Did you know? Organizations using business intelligence are 5X more likely to make faster decisions than those who don’t, states BetterBuys.
Business intelligence is a potent formula that guarantees success in today’s data-driven business landscape.
Not to forget the wide range of business intelligence tools, from start-ups to multi-million-dollar companies, everyone is highly invested in one of them.
Power BI has made its mark as users’ choice among the race of intelligence tools. It has become a “go-to” tool among business leaders, like yourself, owing to its “easy-to-use interface” and “advanced analytical capabilities”.
When we talk technology, we can’t miss out on one essential metric that acts decider. It’s the cost. The way Microsoft Power BI cost structure has been devised, it’s pretty straightforward & apt.
In simple words – you pay based on your needs.
So, if you are a Power BI admirer who is exploring the cost of Power BI variants and the leverages that you get with different pricing plans, you’ve landed at the right resource.
Today, you’ll read about
- Basics of Power BI
- Assessing Your Power BI Needs for Ideal Power BI Plan
- Understanding Power BI Cost & Benefits each Plan Offers
- How do you choose the right Power BI Plan for Yourself? (Don’t miss!)
- How Power BI Consulting Services can be of Help to Justify Power BI Costs?
Without any further ado, let’s get started!
Basics of Power BI & Power BI Pricing Plans
As the heading reads, this segment of the blog helps you warm up around the Power BI offerings and varied Power BI cost structures.
“If you already are well-versed with the basics and wish to arrive at your decision faster, do consider skipping this part. But, ensure you don’t skip this read as it sure has all you need to decide on the Power BI pricing plan for yourself.”
First, let’s understand what Power BI is and the different variants available.
What is Power BI?
Once known as, Project Crescent, Power BI was first available in July 2011, bundled with Denali, the code name for SQL Server.
It was renamed to Power BI and reintroduced in September 2013 as Power BI for Office 365, now known as Microsoft 365.
When we talk about business intelligence tools, Power BI competes with Tableau, for the first spot.
It has helped thousands of organizations and millions of users achieve high-impact data stories and visualizations to drive data-driven decision-making.
Talking about the available Power BI pricing plans, here are they for a glimpse.
| Plan | Cost |
| Power BI Free | Free |
| Power BI Pro | $10 user/month |
| Power BI Premium | $20 user/month |
| Power BI Embedded | Variable |
We’ll discuss varying Power BI costs and pricing plans at length, as we move deeper into the read.
Let us now look at how Power BI is transforming data analytics.
What is Power BI used for?
Data cleaning took about 80% of data analysts’ time, to believe the reports.
It was often an undesirable task.
But if they failed to do it, the data potentially had no legs to stand.
With Power BI walking in, data analysts are freed up from these hygiene responsibilities.
With Power BI in place, Data Analysts no longer have to dedicate more time to
- Data Cleaning
- Data Modelling
- Manual Report Generation
Hours of manual efforts can be saved and dedicated to core competencies if you invest in the right power bi license costs.
Not to undermine the leverage we discussed, but a lot of decision-makers go blindly by the Power BI cost and end up subscribing to a wrong Power BI plan.
No, that’s not a rookie mistake.
This happens out of sheer misalignment between BI needs and the Power BI pricing plans out there.
You may ask – “How can that be avoided?”
Let’s understand how you can figure your Power BI needs and align them with an apt Power BI pricing plan.
Assessing Your Needs for Ideal Power BI Pricing Plan
As a wise leader, Power BI cost is a strategic investment for you to make. And choosing the right Power BI version is quintessential to garnering precise ROI from this investment.
And, given the choice of Power BI pricing plans, selecting the right one becomes vital.
To arrive at the right choice of Power BI version, you must begin with understanding your BI requirements.
Don’t fret!
Here’s a stepwise approach to follow to decide which Power BI license to proceed with.
Begin with identifying your business intelligence goals
Realize that Power BI cost is proportional to the business goals you aim to achieve.
Before you get to the Power BI costing, it’s significant to outline the BI goals you wish to achieve.
Your goals may include –
- Enhancing decision-making processes
- Customer segmentation & targeting
- Improving operational efficiency
- Identifying trends & patterns
- Increasing sales & revenue
Next, it’s essential to understand the needs of end-users
The needs of end users have a higher influence on Power BI license costs.
Thinking – “How”
Here’s why – Depending on the usability, authority, and capacity to use data, visualize data, extract reports, and share insights, your cost of Power BI license varies.
Here’s a low-down on the Power BI use cases based on the authority & designation:
- Executives need high-level dashboards for strategic decisions.
- Managers need detailed reports to monitor and manage teams.
- Analysts need robust tools for data exploration and analysis.
- Operational staff need user-friendly interfaces for day-to-day operations.
Next, you need to assess data sources & volume of data
The number & diversity of data sources you have and the volume of data you must maneuver contribute actively to the Power BI cost you bear.
Now, depending on the nature of the business and size of the data you produce, there are a lot of variables that you need to consider while choosing Power BI license.
