Microsoft Power BI
Turn your data into actionable insights
Founded
2015
Starting Price
Category
Analytics & BI
Last updated March 11, 2026
About Microsoft Power BI
Microsoft Power BI is a business intelligence platform that enables users to connect to hundreds of data sources, transform data, and create interactive dashboards and reports. It integrates deeply with the Microsoft ecosystem including Excel, Azure, and Teams, and features AI-powered analytics with Copilot for natural language querying and automated insights.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Extremely cost-effective with a free desktop version and competitive per-user pricing
- Deep integration with the Microsoft ecosystem including Excel, Teams, SharePoint, and Azure
- Intuitive drag-and-drop interface that enables non-technical users to build dashboards
- AI-powered Copilot assists with report generation, DAX queries, and insight discovery
- Large community and marketplace with hundreds of custom visuals and templates
Key Features
Interactive Dashboards & Reports
Create rich, interactive visualizations with drag-and-drop tools, supporting dozens of chart types, maps, and custom visuals.
AI-Powered Copilot
Use natural language to generate reports, summarize dashboards, write DAX queries, and discover trends automatically.
100+ Data Connectors
Connect to over 100 data sources including SQL databases, Excel, Azure services, Salesforce, and Google Analytics.
Real-Time Data Streaming
Monitor live data with real-time dashboards that automatically refresh for operational intelligence.
Self-Service Data Preparation
Transform and clean data using Power Query with a no-code interface for business users.
Row-Level Security
Control data access at the row level so different users see only the data relevant to their role.
Microsoft 365 Integration
Embed reports in Teams, SharePoint, and PowerPoint with seamless single sign-on and collaboration.
Pricing
Power BI Free
- Power BI Desktop for personal use
- Connect to 100+ data sources
- Create personal dashboards and reports
- 10 GB storage per user
- Basic data visualization
Best For
Enterprise Financial Reporting
Create standardized financial dashboards and paginated reports for executives tracking revenue, expenses, and KPIs.
Sales & Marketing Analytics
Visualize sales pipeline data, campaign performance, and customer segments by connecting to CRM and marketing platforms.
Operational Monitoring
Build real-time dashboards to monitor supply chain, manufacturing, or IT infrastructure metrics with streaming data.
Self-Service BI for Teams
Empower business users to explore data independently and share insights through Microsoft Teams and SharePoint.
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Best for Microsoft-ecosystem organizations — if your team already lives in Excel and Teams, Power BI with Copilot turns familiar tools into a genuine self-service analytics platform.
Ready to try Microsoft Power BI?
Start using Microsoft Power BI today and boost your productivity.
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