Microsoft Power BI vs Looker Studio: Business Intelligence Software Compared (2026)
Microsoft Power BI and Looker Studio are two widely compared BI tools. Microsoft Power BI is a business intelligence platform for building reports and dashboards, licensed per user (Pro, Premium Per User) or by Microsoft Fabric capacity. Looker Studio, formerly Google Data Studio, is a free tool from Google for building dashboards and reports from Google and third-party data sources, with a paid Pro tier for teams.
- Verified 10 Nov 2026Sources are dated on this page
- 2 sourcesLinked, typed and dated
- No winner declaredFit depends on your criteria
- Not tested by Stack18Editorial summary of documented facts
Microsoft Power BI vs Looker Studio: the short answer
Microsoft Power BI is a business intelligence platform for building reports and dashboards, licensed per user (Pro, Premium Per User) or by Microsoft Fabric capacity. Looker Studio, formerly Google Data Studio, is a free tool from Google for building dashboards and reports from Google and third-party data sources, with a paid Pro tier for teams. Both are BI tools, but they differ in pricing model, target team size and focus.
On pricing, Microsoft Power BI is described as: per user per month (Pro, PPU) or capacity (Fabric); Looker Studio as: free; Pro per user per Google Cloud project per month. Both have a free option. Microsoft Power BI lists a free option: Power BI Desktop (free authoring). Looker Studio lists a free plan. Microsoft Power BI is positioned for organisations on Microsoft 365 that want low-cost per-user BI, and Looker Studio for marketers and small teams reporting on Google data.
Everything below is drawn from the two sourced profiles and the 2 dated sources listed at the end. Where a source does not document something it is marked Unknown, and third-party estimates are labelled. No winner is declared: the better fit depends on your size, budget and requirements.
Microsoft Power BI and Looker Studio at a glance.
One card per product, drawn from each full profile. Open a profile for features, pricing plans, limits and sources.
Microsoft Power BI
Microsoft · Business Intelligence Software
Microsoft Power BI is a business intelligence platform for building reports and dashboards, licensed per user (Pro, Premium Per User) or by Microsoft Fabric capacity.
- Pricing
- Pro $14 and Premium Per User $24 per user per month; Fabric F2 about $262 a month.
- Best for
- Organisations on Microsoft 365 that want low-cost per-user BI
Looker Studio
Google · Business Intelligence Software
Looker Studio, formerly Google Data Studio, is a free tool from Google for building dashboards and reports from Google and third-party data sources, with a paid Pro tier for teams.
- Pricing
- Free; Pro $9 per user per project per month billed annually.
- Best for
- Marketers and small teams reporting on Google data
Microsoft Power BI vs Looker Studio: feature-by-feature comparison.
Every row is drawn from the sources listed below. Rows that differ are marked, and you can filter the table to show only those.
- YesDocumented
- PartialAvailable with limits or on some plans
- NoDocumented as unavailable
- UnknownNot documented in the sources reviewed
| Dimension |  Microsoft Power BI |  Looker Studio |
|---|---|---|
| Product | ||
| Product typeDiffers | YesBusiness intelligence platform (SaaS) | YesFree dashboard and reporting tool |
| VendorDiffers | YesMicrosoft | YesGoogle |
| Best forDiffers | YesOrganisations on Microsoft 365 that want low-cost per-user BI | YesMarketers and small teams reporting on Google data |
| Pricing | ||
| Pricing modelDiffers | YesPer user per month (Pro, PPU) or capacity (Fabric). | YesFree; Pro per user per Google Cloud project per month. |
| Pricing summaryDiffers | YesPro $14 and Premium Per User $24 per user per month; Fabric F2 about $262 a month. | YesFree; Pro $9 per user per project per month billed annually. |
| Free planDiffers | YesPower BI Desktop (free authoring) | YesYes |
| Free trialDiffers | NoNot documented | YesYes (30 days on Pro) |
| Business Intelligence Software criteria | ||
| Pricing modelDiffers | YesPer user or Fabric capacity | YesFree; Pro per user per project |
| UsersDiffers | YesPer licence | YesGoogle accounts |
| Deployment | YesCloud | YesCloud |
| AI featuresDiffers | YesPPU and Fabric | YesGemini on Pro |
| Fit and platform | ||
| Team sizeDiffers | YesSmall teams, Mid-size teams, Large enterprises | YesSmall teams, Mid-size teams |
| PlatformsDiffers | YesWeb, Windows, iOS, Android | YesWeb |
| IntegrationsDiffers | YesMicrosoft Fabric, Excel, Microsoft Teams | YesGoogle Analytics, Google Ads, BigQuery, Google Sheets, Partner connectors |
| API | UnknownNot reviewed for this profile. | UnknownNot reviewed for this profile. |
Microsoft Power BI vs Looker Studio pricing.
