SSRS vs Power BI – What fits Your Reporting Needs?

Welcome back to our ongoing series comparing Power BI with the leading business intelligence tools of 2025.

Recapping on our last discussion, we last compared Power BI with Qlik Sense & with Tableau.

Today, we’re going to compare Microsoft SSRS vs Power BI.

Wondering, “Ain’t they both a part of Microsoft’s ecosystem?”

You’re right!

You may be confused since both tools are a vital part of Microsoft’s BI stack.

Hold your horses for a moment.

They are meant for different sets of audiences and are dedicated to different BI practices.

And we’re here to explore just that.

Reading this guide till the end will offer you clarity.

Clarity to pick the right tool for your data visualization and reporting needs.

So why wait?

Ready to explore, comprehend, and decide?

Let’s get going.

Before digging into the comparison of Power BI vs SSRS let’s take a glance at what these reporting tools are about.

What is Power BI?

Microsoft Power BI is a data visualization and reporting platform introduced in 2015.

The tech-driven, cloud-based platform is dedicated to analyzing raw information to present actionable insights, and drive data-driven decision-making.

What sets Power BI apart from the table-toppers is its user-friendly and smart features. Its features facilitate real-time data access and collective analytics, with robust security measures.

This enables businesses, large and small to avail of state-of-the-art business intelligence at flexible pricing.

Next in the debate of SSRS vs Power BI, it’s time to throw spotlight on the next contender, MS SQL Server Reporting Services.

What is SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS)?

Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services, popularly known as SSRS, is a server-based business intelligence platform to generate paginated reports.

It comes free with SQL Server 2012.

What sets SSRS apart in the business intelligence market is its capability to create conventional, paginated reports, which are primary for businesses with structured reporting needs.

To better understand the Power BI vs SSRS comparison, it’s crucial to understand the unique purpose they serve.

Moving on, let’s take sneak a peek into the distinctive purposes of SQL Server Reporting Services and Power BI.

What is the Purpose of Power BI?

The purpose of Power BI is to enable businesses of all sizes with distinct budgets, to turn their unrelated data sources into visually appealing, and interactive insights.

Whether your data is in a spreadsheet, on the cloud, on-premises, or a mix of both; Power BI seamlessly integrates and consolidates it to generate visually appealing reports and dashboards.

This empowers your users to conduct comprehensive data analysis, create effective visualizations, and collaborate effortlessly across the teams, anytime & anywhere.

In the debate of SSRS vs Power BI, it’s time to understand the distinct purpose of SSRS.

What is the Purpose of SSRS?

The purpose of Microsoft SSRS is to facilitate easy creation of form reports in the formatted table manners in images, graphs, charts, and data forms.

SSRS best serves businesses that are not comfortable having their data in the cloud. Due to data sensitivity, data sovereignty, or compliance reasons.

Do you wonder, “Whether Microsoft SSRS will be discontinued?”

So far, SQL Server Reporting Services is an integral part of Microsoft’s BI suite.

We don’t know what the future holds, so we don’t know if Microsoft will deprecate SSRS in the future.

If you’re looking for a BI tool with a promising future and Microsoft’s full support, Power BI is your best bet.

So far, you have got a basic idea of what SQL server reporting services and Power BI from the Microsoft BI stack are about.

Up next, we’ll give you a proper view of their distinct features to help you make a better judgment.

SSRS vs Power BI Comparison of Features

Here’s a snapshot of the Power BI vs SSRS comparison that will take you closer to your decision.

Moving on, it’s time to explore the side-by-side differences between MS Power BI vs SSRS. And finalize which BI route should you take.  

Why Should You Choose Power BI over SSRS?

23,022 companies use Microsoft SQL Server reporting services.

108,859 companies use Microsoft Power BI for data visualization & reporting needs.

Power BI, with about 15.74% market share in the Business Intelligence market, competes with Tableau for the first spot.

~ As per Enlyft.

Power BI is the top choice when it comes to data visualization and reporting capabilities.

As we compare the reporting capabilities, Power BI and SQL Server reporting services both have a lot to offer.

Undeniably, both their applications and benefits differ from each other, prominently.