Here are a few you must consider –
- Types of Data Sources: SQL databases, Excel files, cloud services, etc.
- Data Volume: Large datasets may require more advanced versions of Power BI for efficient processing.
- Data Refresh Requirements: Real-time vs. periodic data updates.
Next, you need to identify the features you need
Now, this one goes without saying.
The cost of Power BI license varies based on the features you need on board to fulfill your BI needs.
Depending upon the nature & size of the business, some might be more inclined towards data visualization capabilities and others may be concerned about the security part of it.
To not rush & gain full leverage of the Power BI price, you must look at the following features & choose based on your needs.
- Data Transformation: Tools for cleaning and transforming data.
- Security: Data access control and compliance requirements.
- Data Connectivity: Ability to connect to various data sources.
- Collaboration: Sharing reports and dashboards with teams.
- Visualization: Types of charts and graphs needed.
Next, it’s time to evaluate deployment options
As discussed in the last point, business usability requirements differ. Some businesses prefer to keep their data safe at all costs. They want it to be disconnected from the outside world, to safeguard it.
And, then there are businesses that prefer limitless scalability on demand. They’re keen on the leverage of flexibility, accessibility & collaboration.
Power BI supports different deployment options to cater to varying data needs – Power BI Service & Power BI Report Server.
And Power BI cost varies largely based on the deployment option you choose for yourself.
If you prefer accessibility & collaboration, Power BI service serves the purpose for you. The Power BI service cost includes cloud-based Power BI solution that offers scalability, remote accessibility & on-the-go collaboration.
And, if you are in for stringent data security policies & firm security stature, Power BI Report Server is what you need.
Not to mention, both the deployment options serve their respective purpose and have great BI potential to offer in varying capacities.
Now as you are aware of various factors to consider while choosing the correct Power BI pricing plan for your business, let’s decode Power BI cost for different license alternatives available.
Breaking down the Power BI Cost
As you are on the verge to make a decision, you must be having striking questions rumbling around your mind.
- Is Power BI expensive?
- How much is the cost of Power BI?
- Is it affordable to use Power BI per hour?
- Is Microsoft Power BI worth an investment?
- Is there a way to explore Power BI before committing?
Let’s have a fair comparison of Power BI Free Cost vs. Power BI Pro Cost vs. Power BI Premium, to help you figure it all out.
Let’s begin!
The primary difference between all Power BI versions is access, the ability to share Power BI reports, Power BI dashboards, etc.
Let’s zoom into each version’s features and conduct a Power BI cost analysis to find the plan of your needs.
Power BI Free Cost – Free for all
It is a basic version by Microsoft, with slightly limited functions.
Power BI Free version allows you to
- Create intuitive reports
- Connect to multiple data sources
- Create custom visualization on-demand
In simple words, you get to understand and experience the tool, but you don’t have access to the luxury features that you get with Pro or Premium versions.
With no upfront Power BI cost, we suggest it’s a fair deal to begin your BI journey.
For example, you can enjoy its features and capabilities, but each user gets up to 1 GB of data storage. Moreover, you cannot share and collaborate with other Microsoft Power BI users like Pro and Premium users do.
And the best part is – anyone can get access to Power BI Desktop and use it, including commercial organizations. It’s a completely free tool with amazing features such as
- Access to primary collaboration features
- Publish online and export data to Excel
- Ability to connect to 70+ data sources
- Free and unlimited access to all users
- Same visualization as Power BI Pro
- Max capacity: 10 GB/User
- Mobile app access
And that’s Power BI Desktop for you!
Power BI Pro License Cost – $10.00 per month, per user
This advanced version of Microsoft Power BI has everything you need to upgrade your data game.
From exciting features including larger storage capacity and cutting-edge components, it offers a promising user experience and greater analytical depth.
Business leaders and professionals, like you, are empowered to create complex reports and refined dashboards with this model.
You also gain access to features like collaboration tools, maximum storage, connection to 100 data sources, and also make your own workspace.
Isn’t this an all-rounded solution to achieve your data goals?
However, one of the few limitations of Power BI Pro is, that it restricts the model size to 1 GB storage and 10 GB per user.
For example, users can create intuitive dashboards, collaborate with other Pro users, and share insights freely, but their storage limit is capped at 10 GB only.
You can get this great tool and enjoy:
- Storage of 10 GB
- Access to Mobile App
- Refresh rate of 48 days
- Collaborate with the Pro users
- Access to smart AI capabilities
- Ability to create Power BI workspace
- Ability to connect to 100+ data sources
- Publish reports to share and collaborate
If you’re done exploring Power BI Free and wish to explore the luxury of advanced BI features with limited Power BI costs, consider upgrading to Power BI Pro.
Power BI Premium License Cost Per Premium $20 or $4,995 Per Capacity
This is the most advanced version by Microsoft designed with the highest level of scalability and flexibility.
Power BI Premium shares many features with Power BI Pro, but it differs at the higher data capacity of 1 TB, with no limitation on the number and a powerbi license cost-based for the entire organization.
