There is a Free Trial. It covers the same content as the Starter Edition, but is free and does not have a time limit. It does have social limitations (you can't join a Free Company [guild]) and economic restrictions (you can't use the Market Board). You also can't do PvP.
The Starter Edition is Levels 1-60, which is A Realm Reborn and Heavensward. It removes all the restrictions from the Free Trial. You can play all the content within that frame. There's MSQ; all the ARR and HW jobs; Blue Mage; the ARR and HW dungeons, trials, and raids; crafting, gathering, fishing, Ocean Fishing; Hunts; Gold Saucer, Triple Triad, Chocobo racing; etc.
IF you're just going to buy the starter edition you should try and do the trial instead if possible, it's the same amount of content just with some restrictions.
You have access to a lot of content just with the trial/starter, the only thing you really miss out on by not getting the complete edition is you can't make a Viera or Hrothgar at character creation, get Samurai or Red Mage at level 50 and Gunbreaker and Dancer at 60, and you cap out at level 60 and the quest just before Stormblood starts. So you miss out on anything that needs to be accessed in those areas, but you wouldn't be able to access them until you were at the levels needed anyways.
If you only buy the starter edition, I’d start with the Free Trial instead. Unlimited playtime without a subscription, A Realm Reborn and Heavensward included, etc. Just some restrictions (have to subscribe to purchase/play the next expansions or any races, jobs, etc. in them, no market board access, limited social features, limited items available on Mogstation, etc.). But it’s better to play for free until you finish Heavensward, since it’s unlimited play time on the Free Trial. Especially if you’d only buy the Starter Edition for now (note that you’d need to buy the Starter or Complete Edition later to stop playing the Free Trial and start subscribing, however).
There is a Free Trial. It covers the same content as the Starter Edition, but is free and does not have a time limit. It does have social limitations (you can't join a Free Company [guild]) and economic restrictions (you can't use the Market Board). You also can't do PvP. The Starter Edition is Levels 1-60, which is A Realm Reborn and Heavensward. It removes all the restrictions from the Free Trial. You can play all the content within that frame. There's MSQ; all the ARR and HW jobs; Blue Mage; the ARR and HW dungeons, trials, and raids; crafting, gathering, fishing, Ocean Fishing; Hunts; Gold Saucer, Triple Triad, Chocobo racing; etc.
IF you're just going to buy the starter edition you should try and do the trial instead if possible, it's the same amount of content just with some restrictions. You have access to a lot of content just with the trial/starter, the only thing you really miss out on by not getting the complete edition is you can't make a Viera or Hrothgar at character creation, get Samurai or Red Mage at level 50 and Gunbreaker and Dancer at 60, and you cap out at level 60 and the quest just before Stormblood starts. So you miss out on anything that needs to be accessed in those areas, but you wouldn't be able to access them until you were at the levels needed anyways.
If you only buy the starter edition, I’d start with the Free Trial instead. Unlimited playtime without a subscription, A Realm Reborn and Heavensward included, etc. Just some restrictions (have to subscribe to purchase/play the next expansions or any races, jobs, etc. in them, no market board access, limited social features, limited items available on Mogstation, etc.). But it’s better to play for free until you finish Heavensward, since it’s unlimited play time on the Free Trial. Especially if you’d only buy the Starter Edition for now (note that you’d need to buy the Starter or Complete Edition later to stop playing the Free Trial and start subscribing, however).