Decoding Power BI Cost for the Decision Makers

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.

Without any further ado, let’s get started!

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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.

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.

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.

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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.

Next, 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.

Next, 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.

Next, Identify the Features You Need

Now, this one goes without saying.

The cost of a 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.

Next, 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.

Next, let’s decode Power BI cost for different license alternatives available.

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Breaking down the Power BI Cost

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.

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.

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Power BI Free Cost – Free for All

It is a basic version by Microsoft, with slightly limited functions.

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 –

And that’s Power BI Desktop for you!

Power BI Desktop is a great choice if you are –

• Stepping into the dynamic landscape of Power BI for the first time
• Or have specific, limited requirements

This personal-use tool seamlessly transforms your data into engaging visuals while connecting to on-premises and over 70 cloud data sources.

Suitable for individuals and early-age start-ups, the Power BI free version is great to start and assess whether the tool is the right fit for your business intelligence needs.

Once you are well-versed with the key functionalities and aspects of Power BI, you can upgrade to the Microsoft Power BI paid versions, and even share your reports/data with the stakeholders within and outside your organization.

If you’re wondering – “Can I use Power BI for free?” —yes, you can.

The Power BI Desktop version is completely free for all. However, it comes with certain limitations compared to Power BI paid versions.

Although the Power BI Desktop is easy to use, partnering with a Power BI development company can highly improve your experience and results.

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.

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.

Suitable for startups and mid-size organizations, Power BI Pro empowers businesses to transform raw data into a bigger picture, for effective decision-making.

“What is the difference between Power BI free and Power BI Pro?”, you may ask?

If you are wondering about the pricing of Power BI pro license cost, this version of Power BI costs only $9.99 per user/month.

Want to make the most of Power BI Pro? A Power BI consulting partner is all you need to guide every step of the way.

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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.

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.)

Ideal for mid-size businesses and enterprise-level organizations, Power BI Premium is everything you need to enjoy

• High productivity
• Seamless collaboration
• And advanced analytics

What is the difference between Power BI Free, Pro, and Power BI Premium version? you may wonder.

To answer – unlike Power BI Pro and the Desktop version, the Power BI premium version brings you the advantage of customizable user capacity.

It ensures that your company can optimize resources according to emerging demands, offering an efficient analytics experience.

One of the limitations of Power BI Premium is, that it works in tandem with the Power BI Pro license. This means users who wish to generate reports must have their Power BI Pro license purchased separately.

Primarily, Power BI Premium offers two pricing options based on per user and per capacity.

A. Power BI Premium Pricing – Per User

This version of Power BI costs $20/month per user and includes all the features available in Power BI Pro, plus a few additional features such as

B. Power BI Premium Per Capacity

This version of Power BI Premium costs $4995 and includes all features of Power BI Premium per user.

It comes with a bunch of dedicated resources allocated for the exclusive use of your team. This is your best bet if you are looking for dependable, consistent performance for your reports and dashboards.

Moreover, it is imperative to use Power BI Pro or Premium Per User (PPU) account to publish content within the platform.

Most businesses struggle to opt for the right Power BI Premium plan, given the intricacies of Power BI.

When you engage with a skilled Power BI implementation partner, you not only get to boost up your Power BI journey but also get confidence that your operations are in capable hands.

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Power BI Report Server

It is an on-premises physical server used to create and view reports on Power BI Desktop, Power BI Pro or Power BI Premium. It empowers you to view multiple reports on your email, web browser, and even mobile devices.

It is an ideal choice if you wish to view and access different reports if you have restrictions on the cloud.

You can integrate the Power BI report server by purchasing –

• Power BI Premium P SKU P1-P5
• SQL Server Enterprise with Software Assurance agreement

Remember that each version comes with a different Power BI costing.

The first option of Power BI costs you up to $5K/month, and the second option costs you $15K at the least.

Power BI Embedded

The Power BI Embedded is a Power BI Premium feature that enables you to seamlessly embed Power BI content such as dashboards and reports into your application.

It empowers your team of Power BI developers to make desired changes and create a solid ecosystem for better business results.

The overall cost of Power BI Embedded relies on the type and number of nodes chosen and deployed. The nodes are differentiated based on the number of RAM and v-cores.

Power BI cost for this version can be incurred on a monthly/hourly basis across multiple regions.