Let’s take the SSRS vs Power BI comparison to the next level and understand why Power BI makes the top choice.

It Empowers Decision-Makers with Intuitive Visualizations

As a decision-maker, how would you like a 360-degree view of your data, while you make the most crucial decisions?

Power BI does just that!

With Power BI in reporting services, you get access to dynamic dashboards & reports that sync data from the sources in real time. These visualizations and reports can further be customized to help you make better decisions.

You don’t need to rely solely on the technical teams to draw data insights. No matter if you are technical or non-technical – Power BI and reporting services make it all easier for you.

Unlike static SSRS reports, you and your peers can build dynamic dashboards and reports with simple drag and drop mechanisms. You don’t need extensive technical expertise to attain actionable insights.

It Enables Unified Reporting with Seamless Integration

Trust us, this is the best thing you could do today – integrate MS SQL reporting services with Power BI.

Both SSRS and Power BI belong to Microsoft.

Power BI integrates seamlessly with diverse databases, third-party applications, and cloud platforms – enabling unified reporting.

If you are relying on SSRS reports, don’t think of replacing it – rather integrate it with Power BI. Extend your reporting capabilities like never before.

Let SSRS reports be there for operational reporting.

And, leverage Power BI for predictive analytics, AI-driven actionable insights while making strategic decisions.

If Gets You Predictive Analytics with AI-Powered Insights

Unlike SSRS reports, Power BI allows you to see the future!

We need to agree that SSRS reports are exceptional when it comes to operational reporting. Period!

But, in dynamic environments like a Finance Company or a Marketing Firm – prediction of future trends is indomitable.

Power BI is laced with impeccable features like AI-powered analytics and machine algorithms.

Power BI empowers you to think ahead of time, stay competitive and agile.

It Enables Stakeholders to Collaborate & Access Data

Access the reports anytime, from anywhere, using any device.

This is a modern-day leverage that data-led decision makers prefer to use.

Power BI and reporting services support cloud connectivity. You and your peers can access the reports published on Power BI reporting service from anywhere on the back of the earth, with any device.

Whereas SSRS reports are hosted on on-premises servers and need on-premises network connectivity for accessing the reports.

Another leverage that Power BI offers is collaboration. Multiple stakeholders can view, comment, and analyze Power BI reports simultaneously.

Working towards building a rock-solid data culture at your company? Power BI got you!

It helps Scale Reporting While Saving Costs

Are your reporting needs unpredictable?

Are the reporting requirements fluctuating constantly?

Why not invest in a reporting solution that scales according to your reporting needs?

The best part? You could implement Power BI and reporting services without making drastic changes in your infrastructure – cost savings!

SSRS reports aren’t discretionary – they serve great on specific operational purposes.

But Power BI allows the leverage of adaptability ensuring your reporting demands are met, always.

Microsoft SSRS vs Power BI: Points of Disparity to Consider in 2024

Businesses whose CEOs make data-backed decisions are 77% more likely to achieve success. – According to a Deloitte survey.

A robust BI tool in place takes the hassle out of gathering, analyzing, and interpreting raw data. This empowers CEOs and leaders, like yourself, to make data-driven decisions effortlessly and confidently.

Microsoft stands at the forefront of the data visualization and business intelligence industry.

Thus, comparing MS SSRS vs Power BI from Microsoft BI stack is both essential and insightful.

Let’s understand the points of disparities to help you make the right choice.

SSRS vs Power BI: Nature of the BI Tool

Although SSRS shares common features with Power BI; it is conventional in terms of its nature.

It is used in organizations for data visualization. It is also used to produce, view, and share reports with precise formatting and layout.

Moreover, it has a programming and coding interface along with multiple processing components.

Power BI, on the other hand, is used by businesses for data visualization, analysis, reporting, and storytelling. Its rich GUI and drag-and-drop features enable the creation of dynamic and interactive dashboards and reports.

Microsoft SSRS vs Power BI: User Interface

Microsoft SSRS offers a straightforward interface. It is designed for creating structured and paginated reports with precise formatting and layout control.

The SSRS environment is more suitable for a technical audience.

Whereas Power BI has drag-and-drop functionality and intuitive interface. This makes it easy to design visually appealing reports and dashboards effortlessly.

