Power BI Licensing Guide
Pro vs Premium Per User vs Premium Capacity: Find the right fit
Power BI License Overview
Power BI licensing is based on content creation and consumption. Everyone creating content needs a paid license. Consumers may or may not need licenses depending on where content is published.
Power BI Free
Personal analytics only
- Create reports for yourself
- No sharing capabilities
- Connect to 70+ data sources
- Power BI Desktop included
Power BI Pro
Standard collaboration
- Create and share reports
- Collaborate in workspaces
- 1GB model size limit
- 8 refreshes per day
- Included in M365 E5
Premium Per User
Advanced analytics
- All Pro features
- 100GB model size
- 48 refreshes per day
- Paginated reports
- AI features
- Deployment pipelines
Premium Capacity
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.
The Sharing Requirement
Understanding who needs a license is critical:
Pro Workspace Sharing
- Creator: Must have Pro license
- Viewer: Must have Pro license
- Result: Everyone pays $10/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
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 |
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.