For example, the pricing for the Central U.S. region by the hour is –

Not sure if Power BI Premium is the best fit for your BI needs?

There is a definitive way to find out.

Create a Power BI Embedded capacity in the Azure portal and assign it a workspace. It will give access to the premium features to complete your tests and limit further Power BI price.

OR reach out to a seasoned Power BI development company in the USA and they will be happy to help you out.

Did we just discuss everything to guide you in making the most informed decision for your Power BI choice?

Are you now excited to embrace Power BI for your business intelligence needs? Without getting into nitty gritty?

Power BI implementation partner has got you covered.

Now, your choice of Power BI license 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.

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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 Does Power BI License Cost?

There are 5 major Power BI price versions depending on your data visualization and analytics requirements.

Next, let’s understand how Power BI administration partner offers an edge.

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Power BI Administration – 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?

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!

Microsoft Power BI: Your Best Bet in the Business Intelligence Landscape?

Did you know?

MS Power BI has crossed 5 million subscribers across the world, confirms Microsoft.

You may ask, “Why go with Power BI when other BI tools and solutions do the job?”

Your question holds merit.

But here’s food for thought: “Will you be able to draw insights with the same level of user-friendly interface, cost-effectiveness, efficiency, and effortless integration that Power BI brings to the table?”

The choice of a BI tool is not just about functionality; it’s about empowering your BI team to effortlessly drive through the insights and make impactful decisions.

So, what makes Power BI, the number ONE choice among millions of users?

Let the exploration begin!

Simpler, More Flexible, and Easier Management

From the Power BI free desktop version to the premium Power BI cost version, you get the liberty to choose your plan suitable for your needs.

Whether you are in the initial setup phase or utilizing it daily for data visualization needs, it’s simpler and straightforward (a blessing for non-technical users).

Both decision-makers and Power BI professionals can easily access, interact, view, edit, and manage different Power BI content on mobile applications on Android, iOS, and Windows 10 for quick management.

All PowerBI versions adeptly fulfill your data analytics and visualization needs, minimizing the need for extensive training and ensuring effective utilization of your team’s time.

Excellent Customizations

Every data visualization innately offers impressive customization features. With Microsoft Power BI, you experience different customization capabilities at different Power BI costs.

Whether you are dealing with limited data sets or extensive data volume, you can seamlessly organize raw information based on your preferences.

Smooth Distribution and Collaboration

Another crucial benefit that Power BI brings – Smooth Distribution and Collaboration.

Its solid ecosystem and thoughtfully bifurcated versions simplify your report-sharing capabilities internally and externally.

It takes out the hassle of distributing and managing files, empowering you to upload reports and Power BI dashboards.

These Power BI benefits are just the tip of the iceberg.

It has immense potential to drive your Business Intelligence efforts to new heights.

Thinking about where to start?

Join hands with a seasoned team of Power BI consultants who take away the guesswork and offer Power BI implementation services to ensure seamless Power BI implementation designed to meet your unique business needs.

Next, let’s understand how Power BI partner helps maximize your investments.

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How a Power BI Partner Helps Maximize Your Investments?

There are many reasons why you should opt for professional Power BI support services from a reliable Power BI development company.

Let’s take a look at them one-by-one.

Improved Power BI Outcomes

Power BI consultants leverage many years of Power BI expertise. This empowers them to seamlessly convert your raw data into rich visuals and empower decision-making. With extensive knowledge of all Power BI versions, the trained Power BI experts empower your team to escape the ordinary and embrace the hidden insights within your data.

The trained experts help you assess key business trends and provide you with the precise insights needed for desired outcomes.

Enhance Your Data Visualization Capabilities

The experienced Power BI developers help you dive deep into your data, ensuring a purposeful approach. While looking for opportunities, they help you foresee risks and implement tried and tested methods to mitigate them.

Be the First to Identify Industry Trends

Whether your goal is to become a market leader or trendsetter, the reliable Power BI consultants spot the industry trends beforehand and empower you with a competitive advantage.

As a result, your BI team is enabled to spot new opportunities, mitigate risk, and make informed business decisions for better outcomes.

Boost ROI by 3X

Become a Market Leader

The adept BI experts from a Power BI development company are available 24/7 to promptly solve your dynamic issues and ensure uninterrupted data insights.