The Power BI environment is ideal for users from all technical backgrounds.

This accessibility makes Power BI, the best choice, for businesses seeking a self-service BI tool with minimal investment.

However, to leverage the complete potential of Power BI, it’s ideal to partner with a Power BI consulting services provider.

Power BI vs SSRS: Data Modeling and Transformation

SSRS primarily focuses on data presentation and formatting within the boundaries of structured, paginated reports. Thus, it has limited data modeling and transformation capabilities.

Power BI’s data modeling and transformation capabilities are robust and user-friendly. It helps in deriving and transforming the data and loading it in the form of visuals.

Microsoft SSRS vs Power BI: SSRS Expressions vs DAX

You can use SSRS Expressions in SSRS and DAX in Power BI to generate dynamic reports.

SSRS expressions are straightforward. They are mainly used for dynamic report elements like parameters. You can also use DAX to build SSRS reports.

DAX in Power BI has extensive documentation and books, and it is applicable to Multidimensional Databases. It’s very much like Excel functions, making it easier to understand and apply. DAX is a powerful language for data manipulation.

Comparing them is tough as DAX is used for querying and SSRS expressions are used for enhancing reports.

MS SSRS vs Power BI: Natural Language Queries

SSRS does not have this feature. It mainly focuses on data presentation and structured report generation.

Power BI, on the other hand, has Cortana integrated for AI-based natural language processing. It facilitates Q&A interactions with your data and reports directly within your Power BI environment.

Power BI vs SSRS Comparison: Mobile App

SSRS has SQL Server Mobile Report Publisher, but it was deprecated for all releases of SQL Server Reporting Services after SQL Server Reporting Services 2019.

It is discontinued starting in SQL Server Reporting Services 2022 and Power BI Report Server (an on-premises solution for reporting).

Power BI reports and dashboards can be easily accessed and shared by using the Power BI Mobile App. You can share the reports with either the entire organization or specific people or groups.

Plus, you need not create different reports for mobile access.

The Power BI Mobile App is available for free download from the Google Play Store (4.6 rating) and the Apple App Store (4.7 rating).

Power BI vs. SSRS: Learning Curve & User Training

SSRS is a stagnant software which adds up to its steep learning curve. Moreover, you need dedicated SQL Server engineers to ensure success.

On the other hand, Power BI has a shallow learning curve, due to its easy-to-use drag-and-drop features. Anybody can self-start their BI initiative with Power BI Desktop.

However, non-technical users may struggle to master its advanced features.

MS SSRS vs Power BI: AI & ML

SSRS has impressive graphical abilities, actions and drill-through, and complex filtering capabilities. But it doesn’t have Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning capabilities.

Conversely, Power BI has robust AI capabilities which you can use to gain access to a collection of pre-trained machine learning models.

MS SSRS vs Power BI: Pricing

SQL Server License is required to access MS SSRS.

Here’s the price breakdown to access Power BI.

Power BI Desktop

Cost: Free

Power BI Pro

Cost: USD 10 per user/month

Power BI Premium Per User

Cost: USD 20 per user/month (Free if you have Microsoft 365)

Power BI Premium (per-capacity)

Cost: USD 4995 Per Month for P1 SKU

Thinking? – “Power BI is indeed equipped with modern data visualization and reporting capabilities. But SSRS has its pluses, especially in conventional reporting and on-premises deployment.”

Does it make your decision even more difficult?

Thinking if understanding Power BI vs SSRS pros and cons will help?

Let’s get going to understand the SSRS vs Power BI pros and cons and take you closer to your decision.

SSRS vs Power BI Pros and Cons

Whether you’re inclined towards Power BI or SSRS, exploring the pluses and minuses of both the reporting and BI tools will provide you with a clearer perspective.

Here you go.

Power BI Pros and Cons

SSRS Pros and Cons

This Power BI vs SSRS pros and cons is all you need to decode the SSRS vs Power BI battle for Microsoft BI supremacy.

Thinking – “What if I could blend both the tools from Microsoft’s BI stack? And leverage the strengths of Power BI within my on-premises environment?”

You’re on the right track!

