News & Media · head to head
Microsoft Start vs SmartNews
Microsoft Start
News & Media
Your personalized news feed powered by Microsoft
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Microsoft Start microsoft Start (MSN) is a free, ad-supported consumer news aggregator with no subscription tier or enterprise procurement listing anywhere on its own site (msn.com).; SmartNews the core app is free, but a premium tier called SmartNews+ exists for business news and coupon aggregation, with no price published on the homepage
- They diverge on capability: Microsoft Start covers Personalized news, SmartNews covers Machine learning curation.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Microsoft Start and SmartNews actually diverge.
| Attribute | Microsoft Start | SmartNews |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Web, Ios, Android, Windows | Ios, Android |
| Founded | 1975 | 2012 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (News & Media).
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 SmartNews
- Machine learning curation
- Smart Mode
- Local news
- Breaking alerts
- Offline reading
- Social sharing
- News publishers
Both cover
- Ios support
- Android support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Microsoft Start
- Daily news
- Topic trackingnot SmartNews
- Weather updatesnot SmartNews
- Quick informationnot SmartNews
SmartNews
- Daily news
- Local newsnot Microsoft Start
- Breaking newsnot Microsoft Start
- Quick readingnot Microsoft Start
Both are used for daily news, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Microsoft Start
- Microsoft Start (MSN) is a free, ad-supported consumer news aggregator with no subscription tier or enterprise procurement listing anywhere on its own site (msn.com).
SmartNews
- The core app is free, but a premium tier called SmartNews+ exists for business news and coupon aggregation, with no price published on the homepage
Pricing, plan by plan
Microsoft Start
Free- FreeFree
- Personalized news feed
- Topic following
- Cross-device sync
SmartNews
Free- FreeFree
- Trending news
- Local news
- Smart Mode reading
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.
Choose SmartNews if
- You need machine learning curation.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Ios, Android.
- You also want smart mode.
Questions people ask
- Is Microsoft Start or SmartNews better?
- Neither clearly leads. Microsoft Start starts at Free and SmartNews at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Microsoft Start or SmartNews?
- Microsoft Start starts at Free and SmartNews at Free.
- Does Microsoft Start or SmartNews run on more platforms?
- Microsoft Start runs on Web, Ios, Android, Windows. SmartNews runs on Ios, Android.
- 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, topic tracking and weather updates are not what SmartNews is typically brought in for.
- What can Microsoft Start do that SmartNews cannot?
- Microsoft Start covers Personalized news, Topic following, Weather updates, Sports scores. SmartNews covers Machine learning curation, Smart Mode, Local news, Breaking alerts. Both handle Ios support, Android support.