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Microsoft Start vs Readwise Reader

Microsoft Start logo

Microsoft Start

News

Your personalized news feed powered by Microsoft

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Readwise Reader logo

Readwise Reader

News

The read-it-later app for power readers

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Microsoft Start no pricing information available; Readwise Reader there is no free tier, only a 30 day trial
  • They diverge on capability: Microsoft Start covers Personalized news, Readwise Reader covers Read-it-later.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Microsoft Start and Readwise Reader actually diverge.

Attributes where Microsoft Start and Readwise Reader differ
AttributeMicrosoft StartReadwise Reader
Pricing modelfreefreemium
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, WindowsIos, Android, Web
Founded19752017

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Readwise Reader

  • Read-it-later
  • RSS aggregation
  • Newsletter inbox
  • PDF support
  • Highlighting
  • Notion
  • Obsidian
  • Roam Research

Both cover

  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

Microsoft Start

  • Daily newsnot Readwise Reader
  • Topic trackingnot Readwise Reader
  • Weather updatesnot Readwise Reader
  • Quick informationnot Readwise Reader

Readwise Reader

  • Reading and note-takingnot Microsoft Start
  • Highlight managementnot Microsoft Start
  • Learning and studynot Microsoft Start
  • Content curationnot 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

Readwise Reader

  • There is no free tier, only a 30 day trial
  • Reader is bundled into the full plan rather than sold separately, so it cannot be had at the cheaper Lite price
  • The Lite plan at $5.59 a month billed annually is daily email review only, without the web app or tagging
  • Paying monthly rather than annually raises the full plan from $9.99 to $12.99

Pricing, plan by plan

Microsoft Start

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

Readwise Reader

Free
  • Free TrialFree
    • 30 days free
    • No credit card required
  • Readwise Annual$9.99/month
    • Full Readwise and Reader access
    • Billed annually
    • Includes unified reading platform
  • Readwise Monthly$12.99/month
    • Full Readwise and Reader access
    • Billed monthly
    • Includes unified reading platform

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 Readwise Reader if

  • You need read-it-later.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Ios, Android, Web.
  • You also want rss aggregation.
Readwise Reader review

Questions people ask

Is Microsoft Start or Readwise Reader better?
Neither clearly leads. Microsoft Start starts at Free and Readwise Reader at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Microsoft Start or Readwise Reader?
Microsoft Start starts at Free and Readwise Reader at Free.
Does Microsoft Start or Readwise Reader run on more platforms?
Microsoft Start runs on Web, Ios, Android, Windows. Readwise Reader runs on Ios, Android, 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 Readwise Reader is typically brought in for.
What can Microsoft Start do that Readwise Reader cannot?
Microsoft Start covers Personalized news, Topic following, Weather updates, Sports scores. Readwise Reader covers Read-it-later, RSS aggregation, Newsletter inbox, PDF support. Both handle Web support, Ios support, Android 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
Readwise Reader: How much does Readwise Reader cost?

Readwise (including Reader) costs $9.99 per month when billed annually or $12.99 per month when billed monthly USD. Readers can access articles, PDFs, newsletters, RSS feeds, and YouTube videos across web and mobile.

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
Readwise Reader: Is there a free trial for Readwise Reader?

Yes, Readwise offers a 30-day free trial with no credit card required. Some users who let their trials expire may qualify for an additional extended trial.

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
Readwise Reader: How much can students save on Readwise?

Readwise offers 50% discounts to verified students, educators, non-profits, military, first responders, and individuals in countries where US pricing is unaffordable. Interested users should contact [email protected] to request eligibility.

Source
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