The assumption implicit in this article seems to be that the two programs are equally available to entrepreneurs. In considering the two programs for my startup, I don't think this is the case. I haven't been in either program, but I have been watching both for 5 years it seems.

YC seems to be far more selective, and while the classes are growing each year, they are not growing as fast as the number of applicants. YC also seems (rightly or wrongly) to be more focused on 18-23 year olds who are in or just out of college, who want to do a startup, and who can show the kinds of ... bonafides that a college student can show (Eg: more academic related.)

In contrast, Techstars is following a franchise model and growing the number of programs rapidly, and now in fact has a global accelerator network so expansive there's even versions in Dubai and Tel Aviv![1] TechStars seems more interested in traction, and founders who have startup experience.

Put another way, YC is very much like a harvard, while TechStars is like a state college network. There's only one YC but there's a TechStars in every major town.

This means TechStars is more accessible, even going so far as some of the smaller programs in the global network which (at least in one case I know of seem to be) not super choosy. This is quite a contrast to YC which is very selective and has a close knit network.

They are focused on different market segments in another way. TechStars knows you might pivot, and all investors say "its about the team" but TechStars seems more interested in startups that are in progress, while YC is even open to people who don't have an idea at all. In TechStars you should pivot if you have to, but in YC a part of the program is reworking what you're doing, and it seems to be more assumed.

Finally, I think it must be admitted that YC has probably a lot better potential for raising big money on demo day. Techstars ranges from close to YC capability for Boston and New York, to nowhere near as strong. (have any graduates of The Ark, a TechStars affiliate in Arkansas, raised more than $5M? $1M?)[4]

So, I think the two programs have two very different target markets, and very different levels of opportunity they provide.

To extend the college metaphor further, you should apply for YC if you're under 30[2], but you probably should also apply for TechStars as a backup, given the slim odds of getting into YC. So, this is like applying to Harvard but also another Ivy League school and your state college as a last ditch backup. YC would be Harvard, TechStars NY, etc would be the other Ivy League and TechStars global network would by your state college analog.

Frankly, there are also a lot of contests and other programs. In fact there are hundreds of programs. We're going to apply for probably a dozen different things happening this fall. From TechCrunch disrupt to TechStars and international affiliates.

One thing I've found is there's a shelf life for startups at the incubation stage. After you've been working on your startup for 6 months to a year you get to a point where what you really need is angel funding. So, for that first 6 months to a year, you probably should apply for a lot of the early stage opportunities.

[1]http://globalacceleratornetwork.com/ (at first I thought it was in Iran given the way the map looks on the page.)

[2] I know YC doesn't discriminate on age, but it really does seem like they are looking for people in their 20s. Their application asks for your HN ID for instance. This is a good thing. Without YC there wouldn't be this kind of program for recent grads who want to do a startup. When you're an investor you have to be choosy about your sector. Some insurance company might be a great investment, but if you don't know how to evaluate insurance companies, then you would still pass. YC seems well tuned to evaluating younger entrepreneurs.

[3] We're in Startup Chile.

[4] I don't know and it is not a reflection on the goodness or the badness of The Ark as a program if they haven't had that kind of success. It is more an example of the different segments of the startup market that they are addressing.