Looker Studio vs Microsoft Power BI: which should you choose?
Quick answer: Looker Studio is built for marketing-reporting, while Microsoft Power BI suits microsoft-shops. For most users Microsoft Power BI is the stronger default, but Looker Studio can be the better fit depending on your budget and use case.
Looker Studio versus Microsoft Power BI comes down to which trade-offs you can live with. Below we compare them on pricing, strengths and the use cases each one fits, then give a clear verdict.
Side-by-side
| Looker Studio | Microsoft Power BI | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Data Visualization | Bi Platform |
| What it's known for | Google's free dashboarding tool (formerly Data Studio) with native connectors to GA4, Google Ads, Search Console, BigQuery and Sheets; popular for marketing reporting. | The most widely adopted BI suite, tightly integrated with Microsoft 365, Excel and Fabric; very low per-user entry price and a free Desktop authoring app. |
| Pricing | Free core product; Looker Studio Pro ~$9/user/project/mo (annual), 30-day trial | ~$14/user/mo Pro, ~$24/user/mo Premium Per User (PPU); Fabric F64 capacity ~$5,257/mo; Desktop and personal use free |
| Best audience | Marketers and agencies reporting on Google Analytics/Ads and small teams on the Google stack. | Microsoft 365/Excel shops and budget-conscious teams of any size. |
| Best for | marketing-reporting, google-stack | microsoft-shops, budget-conscious |
| Entry price | Free | Free |
| Biggest strength | Free core product with strong Google-stack connectors. | Very low per-user entry price ($14 Pro) and free Desktop. |
| Main caveat | Non-Google data sources need paid partner connectors ($20-$500+/mo). | Best experience is Windows/Microsoft-centric. |
Features compared
The feature sets only partly overlap. Here is what each one actually gives you:
Looker Studio key features
- Free cloud dashboarding (formerly Google Data Studio)
- Native first-party connectors to GA4, Google Ads, Search Console, BigQuery, Sheets, YouTube
- Unlimited report sharing with viewers
- Scheduled email delivery of reports
Microsoft Power BI key features
- Free Power BI Desktop authoring app for Windows
- Power Query (M) and DAX for data prep and modeling
- Tight Microsoft 365, Excel, Teams and Fabric integration
- Copilot AI for natural-language report building and summaries
Pricing tiers side by side
Looker Studio plans
| Plan | Price | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| Looker Studio (free) | Free | Full reporting, unlimited viewers |
| Looker Studio Pro | $9/user/project/mo | Org ownership, team mgmt, GCP support; 30-day trial |
Microsoft Power BI plans
| Plan | Price | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| Desktop / personal | Free | Author locally; sharing needs Pro |
| Pro | $14/user/mo | Publish and share (price set Apr 2025) |
| Premium Per User (PPU) | $24/user/mo | Premium features without capacity |
| Fabric capacity (F64) | ~$5,257/mo | Free viewers at F64+; creators still need Pro/PPU |
Tiers compiled from the vendors' published plans and independent reviews; prices are approximate and change often, so confirm current figures (and your region's taxes) on each vendor's site.
Strengths compared
Where Looker Studio wins
A genuinely free, capable dashboard tool that owns the Google marketing-data use case.
- Free core product with strong Google-stack connectors.
- Fast for marketing/web reporting.
That makes it the stronger pick for marketers and agencies reporting on Google Analytics/Ads and small teams on the Google stack.
Where Microsoft Power BI wins
The cheapest credible path into enterprise BI for Microsoft-centric organizations.
- Very low per-user entry price ($14 Pro) and free Desktop.
- Deep integration with the Microsoft stack.
That makes it the stronger pick for microsoft 365/Excel shops and budget-conscious teams of any size.
Verdict: choose by fit
Pick by fit rather than by an overall score.
- Choose Looker Studio if you fit its core audience — marketers and agencies reporting on Google Analytics/Ads and small teams on the Google stack.
- Choose Microsoft Power BI if you fit its core audience — microsoft 365/Excel shops and budget-conscious teams of any size.
FAQ
Is Looker Studio better than Microsoft Power BI?
Microsoft Power BI is the stronger default for most users, but Looker Studio can be the better fit depending on your budget and use case.
What is the main difference between Looker Studio and Microsoft Power BI?
Looker Studio is a genuinely free, capable dashboard tool that owns the Google marketing-data use case. Microsoft Power BI is the cheapest credible path into enterprise BI for Microsoft-centric organizations.
Which is cheaper, Looker Studio or Microsoft Power BI?
Both Looker Studio and Microsoft Power BI offer a free tier, so the real comparison is the paid plans above — pick based on the storage, features and limits you actually need.
Sources
Facts above are drawn from these independent reviews and the vendors' own pages for Looker Studio and Microsoft Power BI: