 cents per checkout transaction on its standard pay-as-you-go plan. Custom pricing is available for products under $10 or for customers requiring invoicing.

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
ProfitWell: What is included in Paddle's all-inclusive pricing?

Paddle's standard plan includes tax and compliance, unified billing, churn prevention tools, fraud protection, and 24/7 customer support. No separate monthly or hidden fees apply.

Source
ProfitWell: What is the minimum spend required for Paddle's enterprise plan?

Paddle offers custom enterprise pricing with negotiated rates for scaling and established businesses. Customers receive tailored pricing aligned with their business model and access to premium support and advisory services.

Source
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