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Microsoft Start vs Reeder

Microsoft Start logo

Microsoft Start

News

Your personalized news feed powered by Microsoft

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Reeder logo

Reeder

News

Subscription RSS and social feed reader for Apple platforms, with a separate one-time Classic version

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Microsoft Start no pricing information available; Reeder the free tier caps at ten feeds, which is restrictive for anyone following more than a handful of sources.
  • They diverge on capability: Microsoft Start covers Personalized news, Reeder covers Multi-source feeds.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Microsoft Start and Reeder differ
AttributeMicrosoft StartReeder
Pricing modelfreePer user per month
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, WindowsMac, iOS
Founded1975Unknown

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 Reeder

  • Multi-source feeds
  • Gesture-based triage
  • Shared feeds
  • Cross-device sync
  • Reeder Classic option
  • Custom themes

What people use each for

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

Microsoft Start

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

Reeder

  • A reader who wants YouTube, Reddit and Mastodon alongside RSS feeds in one triage-focused appnot Microsoft Start
  • Someone with more than ten feeds who is comfortable with a low cost subscription rather than a hard capnot Microsoft Start
  • A long time Reeder user who prefers the older interface and wants to avoid a subscription by using Reeder Classic insteadnot Microsoft Start
  • A user who wants shared curated feed lists with friends or colleagues, a Plus-only featurenot 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

Reeder

  • The free tier caps at ten feeds, which is restrictive for anyone following more than a handful of sources.
  • Having two separately named and priced apps, Reeder and Reeder Classic, has confused users trying to work out which one to buy.
  • It depends on continued access to YouTube, Reddit and Mastodon APIs for its social feed features, any of which could change terms and reduce functionality.
  • It is Apple platforms only, with no Windows, Android or web version.
  • The subscription, while cheap, is still an ongoing cost compared with NetNewsWire, which does the core RSS job for free indefinitely.

Pricing, plan by plan

Microsoft Start

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

Reeder

Free
  • Reeder (free)Free
    • Up to 10 feeds
    • Core reading and triage features
  • Reeder Plus$1/month
    • Unlimited feeds
    • Shared feeds
    • Social timelines from Reddit and Mastodon
  • Reeder ClassicFree
    • Separate app, one-time purchase pricing
    • No subscription required
    • Traditional RSS-focused feature set

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 Reeder if

  • You need multi-source feeds.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Mac, iOS.
  • You also want gesture-based triage.
Reeder review

Questions people ask

Is Microsoft Start or Reeder better?
Neither clearly leads. Microsoft Start starts at Free and Reeder at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Microsoft Start or Reeder?
Microsoft Start starts at Free and Reeder at Free.
Does Microsoft Start or Reeder run on more platforms?
Microsoft Start runs on Web, Ios, Android, Windows. Reeder runs on Mac, iOS.
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 Reeder is typically brought in for.
What can Microsoft Start do that Reeder cannot?
Microsoft Start covers Personalized news, Topic following, Weather updates, Sports scores. Reeder covers Multi-source feeds, Gesture-based triage, Shared feeds, Cross-device sync.

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
Reeder: Is Reeder free?

A free tier exists capped at ten feeds; unlimited feeds and social timelines require the Reeder Plus subscription.

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
Reeder: What is Reeder Classic?

A separate, older Reeder app kept available as a one-time purchase for users who do not want the new subscription model.

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
Reeder: Does Reeder support YouTube and Reddit, not just RSS?

Yes, the current version combines RSS with YouTube channels, Reddit communities and Mastodon timelines in one app.

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Related pages

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