Power BI offers different licensing options based on how users create, share, collaborate and consume data insights. The main options include Power BI Free, Power BI Pro and Power BI Premium, each designed for different levels of individual and organizational use.
Power BI Free
Power BI Free is a no-cost license designed primarily for individual users who want to create reports, explore data and learn Power BI. Users can connect to different data sources, transform and model data and create interactive reports.
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However, the Free license has limited sharing and collaboration capabilities. It is mainly suitable for personal analysis and learning rather than team-based report sharing.
Power BI Pro
Power BI Pro is a paid per-user license that provides capabilities for creating, publishing, sharing and collaborating on Power BI content. Pro users can publish reports to workspaces, share content with other users and collaborate with team members.
A Pro license is generally required for sharing and collaboration when content is hosted in shared capacity. Users with free licenses can view shared content when it is hosted in eligible Premium or Fabric capacity.
Power BI Premium
Power BI Premium provides additional capabilities for organizations that need advanced analytics, larger workloads and dedicated capacity. Premium capabilities are available through Premium Per User (PPU) licensing and capacity-based options.
Power BI Premium Per User (PPU)
PPU is a per-user license that includes Power BI Pro capabilities along with additional Premium features, such as advanced AI capabilities, larger model sizes and higher refresh limits. Users need a PPU license to access content in a PPU workspace.
For organization-wide distribution, capacity-based licensing can allow users with free licenses to consume Power BI content without requiring an individual Pro or PPU license, subject to the capacity and feature requirements.
Difference between Power BI Free, Power BI Pro & Power BI Premium
| Feature | Free | Pro | Premium Per User (PPU) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | Paid per user | Paid per user |
| Create Content | Yes, for personal use | Yes | Yes |
| Share and Collaborate | Limited | Yes | Yes |
| Publish to Workspaces | No | Yes | Yes |
| Premium Features | No | No | Yes |
| PPU Workspace Access | No | No | Yes |
| Best For | Personal analysis and learning | Team collaboration and sharing | Advanced features for individual users/teams |