Power BI vs. Looker: Choosing the Right BI Tool for Your Needs

Business Intelligence and data visualization are key in visualizing data.

That is why you need to know which tools you’re working with!

For instance, Looker Studio and Power BI are two important business intelligence tools.

Microsoft develops the reporting and analytics features provided by Power BI, while Google Cloud develops Looker Studio, a BI tool.

In this article, I’ll discuss the differences between Power BI and Looker to help you select the best tool.

Let’s get started!

• Business Intelligence Tools: What are they?
• Overview of Power BI
• Overview of Looker
• What Are the Differences Between Power BI vs Looker
• Power BI vs Looker: Pricing Comparison to Consider
• When to Choose Power BI and Looker?
• Choose the Best Tool That Fits Your Needs!
• Power BI vs Looker: Frequently Asked Questions

Before discussing Power BI vs Looker, let's quickly understand the role of business intelligence in modern business.

Business intelligence tools are designed to gather, analyze, and visualize data from various sources.

Implementing data visualization best practices to make informed decisions becomes easy when you have the right tools.

These tools allow businesses to transform raw data into actionable insights, which can help them gain a competitive edge.

Although various Business intelligence tools are available, the comparison of Power BI vs Looker is crashing the records.

First, let’s talk about Power BI.

Power BI, which Microsoft developed, is a popular self-service BI tool.

The tool offers a broad range of features for data analysis and visualization. 

Its strong integration with Microsoft products and services makes it a compelling choice for organizations that use the Microsoft ecosystem.

Designed for power users and businesses that require deep data insights, Power BI can integrate with Microsoft products such as Excel, Azure and Teams.

Key Features of Power BI

Data visualization tools comparison would always be incomplete without comparing the features of BI tools.

Below are some features that make Power BI one of the best data visualization tools.

• Tools like Power Query and DAX enable in-depth data transformation and calculation.
• Can connect with 100 data sources, including cloud services, on-premises databases and third-party platforms.
• Microsoft AppSource allows you to create unique visuals in addition to the many built-in visuals.
• Security and scalable reporting for big businesses.

Further, let’s understand the Pros and Cons of Power BI.

Pros and Cons of Power BI

As with any BI tool, Power BI has strong and weak points. Below are the Pros and Cons of Power BI  that you should consider:

Pros of Using Power BI

• Power BI’s integration with Microsoft products makes it a natural choice for organizations that use the Microsoft ecosystem.
• Moreover, it offers a wide range of visualizations, thus allowing users to create compelling reports and dashboards.
• Its AI power enables users to uncover the data's hidden patterns, trends and outliers.

Cons of Using Power BI

• Power BI's data modeling capability can be complex for users unfamiliar with the Microsoft ecosystem.
• Power BI allows sharing and collaboration, yet its area is less efficient than other tools.
• Lastly, its licensing option and cost can differ based on the features and level of access needed.

Further, let’s talk about Looker Studio.

Looker Studio is a leading cloud based business intelligence software that offers a wide range of analytics and data exploration capabilities.

The tool is well-known for its user-friendly interface and powerful data modeling ability.

Designed for simplicity and real-time analytics, Looker Studio can seamlessly integrate with Google tool suites like Google Ads and BigQuery.

Below are some features that make Looker Studio one of the best cloud based business intelligence software.

Key Features of Looker

While doing a Data visualization tools comparison, the features offered by each of them play an important role. 

Let’s check out the features offered by Looker.

• Intuitive for beginners and is non-technical for users.
• Can easily connect with Google tools and third-party data sources via connectors.
• Allows multiple users to edit and share reports in real-time.
• Looker is free for individuals and small teams, thus making it highly accessible.

Further, let’s understand the Pros and Cons of Looker.

Pros and Cons of Looker

Similar to any BI tool, Looker has its strengths and limitations. Below are the pros and cons of Looker to consider:

Pros of Using Looker

• Looker’s intuitive feature can make data analysis easy without needing technical skills.
• The data modeling ability of Looker enables complex data transformation and ensures data consistency.
• Users can seamlessly collaborate on dashboards and reports, share insights and schedule automated data delivery.

Cons of Using Looker

• Despite being user-friendly, you might need to spend some time mastering all the features of Looker.
• Although Looker’s data visualization ability is adequate for many use cases, it might not offer the same ease of use as other tools like Power BI.
• It is more expensive, particularly for small businesses or organizations with limited budgets.

Let’s check out the differences between Power BI and Looker.

Furthermore, let's analyze the pricing differences in detail when comparing data visualization tools.

Power BI Pricing

Although the free version of Power BI offers data connectivity for simple datasets, users must buy a paid subscription to use the advanced features.

Power BI offers paid subscriptions starting around $10 per user/month for the Pro license.

Looker Pricing

The basic version of Looker Studio is completely free and can be easily accessed by small businesses.

Looker also has a pro version, which offers team workspaces and enterprise-level customer support via Google Cloud Customer Care.

Additionally, there is a fee if you use third-party data connectors to import data into Looker Studio.

Further, let’s check out the use cases of Power BI and Looker.

Opting between Looker Studio and Power BI depends on your organization's needs, budgets and technical know-how.

These tools are excellent but shine in different cases and situations.

Check out the below section to know when to use Looker vs when to use Power BI.

Looker is Best For:

• You’re running a small or medium business that needs an affordable, user-friendly tool to create visually appealing reports.
• You need real-time data visualization for marketing and website analytics with minimal technical skills.
• You need a tool that allows multiple users to edit and share easily.

Power BI is Best For:

• You’re a large organization or enterprise with complex reporting requirements.
• Scalability and enterprise-grade features are important for handling large volumes of data.
• You need a dedicated data team or technical experts who can fully use Power BI’s advanced features.

Both Power BI and Looker are highly recommended data visualization tools.

Implementing a successful data visualization process can be daunting. However, selecting the best one depends on particular use cases and requirements.

Looker is popular for its efficient modeling capability to handle large datasets.

Power BI provides a user-friendly interface and seamless integration with other Microsoft products.

1. Is Looker as good as Tableau?

Looker is often compared with Tableau. While Tableau may have a more intuitive interface and larger user base, Looker stands out for its efficient data modeling ability to create custom reports designed to specific business needs.

2. What are some other tools similar to Power BI?

As a Data Migration Consultant who likes Looker, I also know the value of a good deal! In addition to Tableau and Qilk Sense, consider these budget-friendly Power BI alternatives: Zoho Analytics is easy to use and priced well, and Metabase is a free, open-source option. These offer solid features without breaking the bank!

3. What should I consider when choosing between Power BI and alternatives?

When choosing a BI tool, consider the following:

• Data Sources: Can it connect to your existing data?
• Ease of Use: Is it user-friendly for your team's skill level?
• Visualization: Does it offer the charts and graphs you need?
• Pricing: Does it fit your budget?
• Support & Training: Is there good documentation and support available?