Head to head · Business intelligence & dashboards
Microsoft Power BI vs Tableau
Pricing, features, India readiness and rating compared. Microsoft Power BI rates highest.
| Compare | Microsoft Power BI | Tableau |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Business intelligence & dashboards | Business intelligence & dashboards |
| Vendor | Microsoft | Salesforce |
| Headquarters | Redmond, United States | Seattle, United States |
| Made in India | No | No |
| Starting price | Free plan | ₹6,000/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Published pricing | Yes | Yes |
| Deployment | cloud | cloud |
| Mobile apps | No | No |
| Founded | 2015 | 2003 |
| Best for | Startup, Small business, SMB | Small business, SMB, Mid-market |
| App Advisor rating | 4.6 / 5 | 4.5 / 5 |
Microsoft Power BI: pros & cons
- +Free plan available to evaluate at zero cost
- +11 years in business — a mature, stable product
- +One of the top-ranked business intelligence & dashboards options in our catalogue
- −Global vendor — check India-specific compliance (GST, TDS) and support hours before you commit
Key features
- Connectors to databases and SaaS
- Drag-and-drop dashboards
- Scheduled reports and alerts
- Data modelling and joins
- Embedded analytics
- Row-level security
Tableau: pros & cons
- +Pricing is published, so there is no sales call to see costs
- +23 years in business — a mature, stable product
- +One of the top-ranked business intelligence & dashboards options in our catalogue
- −No permanently free plan
- −Global vendor — check India-specific compliance (GST, TDS) and support hours before you commit
Key features
- Connectors to databases and SaaS
- Drag-and-drop dashboards
- Scheduled reports and alerts
- Data modelling and joins
- Embedded analytics
- Row-level security
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Frequently asked questions
Which is better, Microsoft Power BI or Tableau?+
Microsoft Power BI scores higher on App Advisor's rating (4.6/5) for pricing transparency, India readiness and maturity. Microsoft Power BI has a free plan, which matters if you want to try before paying. The right choice depends on your workflow — request demos of both.
Is Microsoft Power BI cheaper than Tableau?+
Microsoft Power BI starts at Free plan and Tableau at ₹6,000/mo. Compare per-user costs at your team size, and remember GST is added on top.
Can I switch from Microsoft Power BI to Tableau?+
Most business intelligence & dashboards products import CSV or Excel data; check whether historical records, attachments and integrations move too before you switch.