The team has ready-to-employ resources and skills that not only upgrade your business analytics, data modeling, and development game but also empower you with the confidence to navigate through the competitive business landscape.

To avail yourself of all these benefits, you must invest in the right Power BI version and a compatible Power BI development services partner.

Speaking of partnerships, experienced Power BI professionals, and making the most of your Power BI investments, if you are seeking a reputed Power BI partner that you can count on, your search ends at Integrative Systems.

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Integrative Systems – Power BI Implementation Partner of Your Choice

Now that you are well-versed with the estimated Power BI cost of different versions and the importance of the right Power BI partnership, it can simplify your investment process according to your budget and needs.

But making a rushed Power BI investment call can be a waste.

We help you make informed decisions with our top-notch Power BI consultation and support services.

Want to connect with us?

Drop us a line at [email protected] and our team of Power BI experts will get back to you within 2 business days.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Power BI Cost

1. Is Microsoft Power BI Free or Paid?

Ans: Microsoft Power BI costs you nothing if you are just starting with your BI initiative. It’s totally Free to use and you can create, view, and share basic sort of visualizations, dashboards and reports using Power BI Free. If you are willing to gain access to the advanced Power BI features, you can always opt out to invest in the paid plans of PowerBI – Power BI Pro, Power BI Premium, etc.

2. Can I Try Power BI Before Purchasing?

Ans: Yes, that goes without saying! If you are done exploring the basics that are offered in the Power BI Free version and are willing to explore Power BI Pro, you get a 60-day trial to experience all the advanced Power BI Pro features. You can explore the capabilities and decide if it would be worth a deal to make an investment in Power BI Pro or Power BI Premium.

3. How Much Does Power BI Cost?

Ans: Power bi cost solely depends on the licensing and subscription that you choose to go ahead with. If you are starting afresh with Power BI, you can choose to start with the Free version of it, till you get along with it. Once you are confident to take your business intelligence game to the next level, you can choose to upgrade to Power BI Pro, which costs you around $20/month, per user.

4. What Are Different Microsoft Power BI Pricing Plans?

Ans: Considering different usage requirements, Power BI offers a set of different plans with advanced features. To name the list, Power BI offers Power BI Free, Power BI Pro, Power BI Premium, and Power BI Embedded. Each plan serves different features and capabilities. Based on your business requirements, you can choose the one that solves the purpose for you.

5. Are There Any Additional Expenses Associated with Power BI Cost?

Ans: When you buy a Power BI license, it moreover includes the maximum of the features and capabilities that you may need in your day-to-day business operations. Yet, there could be some additional costs that may incur if you are willing to gain access to advanced capabilities or add-ons. As an example – if you are willing to connect multiple data sources, it may demand premium licensing fees to access those features.

6. What Are the Different Types of Power BI Licensing?

Ans: There are three types of Microsoft Power BI licenses: Power BI Free, Power BI Pro, and Power BI Premium (PPU).

7. What is Power BI Pro?

Ans: Power BI Pro is an individual per-user license that lets users create content and also read and interact with content that others publish to the Power BI service.

8. Is Power BI cheaper than Tableau?

Ans: Yes! Power BI is more affordable and easier than Tableau. There is a Free version of Power BI, while Power BI Pro costs about $10 per month per user. And Power BI Premium is priced at $4,995 per month.

9. Is Power BI free to install?

Ans: Yes! Power BI is free to install. The Power BI Desktop (Free) version comes at a $0 cost. It also lets you create Power BI reports and dashboards. However, you need a Power BI Pro or Premium license for advanced features like report sharing and collaboration.

10. Is Power BI Pro free?

Ans: No! The Power BI Pro version doesn’t come for free. Although it shares some features with the Power BI Desktop free version, it comes with additional features like cloud-based sharing, collaboration, and advanced data insights. Microsoft Power BI Pro costs $9.99 per user per month.

11. Do I Need to pay for Office 365 to use Power BI?

Ans: No! You don’t need to pay for an Office 365 license to access Power BI. Microsoft offers independent Power BI licenses, so you can access Power BI independently of Microsoft Office 365.

12. Is the Power BI being replaced?

Ans: No! Microsoft has no plans to replace Power BI. Instead, Microsoft continues to introduce new feature updates to ensure Power BI’s relevance to emerging business intelligence needs.