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Microsoft Start vs Prowly

Microsoft Start logo

Microsoft Start

News

Your personalized news feed powered by Microsoft

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Prowly logo

Prowly

News

PR software to tell your story and track results

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; Prowly no pricing published on the website
  • They diverge on capability: Microsoft Start covers Personalized news, Prowly covers Media database.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Microsoft Start and Prowly differ
AttributeMicrosoft StartProwly
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreesubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, WindowsWeb
Founded19752013

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 Prowly

  • Media database
  • Press release builder
  • Online newsroom
  • Email pitching
  • Coverage tracking
  • Semrush
  • Google Analytics
  • Slack

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Microsoft Start

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

Prowly

  • Media outreachnot Microsoft Start
  • Press release creationnot Microsoft Start
  • Journalist discoverynot Microsoft Start
  • PR measurementnot 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

Prowly

  • No pricing published on the website
  • Pricing tiers and costs must be requested through signup or sales inquiry

Pricing, plan by plan

Microsoft Start

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

Prowly

On request
  • Essential$369/month
    • Media database
    • Press release creator
    • Online newsroom
  • Professional$589/month
    • All Essential features
    • Coverage tracking
    • Advanced analytics
  • EnterpriseFree
    • Unlimited features
    • API access
    • Custom integrations

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 Prowly if

  • You need media database.
  • You also want press release builder.
Prowly review

Questions people ask

Is Microsoft Start or Prowly better?
Neither clearly leads. Microsoft Start starts at Free and Prowly at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Microsoft Start or Prowly?
Microsoft Start has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Microsoft Start and On request for Prowly.
Does Microsoft Start or Prowly run on more platforms?
Microsoft Start runs on Web, Ios, Android, Windows. Prowly runs on Web.
Can I use Microsoft Start for free?
Yes. Microsoft Start has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Prowly 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 Prowly is typically brought in for.
What can Microsoft Start do that Prowly cannot?
Microsoft Start covers Personalized news, Topic following, Weather updates, Sports scores. Prowly covers Media database, Press release builder, Online newsroom, Email pitching. 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
Prowly: How much does Prowly cost?

Prowly does not display pricing on its website. Users must sign up for the platform or contact the sales team to learn about available plans and pricing.

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
Prowly: What payment model does Prowly use?

The pricing page references plan selection but does not display available tiers, pricing models, or billing options. Contact Prowly sales for details on subscription or usage-based pricing.

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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