DATA & BI
Microsoft Power BI
Paid links. We earn a commission if you buy through links on this page. It never changes our ranking — see how we rank.
Pricing
We do not reprint prices. They change too often for that to be honest, and a number on our page with no date is worse than sending you to the source.
How we rated it
What it is
Microsoft's business intelligence platform: connects to a wide range of sources, models data and builds dashboards, tightly integrated with Excel and the rest of Microsoft 365.
Who it is for
Organisations already on Microsoft, especially where the analysis currently lives in large Excel files.
Where it is strongest
Replacing a critical spreadsheet. The Excel familiarity means people who already do the analysis can keep doing it, which is usually the blocker.
Where it falls short
Steep to learn properly; DAX is a language of its own and most users never get past the basics. Sharing requires licences for every viewer, which surprises people. And the Mac experience is poor.
Our verdict
Recommended inside Microsoft environments. Outside one, Metabase or Looker Studio get you to a dashboard with far less friction.
Editorial assessment. We earn a commission on some links; it does not change the ranking.