After decoding Power BI vs. SSRS, let’s now unwind the double power of Power BI and SSRS – Power BI Reporting Server.

So that was about the Microsoft SSRS vs Power BI for business leaders, who are looking to leverage the capabilities of business intelligence and data visualization from Microsoft’s BI stack.

Conclusion

As we come to the end of this insightful guide, we’re confident that you gained valuable insights into the MS SSRS vs Power BI comparison. And an answer to your prolonged question – “Which reporting tool better suits my data needs?”

Now, what should be your next step?

Ideally, you should consult a Microsoft-Certified partner.

We, at Integrative Systems, bring in more than a decade of experience in helping decision-makers attain success with their data initiatives using Power BI.

If you’re looking for a Microsoft-certified partner who prioritizes your success and specializes in Microsoft’s BI stack, look no further than Integrative Systems.

You can reach out to us at, [email protected] and our team of professionals will get back to you within 2 business days.

Frequently Asked Questions about Power BI and SSRS

1. Does Power BI Need SSRS?

Ans- No. Power BI is a cloud-based, standalone product and doesn’t need SSRS which is based on SQL Server. Power BI and SSRS are 2 different business intelligence tools from Microsoft’s BI stack that serve different purposes and audiences.

2. Can We Replace SSRS with Power BI?

Ans- Yes, you can replace SSRS with Power BI or migrate to Power BI. However, you need to consider your organization’s reporting needs, cost factors, and technical feasibility before making the switch. Talk to Power BI professionals to make the decision today.

3. Is the Power BI Report Server Same as SSRS?

Ans- The Power BI Report Server (PBRS) and SSRS are not the same. It’s important to note that PBRS is built on SSRS architecture. To install and use PBRS, you need to purchase a Power BI Premium license. To access SSRS, you need to purchase an SQL Server License.

Other than that, PBRS is quicker, more modern, and graphical whereas SSRS needs more time and manual effort to analyze data and create reports.

4. When Power BI Is Better Than SSRS?

Ans- Power BI is better than SSRS in many aspects. It has a user-friendly interface, easy mobile accessibility, modern capabilities such as AIML, efficient data visualization and data analytics capabilities, and much more.

However, SSRS is an ideal choice for organizations that demand specific paginated reports, precise formatting control, and on-premises deployment.

5. Will SSRS be Replaced by Power BI?

Ans- SSRS will not be replaced by Power BI – a cloud-based BI tool. But it will be replaced by Power BI Report Server. Power BI Report Server is an on-premises report server with the robust data visualization and reporting capabilities of Power BI and SSRS.

6. What is the Primary Difference Between Power BI and SSRS?

Ans– Power BI is a reporting tool focused on visualizations. It helps you build intuitive dashboards & reports that sync with real-time, dynamic data values. Whereas SSRS is a reporting solution that supports static, paginated reports with detailed formatting options.

7. Can Power BI and SSRS connect to the same data sources?

Ans– Absolutely! Both Power BI and SSRS can connect with a wide range of data sources like databases, on-premises servers, cloud platforms, and third-party applications.

8. Which tool is easier to use for non-technical users, Power BI or SSRS?

Ans– From a user’s perspective – Power BI it is. It’s said that if you could use Microsoft excel, you can easily use Power BI. It has a simpler, interactive user interface – which makes user adoption a lot easier. Whereas SSRS demands a bit of technical understanding to begin with report creation.

9. Can Power BI and SSRS be used together in an organization?

Ans– Of course! There would be nothing like it if you used both SSRS and Power BI together. You can integrate both tools together to support your dynamic reporting needs. Or else, you can keep SSRS reserved for operational reports where pagination is required. And use Power BI for strategic decisions where real-time actionable insights are needed.

10. How do Power BI and SSRS handle real-time data updates?

Ans– Power BI supports real-time data synchronization for dashboards and reports. Unfortunately, SSRS doesn’t support real-time data updates.

11. How customizable are the reports in SSRS compared to Power BI?

Ans– Both Power BI and SSRS support customization capabilities – just in a different sense. Power BI is focused on visual customizations, prioritizing ease of use. Whereas SSRS is focused on report layouts & formatting customizations.