Plan names, prices and billing terms as reported in each profile's sources. Taxes, add-ons and discounts are excluded unless stated.
Microsoft Power BI pricing
Per user per month (Pro, PPU) or capacity (Fabric).
- Pro$14 per user per month · Monthly or annual
- Premium Per User$24 per user per month · Monthly or annual
- Fabric capacityFrom about $262 per month (F2) · Capacity
Prices from independent sources; treat as reported. Microsoft's own pricing page was not reviewed directly. Currency: USD. Checked 10 Nov 2026.
All Microsoft Power BI plans and sources
Looker Studio pricing
Free; Pro per user per Google Cloud project per month.
- Looker StudioFree
- Looker Studio Pro$9 per user per project per month · Annual
Prices from independent sources; treat as reported. Third-party connector fees are separate. Google's own page was not reviewed directly. Currency: USD. Checked 10 Nov 2026.
All Looker Studio plans and sourcesMicrosoft Power BI vs Looker Studio: pricing model, ecosystem and fit.
Pricing model and cost drivers
Microsoft Power BI: per user per month (Pro, PPU) or capacity (Fabric). Microsoft's own pricing page was not reviewed directly. Looker Studio: free; Pro per user per Google Cloud project per month. Third-party connector fees are separate. Google's own page was not reviewed directly. Model costs at your real seat count, usage and contract term before comparing headline prices.
What sets each apart
The Microsoft Power BI profile highlights: low per-user list prices; fabric capacity for free viewers at scale; deep Microsoft 365 integration. The Looker Studio profile highlights: free core product; pro priced per Google Cloud project; paid third-party connectors.
Integrations and ecosystem
Microsoft Power BI integrations named in its sources: Microsoft Fabric, Excel and Microsoft Teams. Looker Studio: Google Analytics, Google Ads, BigQuery, Google Sheets and Partner connectors. Check that the connectors you rely on exist on the plan you would buy.
Deployment and team fit
Microsoft Power BI runs on Web, Windows, iOS and Android and is documented for small teams, mid-size teams and large enterprises. Looker Studio runs on Web and is documented for small teams and mid-size teams. We did not test setup or migration.
Microsoft Power BI and Looker Studio: each option, in balance.
Each point is linked to a dated source on the product's profile.
Microsoft Power BI
Strengths and limitations from the profile
- Pro costs $14 per user a month.
- Fabric capacity lets free viewers see content at scale.
- Enterprise agreements reduce per-user prices.
- Pro content can only be shared with other licensed users.
- Free viewers need F64-level capacity.
- Licensing across Pro, PPU and Fabric is complex.
Looker Studio
Strengths and limitations from the profile
- The core product is free.
- Pro adds admin controls and Gemini AI for $9 a user.
- Pro has a 30-day trial.
- Third-party connectors can cost $30 to $500+ a month.
- Pro is billed per Google Cloud project, not per organisation.
- Less suited to complex governed data models (not tested).
Microsoft Power BI or Looker Studio: which fits which situation?
No overall winner is declared. The better choice depends on the criteria that matter most to you, so test both against your own requirements.
Choose Microsoft Power BI if you are…
- Organisations on Microsoft 365 that want low-cost per-user BI
- Excel-heavy analyst teams
- Enterprises standardising on Fabric
Less suited to: non-Microsoft stacks wanting simple sharing; Mac-only analyst teams (authoring tool is Windows).
