Microsoft Power BI is a business intelligence tool for exploring data and creating interactive reports and dashboards. A free account can create reports for personal use, and Power BI Desktop is a free download for data exploration and report authoring. Sharing reports requires Pro or Premium. Native apps are available for Windows, iOS, and Android, and Power BI integrates with Microsoft 365, Azure, Purview, Dynamics 365, and Power Platform. Users can ask data questions in natural language, with Copilot generating visuals and reports. Insights can be shared through Microsoft Teams, PowerPoint, SharePoint, and other apps. Developers can embed interactive reports in their own applications. Power BI Pro costs $14 per user each month when paid yearly; Premium Per User costs $24 per user each month when paid yearly. Power BI Embedded is listed at as little as $1 per hour. Actual prices can vary by currency, country, and regional factors.
Who it is for
Power BI suits people who need to explore data, build reports, or share insights across Microsoft apps. Developers can use its embedded analytics for reports in their own applications.
What is good
- Free account supports personal reports and dashboards.
- Desktop app is available as a free download.
- Native apps cover Windows, iOS, and Android.
- Natural-language questions can generate visuals and reports.
- Reports can be embedded in other applications.
What to know first
- Sharing reports requires Pro or Premium.
- Pro costs $14 per user monthly when paid yearly.
- Premium Per User costs $24 per user monthly when paid yearly.
- Prices may vary by country and currency.
Verdict
Power BI offers free personal report creation alongside paid sharing and embedded options. Check the sharing requirements and annual-billing prices against your intended use.
Microsoft Power BI plans and pricing
All plansCompared on business intelligence tools
- Free plan
- Yes
- Paid from
- $14/user/mo
- Deployment
- hybrid
- Refresh frequency
- hourly
- Row-level security
- Yes
- Scheduled reports
- Yes
- Embedded analytics
- Yes
- Natural-language queries
- Yes
