Microsoft Power BI vs Rows
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Rows has the lower starting price: about $8 a month, against $14 for Microsoft Power BI.
At a glance
Best for
Category
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- Power BI Desktop
- Copilot report creation
- DAX measures
- Scheduled refresh
- Microsoft Fabric integration
- AI analyst
- Live app integrations
- Pivot tables and charts
- Publish as web page
- Familiar formulas
| Feature | Microsoft Power BI | Rows |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Microsoft's BI tool with Copilot for reports and data questions | Spreadsheet with a built-in AI analyst and live data connectors |
| Category | Data & analytics | Data & analytics |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Starting price | $14/mo | $8/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Made by | Microsoft | Rows |
| Based in | United States | Portugal |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
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Pricing compared
Rows has the lower starting price: about $8 a month, against $14 for Microsoft Power BI.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
4 plans
Free
Free
- Power BI Desktop
- Personal reports
Pro
$14/mo
- Per user
- Share and collaborate on reports
Premium Per User
$24/mo
- Per user
- Larger models and AI features
- Paginated reports
Fabric capacity
Usage-based
- Organization-wide capacity
- Pay as you go or reserved
4 plans
Free
Free
- 5 AI tasks/month
- 10 integration accounts
- Up to 3 guests
- 500 API calls/month
Plus
$8/mo
- Per user
- 200 AI tasks/month
- Daily data table automation
- Up to 10 guests
Pro
$79/mo
- Plus $8/mo per user
- 1,000 AI tasks/month
- 100 integration accounts
- Up to 200 guests
Enterprise
Contact sales
- Advanced API endpoints
- Custom AI models and integrations
- High-volume usage
Prices in USD, checked Oct 28, 2026 or later. Plans change often, so confirm on each tool's site before you buy.
Pros and cons
Microsoft Power BI
- Low cost per user
- Deep Microsoft integration
- Free desktop authoring
- Copilot needs higher capacity licenses
- DAX has a learning curve
- Desktop app is Windows only
Rows
- Generous free plan
- Data connectors built in
- Easy to share results
- Fewer advanced features than Excel
- Large datasets slow it down
Which one should you choose?
Choose Microsoft Power BI if you want:
- Low cost per user
- Deep Microsoft integration
- Free desktop authoring
Watch out: copilot needs higher capacity licenses.
Choose Rows if you want:
- Generous free plan
- Data connectors built in
- Easy to share results
Watch out: fewer advanced features than excel.
Microsoft Power BI vs Rows FAQ
What is the difference between Microsoft Power BI and Rows?
Microsoft Power BI: Microsoft's BI tool with Copilot for reports and data questions. Rows: Spreadsheet with a built-in AI analyst and live data connectors. Both are data & analytics tools.
Is Microsoft Power BI or Rows cheaper?
Rows has the lower starting price: about $8 a month, against $14 for Microsoft Power BI.
Do Microsoft Power BI and Rows have free plans?
Microsoft Power BI: Yes. Rows: Yes.
Who makes Microsoft Power BI?
Microsoft Power BI is made by Microsoft, based in United States.
Who makes Rows?
Rows is made by Rows, based in Portugal.
Which should I choose, Microsoft Power BI or Rows?
Choose Microsoft Power BI if you value low cost per user and deep microsoft integration. Choose Rows if you value generous free plan and data connectors built in.