Looker vs Microsoft Power BI: Which is better in 2026?
A side-by-side comparison of pricing, features, and use cases to help you decide between Looker and Microsoft Power BI.
Business intelligence platform by Google Cloud
Business analytics tool by Microsoft
Head-to-head comparison
| Feature | Looker | Microsoft Power BI |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free/mo ✓ Cheaper | $10/mo |
| Free plan | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
| Pricing model | paid | freemium |
| G2 rating | 4.4/5 | 4.5/5 ↑ |
| Capterra rating | 4.5/5 | 4.6/5 |
| Founded | 2012 | 2015 |
Looker: pros & cons
- ✓Best semantic modelling layer
- ✓Governed metrics
- ✓Strong BigQuery/GCP integration
- ✓Scales to enterprise
- ✗LookML has significant learning curve
- ✗Expensive
- ✗Requires dedicated data engineering
- ✗Overkill for small teams
Microsoft Power BI: pros & cons
- ✓Included in Microsoft 365
- ✓Very affordable Pro tier
- ✓Massive connector library
- ✓Strong Excel users will adapt quickly
- ✗Steep learning curve (DAX)
- ✗Desktop app required for authoring
- ✗Sharing requires Pro licence for recipients
- ✗UI less polished than Tableau
Choose Looker if...
- →Your data team wants a governed semantic layer so every team queries the same definitions for metrics like revenue or churn
- →You're on Google Cloud and want a BI tool that integrates natively with BigQuery
- →You need to embed analytics dashboards directly inside your own product or customer portal
Choose Microsoft Power BI if...
- →Your organisation already uses Microsoft 365 and wants BI dashboards without paying for a separate Tableau or Looker licence
- →Your analysts are heavy Excel users who want to graduate to interactive dashboards while reusing their existing data models and formulas
- →You need to connect to 300+ data sources — including Azure SQL, SharePoint, and Dynamics — with first-party connectors built in
Our verdict
Looker and Microsoft Power BI are closely matched on user ratings. Looker is the more affordable option. Microsoft Power BI offers a free plan — a lower-risk way to test before committing. The right pick depends on your team size and workflow.
Looker vs Microsoft Power BI: frequently asked questions
Is Looker better than Microsoft Power BI?
Microsoft Power BI has a higher G2 score (4.5/5 vs 4.4/5). The best tool depends on your specific use case and budget.
Which is cheaper, Looker or Microsoft Power BI?
Looker is cheaper, starting at Free/mo.
What is the main difference between Looker and Microsoft Power BI?
Looker focuses on lookml semantic layer, data modelling, dashboards. Microsoft Power BI focuses on interactive dashboards, 300+ data connectors, dax formula language. Both serve similar use cases but differ in approach and pricing model.
Can I migrate from Looker to Microsoft Power BI?
Most teams migrate between Looker and Microsoft Power BI within a day or two. Export your data from Looker (typically as CSV or via API), then use Microsoft Power BI's import wizard to bring it across. Check each tool's help centre for a step-by-step migration guide before switching.