Among the plethora of analytics tools, Microsoft's Power BI has gained immense popularity, primarily due to its bundling with the widely-used Microsoft Office suite. On the surface, this seems like a perfect combination: a powerful analytics tool without the extra cost. But does 'free' truly equate to 'better'? 

A Brief Overview of Power BI

Microsoft's Power BI is an analytics and visualisation tool that has established itself as a go-to solution for many businesses. With its seamless integration into the familiar Microsoft Office ecosystem, Power BI brings a level of comfort and ease of use that few other tools can match. Its robust feature set includes the ability to quickly filter and view granular datasets, conveniently switch between tabs for historical data comparisons, and provide real-time access to reports.

Power BI holds a number of benefits over Excel in the business environment, these include: 

• Connecting to a higher number of data sources
• A better mobile experience
• Faster processing
• More visually appealing through the use of dashboards
• Deeper customisation and better interactivity

It also caters to different solutions more easily out of the box, including cost, cash, marketing, sales, factories, and distribution. This expansive utility has even sparked the imagination of colleagues, driving them to generate new reports and ideas.

The Hidden Limitations of Power BI

Despite its initial allure and seemingly comprehensive capabilities, Power BI is not without significant limitations. These shortcomings become more apparent as you try to utilise the full potential of your data. One of the primary issues lies within the desktop app. While it offers a rich array of features, it grapples with performance issues that can slow down data analysis and decision-making processes. When deployed widely across the organisation data silos and business logic lie within each Power BI model, which creates a headache for the central analytics team. 

Furthermore, there is no MacOS version available for the Desktop app, a notable limitation for businesses whose executives prefer using Mac devices.

The limitations extend beyond the application itself and into the broader Microsoft ecosystem. The premium cloud version of Power BI, which offers additional features and capabilities, comes with a hefty price tag. Moreover, the on-premise version of Power BI is tied to a SQL Server Enterprise License, adding another layer of cost. It also lacks support for popular authentication platforms such as ADFS and AzureAD, presenting a significant disadvantage for enterprises that depend on these platforms for their security needs.

The Escalating Costs of Power BI

As you find yourself burrowing down the rabbit hole of Power BI's functionality and cost structure, it becomes evident that the cost-effectiveness of this tool is more illusory than real. While the basic version is bundled with Microsoft Office, making it seemingly cost-effective, the more advanced and desirable features are locked behind higher tiers. 

What initially seems like a free or low-cost solution can quickly escalate into a considerable expenditure as businesses find themselves needing to upgrade to access essential features.

Imagine a CEO proudly proclaiming that your business has discovered the next generation of analytics and data visualisation for FREE when the truth is that everyone using it is going to quickly hit limitations and stumbling blocks harder than the Titanic hit that iceberg!

It’s the classic bait and switch. Get people bought in on the promise of next-generation technology only to find that to access it you’ll need to rebudget and then get it signed off with the CEO who’s been sold on the “free” version. 

ThoughtSpot: A Worthy Alternative

In light of these considerations, it's important to be aware of alternatives that offer a more robust, user-friendly experience without the cost limitations. One such alternative is ThoughtSpot.

With its aesthetically pleasing visualisations, intelligent querying functionality, and seamless embedding process, ThoughtSpot offers a truly data-driven solution that can keep pace with your business's evolving needs. It presents a compelling case for those seeking a comprehensive analytics tool that can deliver powerful insights without the constraints and escalating costs associated with Power BI.

It’s a tool we use frequently at assimil8 and it never fails to blow away our customers with its advanced analytics performance. 

Free Isn’t Always Free

If a deal is too good to be true, it usually is. In the case of Power BI, that is equally true. 

For many, they’ll hear stories about the amazing things that Power BI is capable of and assume that they’ll soon be creating insightful dashboards and analytics reports all day, every day. The reality is that to really get the most out of the tool, you’ll need to think about upgrading. Once you factor in the cost and workload, it may be worth considering what else is out there. 

Before you go down the route of third-party tools, think about what you hope to achieve. If it’s just beautiful visualisations that will perk up board packs, there are much more affordable options available that don’t require a data science degree to operate. 

If you’re looking to use your data to gain insights that would otherwise be hidden from you, shop around. Don’t jump on the first piece of bundled tech you find because you’ve convinced yourself it’s free. 

We’ve developed a tech-agnostic stance at assimil8 and prefer to use technology that suits the needs of the customer, rather than pushing them toward expensive tools or products that they don’t need because it’ll fill a quota. If you need help finding the right tool, our team can run you through the best options to complement your current data stack. Contact us today for a chat.