See the Microsoft Power BI profile
Choose Looker Studio if you are…
- Marketers and small teams reporting on Google data
- Agencies building client dashboards
- Teams wanting free dashboards
Less suited to: enterprises needing governed semantic models; heavy non-Google data stacks.
See the Looker Studio profileSwitching between Microsoft Power BI and Looker Studio.
Moving off Microsoft Power BI or Looker Studio usually means rebuilding dashboards and data models (they rarely export cleanly), re-creating permissions and row-level security, reconnecting data sources and retraining users. Run both tools side by side until key dashboards are rebuilt and validated. Rebuild two or three of your most-used dashboards in each shortlisted tool and have real users test them.
- Export a sample of your data and test an import into the other product.
- List the automations, integrations and permissions you would need to rebuild.
- Compare total cost at your real volume, including add-ons and services.
- Pilot with one team before a full cut-over.
- Check contract terms and notice periods with both vendors.
General guidance, not specific to either vendor. Confirm migration options with the vendors.
Microsoft Power BI vs Looker Studio: questions and answers
What is the difference between Microsoft Power BI and Looker Studio?
Microsoft Power BI is a business intelligence platform for building reports and dashboards, licensed per user (Pro, Premium Per User) or by Microsoft Fabric capacity. Looker Studio, formerly Google Data Studio, is a free tool from Google for building dashboards and reports from Google and third-party data sources, with a paid Pro tier for teams. Both are BI tools, but they differ in pricing model, target team size and focus. Microsoft Power BI is positioned for organisations on Microsoft 365 that want low-cost per-user BI; Looker Studio for marketers and small teams reporting on Google data.
Is Microsoft Power BI cheaper than Looker Studio?
It depends on your volume and plan. Microsoft Power BI: Pro $14 and Premium Per User $24 per user per month; Fabric F2 about $262 a month. Looker Studio: Free; Pro $9 per user per project per month billed annually. Compare both at your real seat count, usage and contract term.
Do Microsoft Power BI or Looker Studio have a free plan?
Both have a free option. Microsoft Power BI lists a free option: Power BI Desktop (free authoring). Looker Studio lists a free plan. Microsoft Power BI free trial: Not documented. Looker Studio free trial: Yes (30 days on Pro).
Microsoft Power BI or Looker Studio: which is better for small teams?
Microsoft Power BI and Looker Studio are both documented for small teams. Microsoft Power BI suits organisations on Microsoft 365 that want low-cost per-user BI; Looker Studio suits marketers and small teams reporting on Google data. Neither is best for everyone.
What are the main limitations of Microsoft Power BI and Looker Studio?
Microsoft Power BI: Pro content can only be shared with other licensed users. Looker Studio: Third-party connectors can cost $30 to $500+ a month.
How much does Power BI cost in 2026?
An August 2026 guide lists Pro at $14 and Premium Per User at $24 per user a month, with Fabric F2 at about $262 a month.
Is Looker Studio free?
Yes, the core product is free for personal and business use.
What are the alternatives to Microsoft Power BI and Looker Studio?
Stack18 has alternatives guides for both: Microsoft Power BI alternatives and Looker Studio alternatives, each comparing at least four other BI tools on pricing, free plan, features and fit. The Business Intelligence Software category lists every profile.
Where this comparison comes from.
- How Much Does Power BI License Actually Cost in 2026? CloudNuro Third-party Accessed 10 Nov 2026
- Is Looker Studio Free? Coefficient (competing vendor) Third-party Accessed 10 Nov 2026
This comparison summarises the Microsoft Power BI and Looker Studio profiles and their sources. Third-party figures are labelled; confirm current pricing and terms with each vendor. Stack18 has not tested these products.
Ready to test Microsoft Power BI and Looker Studio?
Check each vendor's current pricing and terms, run both against a real scenario from your business, or talk to Stack18 if off-the-shelf software is not the answer.
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