You can get this great tool and enjoy –
- Mobile App access
- Storage of 100 TB
- Advanced AI features
- Enterprise scale access
- Good refresh rate of 48 days
- Self-assisted data preparation for big data
- Connection to more than 100 data sources
- Unlimited number of users with per capacity license
PowerBI cost structure differs from $10 per user to $4,995 for the whole organization. (Note – The power bi premium capacity cost starts from $4,995 per month.)
The choice greatly depends on your needs, budget, and the scale of data analysis.
Still unsure?
Why wander in the Power BI landscape alone when expert assistance is just a call away?
Reach out to a reliable Power BI consultant to get unbiased answers to all your questions.
Still uncertain? Need help in figuring out a suitable Power BI Pricing plan? Let’s figure it out for you.
How do You Choose the Right Power BI Pricing Plan for Your Business?
We’re now confident that you are clear about your BI goals & Power BI cost you wish to put up to achieve those goals.
You’ve also got a fair idea of what different Power BI pricing plans are and what they offer, right?
Now, let us look at certain scenarios where choosing a certain Power BI pricing plan would work best.
This will help you gain better clarity as you make your decision.
Let’s go!
Who should consider Power BI Free?
It is like a sample at a wine-tasting event where you get to taste its potential. However, you will have to invest in the wine bottle to enjoy the complete experience.
Considering the Microsoft Power BI cost, features, and capabilities, it is an ideal starting point for those individuals and leaders who are beginning their data analytics journey.
You enjoy limited scalability, and capacity, and is best suited for individual and small-scale use.
Who should consider Power BI Pro?
Power BI Pro is designed to offer a far-reaching experience to the users.
With advanced AI, collaboration, and refresh rate, it is well-fitted for mid-size businesses. It supports your emerging business needs at the best Power BI cost and first-class features. Go for it if you have outgrown the limitations of Power BI Free.
You can imagine it like a high-performance sports car supercharged with advanced features, allowing you the luxury of precision and speed.
Who should consider Power BI Premium?
Ideal for mid-size companies and large enterprises, Power BI Premium has no user limit, the ability to analyze larger datasets, and offers consistent performance imperative at the enterprise level.
If you are all in for boundless, robust, scalable, and enterprise-level analytics solutions, Power BI Premium is your go-to choice.
It is like enjoying a VIP ticket to a concert, with unparalleled experience and special access.
Wondering how to justify your Power BI investments, avoid failure, and thrive with accurate data analysis?
How Much is a Power BI license Cost?
There are 5 major PowerBI price versions depending on your data visualization and analytics requirements.
From choosing the free version to purchasing the premium version, you have multiple Power BI cost options like:
Power BI Desktop (free)
Power BI Pro ($9.99)
PowerBI Premium ($4,995 per dedicated cloud computing and storage)
Power BI Report Server (on premium, possibly free)
Power BI Embedded (varies)
We have got just the right thing for you –
Power BI Administration: To Justify Your Investments & Avoid Failure
Power BI Administration is the management and governance of your BI platform within a business.
What are the duties of a Power BI administrator?
Its comprehensive duties include:
- Training & Education
- Configuring Settings
- Handling Data Gateways
- Maintaining Data Security
- Troubleshooting and Support
- License and Cost Management
- Managing Users and Workspaces
There are different Power BI Administrator roles:
- Power BI Admin
- Power BI Service Administrator
- Power BI Service Support Admin
- Power BI Admin for Power Platform
Each role comes with a specific responsibility to justify your investment, add value to your business, and avoid failure with their expert knowledge.
Furthermore, leveraging Power BI automation capabilities can significantly enhance productivity and streamline workflows.
Automation allows for tasks such as data refreshing, report generation, and to focus on analysis and strategic decision-making rather than mundane administrative tasks, and integration with other applications to be executed automatically, reducing manual intervention and human error.
Thinking, how should you select an ideal Power BI consulting partner? Let’s figure that out for you!
Selecting an Efficient Power BI Consulting Partner
The choice of your Power BI partner dictates everything that happens in your data journey.
Select a reputable partner with a minimum of 10+ years of experience, with flexible staff augmentation, transparent pricing, and a track record of successful undertakings, ensuring a worthwhile and cost-effective journey.
In summation, Power BI stands tallest among the Business Intelligence tools.
With Microsoft Power BI cost ranging from $10 to $4,995 per month, business leaders, data experts, individuals, startups, and enterprises can enjoy desirable features without spending hefty amounts.
Furthermore, you can justify your data initiatives by collaborating with Power BI Administrators, who are dedicated to making the most of your Power BI investment.
Integrative Systems is a reliable Power BI administrator who prioritizes trust, reliability, and a common vision for the future.
We support your Power BI ambitions with expert care, building purposeful Power BI solutions strengthening your decision-making approaches, and achieving greater ROI.
Let’s join hands to build a solution that will help you grow today and lead in the future. Reach out to us at [email protected] now.
