Power BI vs Tableau: Which Should You Choose in 2026?
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Short answer
In our business intelligence ranking, Microsoft Power BI scores 92/100 and Tableau scores 83/100. Power BI rates higher on data modeling, ease of use and price, and costs less at every team size we priced; Tableau rates higher on visualization and is nine points behind overall.
Pick 
Power BI if…
- You want the lowest per-user price: Pro is $14 a user a month, paid yearly
- Your company already pays for Microsoft 365 E5, which includes Power BI Pro
- Analysts need deep data modeling, with up to 100 GB models on Premium Per User ($24)
Pick 
Tableau if…
- A dedicated analyst team builds many custom visual dashboards
- Most of your audience only views dashboards, at $15 a Viewer on Standard
- Your team works on Macs or wants authoring in the browser with Tableau Desktop and Prep Builder included
What it costs
Annual cost from each vendor's list prices, billed yearly. Power BI viewers need Pro to see shared content unless you buy F64 or larger Fabric capacity; Tableau needs at least one Creator. Taxes excluded.
| Need | Power BI plan | Power BI per year | Tableau plan | Tableau per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 people: 2 authors, 8 viewers | Pro ($14) x 10 | $1,680 | Standard: 2 Creators ($75), 8 Viewers ($15) | $3,240 |
| 25 people: 3 authors, 5 editors, 17 viewers | Pro ($14) x 25 | $4,200 | Standard: 3 Creators, 5 Explorers ($42), 17 Viewers | $8,280 |
| 10 people on the higher tier | Premium Per User ($24) x 10 | $2,880 | Enterprise: 2 Creators ($115), 8 Viewers ($35) | $6,120 |
| 1 analyst, personal use only | Free account + Power BI Desktop | $0 | Tableau Desktop Free Edition (local files) | $0 |
Pro or E5 users can step up to Premium Per User for a $14 add-on. Tableau sells no monthly plans; Tableau Next is $40 a user a month and Cloud+ is quoted by sales. Prices from Power BI and Tableau pricing pages, checked Nov 3, 2026. Vendors change plans often; confirm before you buy.
Plans and features side by side
| Feature | Power BI | Tableau |
|---|---|---|
| Free option | Power BI Desktop and a free account for personal analysis; sharing needs Pro | Tableau Desktop Free Edition for local files and databases; can't connect to Tableau Cloud or Server |
| Entry paid plan | Pro, $14/user/mo paid yearly | Viewer $15, Explorer $42, Creator $75/user/mo, billed annually |
| Pricing basis | Same price for every user who shares or views shared content | Price by role; at least one Creator per deployment |
| Model size and refreshes | 1 GB and 8 refreshes a day on Pro; 100 GB and 48 a day on Premium Per User | Not listed by plan on the pricing page |
| Desktop authoring app | Power BI Desktop, free download | Tableau Desktop and Prep Builder with Creator |
| AI features | Advanced AI on Premium Per User | Tableau Agent for Creators and Explorers; Tableau Pulse metrics |
| Governance tier | Premium Per User adds advanced dataflows and XMLA read/write | Enterprise adds Advanced Management and Data Management |
| Monthly billing | Shown paid yearly on the pricing page | No; annual contract only |
| G2 user rating | 4.5/5 (1,662 reviews) | 4.4/5 (4,235 reviews) |
| Vettlo score | 92/100 | 83/100 |
"Listed from" means the feature first appears on that plan on the vendor's public pricing page.
Where Power BI is stronger
- Lower cost at every size. 10 people cost $1,680 a year on Pro against $3,240 on Tableau Standard with 2 Creators, and 25 people $4,200 against $8,280.
- Included in Microsoft 365 E5. Companies on E5 or Office 365 E5 already have Pro licenses.
- Bigger models for $24. Premium Per User raises the model memory limit from 1 GB to 100 GB and refreshes from 8 to 48 a day.
Where Tableau is stronger
- Visual analysis. Tableau scores 5/5 on visualization in our ranking, the highest in the category.
- Cheaper viewers. A Tableau Viewer costs $15 a month, close to Power BI Pro, while authors pay more.
- Larger review base. Rated 4.4/5 on G2 across 4,235 reviews, against 4.5/5 from 1,662 reviews for Power BI.
- Authoring tools included. Creator includes Tableau Desktop, Prep Builder and Tableau Pulse.
How to decide
- Count how many people will build reports and how many will only view them.
- Price Power BI at $14 for every user and Tableau at $75 per Creator, $42 per Explorer and $15 per Viewer, all billed annually.
- Check whether your company already has Microsoft 365 E5, which includes Power BI Pro.
- Rebuild one real dashboard in both trials and see which one your analysts and viewers prefer.
Power BI vs Tableau FAQ
Is Power BI or Tableau cheaper?
Power BI, at every size we priced. For 10 people with 2 authors and 8 viewers, Power BI Pro costs $1,680 a year against $3,240 on Tableau Standard; for 25 people, $4,200 against $8,280.
Is Power BI free?
Power BI Desktop and a free account are free for personal analysis, but sharing reports and viewing shared content need Pro ($14 a user a month) or Premium Per User ($24), unless content sits on F64 or larger Fabric capacity.
Does Tableau have monthly billing?
No. Tableau's pricing page says all products require an annual contract, billed annually. Power BI Pro is shown at $14 a user a month paid yearly.
Which scores higher in Vettlo's ranking?
Power BI, with 92/100 against 83/100 for Tableau. Power BI rates higher on data modeling, ease of use and price; Tableau rates higher on visualization.
Other options
If neither fits, see our full ranking of 7 business intelligence tools, with who each one is for and what it costs.