Power BI Free

$0

Personal analytics only

  • Create reports for yourself
  • No sharing capabilities
  • Connect to 70+ data sources
  • Power BI Desktop included

Power BI Pro

$14 /user/month

Standard collaboration

  • Create and share reports
  • Collaborate in workspaces
  • 1GB model size limit
  • 8 refreshes per day
  • Included in M365 E5

Premium Per User

$24 /user/month

Advanced analytics

  • All Pro features
  • 100GB model size
  • 48 refreshes per day
  • Paginated reports
  • AI features
  • Deployment pipelines

Premium Capacity

~$5,000+ /month

Enterprise scale

  • Unlimited free viewers
  • Dedicated resources
  • Up to 400GB models
  • XMLA endpoint
  • Autoscale available

Feature Comparison

Feature Free Pro PPU Premium
Create reports ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Share reports ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓
View shared reports ✗ ✓* ✓* ✓ (free)
Model size limit 1GB 1GB 100GB 400GB
Daily refreshes 8 8 48 48
Paginated reports ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓
AI insights ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓
Deployment pipelines ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓
XMLA endpoint ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓

*Pro users can view reports shared by other Pro users. PPU users can view PPU workspace content.

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The Sharing Requirement

Understanding who needs a license is critical:

Key Rule: In Pro-to-Pro sharing, both the content creator AND viewer need Pro licenses. Premium Capacity removes this requirement for viewers.

Pro Workspace Sharing

  • Creator: Must have Pro license
  • Viewer: Must have Pro license
  • Result: Everyone pays $14/month

Premium Capacity Sharing

  • Creator: Must have Pro license (to publish)
  • Viewer: Free users can view Premium workspace content
  • Result: Only creators need licenses

Premium Capacity SKUs

Power BI Premium Capacity Options

SKU v-Cores Memory Approx. Cost/Month
P1 8 25GB ~$5,000
P2 16 50GB ~$10,000
P3 32 100GB ~$20,000
P4 64 200GB ~$40,000
P5 128 400GB ~$80,000

Microsoft Fabric Impact

Power BI Premium capacity is now part of Microsoft Fabric:

  • F SKUs: Fabric capacity (F64 = P1 equivalent)
  • Unified Platform: Power BI + Data Factory + Synapse + more
  • Consumption Model: Pause when not in use
  • Pricing: F64 starts around $5,000/month
Transition Note: Power BI Premium P SKUs are being transitioned to Fabric F SKUs. New deployments should consider Fabric capacity for future flexibility.

When to Choose Each Option

Choose Pro When:

  • Everyone creating AND viewing reports needs to collaborate
  • Organization size is under 500 users
  • 1GB model size is sufficient
  • 8 daily refreshes meet your needs

Choose Premium Per User When:

  • You need larger models (up to 100GB)
  • Paginated reports are required
  • AI features and deployment pipelines needed
  • All users consuming content have PPU licenses

Choose Premium Capacity When:

  • Large number of report viewers (500+)
  • Want free users to view reports
  • Need enterprise features (XMLA, autoscale)
  • Embedding Power BI in custom apps
  • Cost per user becomes cheaper than Pro

Break-Even Analysis

When does Premium Capacity become cost-effective?

Users Pro Cost/Month P1 Cost/Month Winner
100 $1,000 $5,000 Pro
300 $3,000 $5,000 Pro
500 $5,000 $5,000 Break-even
1,000 $10,000 $5,000 Premium
Calculation: With P1 at ~$5,000/month, the break-even point is around 500 viewers. Beyond that, Premium saves money—plus you get enhanced features.

Power BI Pro in Microsoft 365 E5

Power BI Pro is included with Microsoft 365 E5 licenses at no additional cost. If your organization already has E5, you have Pro rights included.

Additional Resources

Disclaimer: Pricing and licensing information provided on this page is for general guidance only and may not reflect the most current Microsoft pricing or licensing terms. Microsoft frequently updates its licensing models, pricing, and feature inclusions. We are not responsible for any inaccuracies or outdated information. Always verify current pricing and licensing requirements directly with Microsoft's official licensing resources or your Microsoft partner before making purchasing decisions.

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