Pricing comparison
Microsoft Power BI vs Tableau
Side-by-side pricing breakdown for Data Visualization & BI decision-makers
Each amount uses its recorded currency; no currency conversion is applied. Confirm billing units, commitments, and current regional terms.
Compare the plan that fits your requirements
Check billing units, included usage and renewal terms. Starting prices alone do not establish an overall winner.
Dataset dated 2026-04-21. Sources: Microsoft Power BI pricing and Tableau pricing.
Affiliate links may earn us a commission. Both vendors remain available for comparison.
Recorded starting rates: Microsoft Power BI $14/mo; Tableau Price unavailable. Billing units and commitments can differ. Compare the plans that include your required features, then request quotes for the same quantity and term.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | | |
|---|---|---|
| power bi desktop | All plans - Windows report authoring | Not recorded |
| power bi service | Pro+ - cloud publishing and sharing | Not recorded |
| mobile app | All plans | Not recorded |
| dax formulas | All plans | Not recorded |
| data connectors | 100+ including Excel, SQL Server, Salesforce, Google Analytics, Snowflake | 80+ native including Snowflake, BigQuery, Salesforce, Excel, Google Sheets |
| copilot ai | Requires eligible capacity and configuration; a per-user plan alone does not establish access | Not recorded |
| paginated reports | Premium Per User+ | Not recorded |
| automl | Premium Per User+ | Not recorded |
| xmla endpoint readwrite | Premium Per User+ | Not recorded |
| model size | 1 GB Free/Pro / 100 GB Premium Per User / 400 GB Fabric Capacity | Not recorded |
| refresh rate | 8/day Free/Pro / 48/day Premium+ | Not recorded |
| m365 bundle | Check the exact existing Microsoft 365/Office 365 license entitlement | Not recorded |
| tableau desktop | Not recorded | Creator only - Windows + macOS |
| tableau prep builder | Not recorded | Creator only - data prep + cleaning |
| web authoring | Not recorded | Explorer+ |
| ask data | Not recorded | Confirm current natural-language analysis features and supported editions |
| tableau gpt | Not recorded | Confirm current Tableau AI product, eligible edition and additional charges |
| published data sources | Not recorded | Governed data model shared across users |
| tableau public | Not recorded | Free tier for public dashboards |
| einstein discovery | Not recorded | Confirm current licensing and integration requirements |
| row level security | Not recorded | All paid plans |
| single sign on | Not recorded | Tableau Server/Cloud |
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Dive Deeper
Microsoft Power BI
About the data visualization & bi category
BI subscriptions use different units: Tableau and Power BI list user licenses, Metabase combines a base fee with additional users, and Looker includes platform and role-based licensing. Preset adds separate embedded-viewer pricing.
How to choose between data visualization & bi options
Count dashboard authors, viewers and external customers separately. Compare deployment, permissions, refresh needs, supported databases and embedding terms. Check existing licenses before assuming a bundle eliminates additional charges.
Building Your Business Stack?
Decision-makers comparing tools often need more than one category. Here are related comparisons:
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do Microsoft Power BI and Tableau prices compare?
- Microsoft Power BI: $14/mo. Tableau: Price unavailable. These are recorded starting prices; compare billing units, included usage and contract terms before treating them as equivalent costs.
- Which is better for my requirements, Microsoft Power BI or Tableau?
- Compare the recorded features and plan limits against your requirements, then confirm them with each vendor. This page does not establish hands-on testing or an overall winner.
- What happens after the first billing term?
- Use any recorded renewal rate as a dated observation. When a future rate is missing, ask the vendor; do not assume the starting price remains unchanged.