How much does Power BI cost?

Power BI is a leading business intelligence and data visualization tool offered by Microsoft. It enables businesses to analyze and gain valuable insights from their data through interactive reports, dashboards, and visualizations. With its powerful features and user-friendly interface, many organizations are considering adopting Power BI. However, before jumping into the world of data analysis, one common question arises: How much does Power BI cost?

The cost of Power BI depends on the licensing and subscription model chosen. Microsoft offers multiple plans tailored to different user needs, including individual usage, small businesses, and enterprise-level organizations. Let’s dive into the various pricing options and find the one that suits you best.

Power BI Desktop – Free, forever

Although Power BI offers several paid plans, it’s important to note that Power BI Desktop, the local version of the tool, is absolutely free. It provides full functionality for report creation, data modeling, and data visualization on your PC. So, if you are an individual user or a small team without advanced collaboration needs, Power BI Desktop might be sufficient and cost you nothing.

Power BI Pro – $9.99 per user per month

Power BI Pro is the most commonly used paid plan. It offers additional features and collaboration capabilities. With Pro, users can share dashboards and reports, collaborate with colleagues, consume content shared by others, and schedule data refreshes. Power BI Pro costs $9.99 per user per month, providing users with the ability to create and distribute reports and receive data-driven insights.

Power BI Premium – $4,995 per month for dedicated capacity

For organizations with larger user bases and more demanding workloads, Power BI Premium is the recommended choice. It provides dedicated and enhanced capacity for deploying and managing content across the organization. With Power BI Premium, organizations can unlock advanced features such as paginated reports, AI capabilities, and easier distribution of reports to external users who don’t need a Pro license. Power BI Premium pricing starts at $4,995 per month, allowing unlimited sharing and collaboration within the organization without the need for Pro licenses for every user.

Power BI Embedded – Based on Azure consumption

Power BI Embedded is designed for developers and Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) who want to integrate Power BI capabilities into their applications. The pricing model for Power BI Embedded is based on Azure consumption, meaning the cost depends on factors such as data storage, processing, and user interactions with the embedded content.

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. Can I use Power BI Desktop for free and connect it to the cloud service?

Yes, Power BI Desktop is free and can be used to connect to the Power BI service, allowing you to publish, share, and collaborate on your reports and dashboards.

2. Do I need a Power BI Pro license to view reports and dashboards shared by others?

No, you can view and interact with reports and dashboards shared with you without needing a Power BI Pro license. Power BI Pro is only required for creating, publishing, and sharing content.

3. Are there any limitations to the number of reports or dashboards I can create with Power BI Pro?

No, Power BI Pro does not impose any limitations on the number of reports or dashboards you can create. However, there are certain limitations on the number of data refreshes and storage capacity, which vary depending on your subscription model.

4. Can I upgrade from Power BI Pro to Power BI Premium?

Yes, you can easily upgrade your Power BI Pro subscription to Power BI Premium to benefit from enhanced features and dedicated capacity.

5. Can I purchase Power BI on-premises instead of using the cloud service?

No, Power BI is a cloud-based service, and there is no on-premises version available. However, Power BI can securely connect to on-premises data sources using gateways.

6. Is there a free trial available for Power BI Pro or Premium?

Yes, Microsoft offers a 60-day free trial for Power BI Pro, allowing you to explore and evaluate the paid features before making a commitment.

7. What is the difference between Power BI Pro and Power BI Premium?

Power BI Pro is a per-user license with enhanced collaboration capabilities, while Power BI Premium provides dedicated capacity for larger organizations and offers additional features like AI and paginated reports.

8. Can I cancel my Power BI Pro or Premium subscription?

Yes, you can cancel your Power BI Pro or Premium subscription at any time, and the cancellation will take effect at the end of your current billing period.

9. Do I need Power BI Pro licenses for users who only consume dashboards without creating content?

No, if the user only needs to consume dashboards and reports and does not require content creation or sharing abilities, they can use Power BI free of charge.

10. Can I share Power BI reports and dashboards with external users?

With Power BI Pro, you can share reports and dashboards with external users who have Power BI accounts. However, with Power BI Premium, you can share content with external users without requiring them to have Power BI accounts.

11. What is the difference between Power BI Desktop and Power BI Service?

Power BI Desktop is a locally installed application used for creating and editing reports, while Power BI Service is the cloud-based platform where you publish, share, and collaborate on your reports and dashboards.

12. Can I change my Power BI plan in the middle of my subscription period?

Yes, you can upgrade or downgrade your Power BI plan at any time without losing any of your reports or dashboards. The changes will take effect immediately, and the billing will be adjusted accordingly.

In conclusion, the cost of Power BI varies depending on the chosen plan and licensing model. The free Power BI Desktop provides a great starting point for individual users, while Power BI Pro offers additional features and collaboration capabilities for $9.99 per user per month. For larger organizations with more demanding needs, Power BI Premium provides dedicated capacity and advanced features with pricing starting at $4,995 per month. The option to embed Power BI within applications, known as Power BI Embedded, follows an Azure consumption-based pricing model. Select the plan that best suits your requirements and prepare to unleash the power of data analysis and visualization with Power BI.

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