Power BI vs Looker
Objective analysis of the two most popular Business Intelligence platforms. Which to choose based on your company size, budget, and technical needs.
Quick Verdict
Choose Power BI if...
- • Your company has fewer than 100 users
- • Limited budget (~$10 USD/user/month)
- • You already use Microsoft 365 or Excel heavily
- • You need quick results without a data team
Choose Looker if...
- • You have a data team with SQL knowledge
- • Enterprise budget (+$3,000 USD/month)
- • You need a centralized semantic layer (LookML)
- • You already use Google Cloud Platform
Detailed Comparison
| Criteria | Power BI | Looker | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry price | $10 USD/user/month | ~$3,000+ USD/month (minimum) | Power BI |
| Learning curve | Low-Medium (similar to Excel) | High (requires SQL/LookML) | Power BI |
| Self-service BI | Excellent | Limited (requires LookML) | Power BI |
| Data governance | Good | Excellent (LookML) | Looker |
| Semantic layer | Evolving | Market leader | Looker |
| Microsoft integration | Native (Excel, Teams, Azure) | Limited | Power BI |
| Google Cloud integration | Good | Native | Looker |
| Visualizations | 100+ native + custom | Limited but elegant | Power BI |
| Mobile app | Excellent (iOS/Android) | Basic | Power BI |
| Embedded analytics | Good (Power BI Embedded) | Excellent (API-first) | Looker |
| Global availability | High (local partners) | Limited | Power BI |
| Community/Resources | Massive (millions of users) | Niche (more technical) | Power BI |
Result: Power BI wins 8/12 categories, Looker wins 4/12. For SMBs, Power BI is the most practical option.
Cost Comparison
Scenario: Company with 20 users needing dashboards
Power BI Pro
| Licenses (20 x $10) | $200 USD/month |
| Gateway (on-premise) | $0 (included) |
| Initial training | ~$1,500 USD (one-time) |
| Year 1 total | ~$3,900 USD |
Looker
| Base license | ~$3,000+ USD/month |
| BigQuery (if applicable) | Variable |
| LookML implementation | ~$10,000+ USD |
| Year 1 total | ~$46,000+ USD |
Difference: For a typical SMB, Power BI costs ~10x less than Looker in the first year. This difference narrows for large enterprises (500+ users) where Looker may be more cost-effective due to its licensing model.
When to Choose Each?
Power BI is better when:
- → Limited budget: You need to start with less than $500 USD/month
- → Non-technical team: Users are business analysts, not data engineers
- → Microsoft ecosystem: You already use Excel, Teams, SharePoint, Azure
- → Time-to-value: You need dashboards working in weeks, not months
- → Self-service: You want users to create their own reports
- → Local support: You need local partners and support
Looker is better when:
- → Mature data team: You have data engineers who know SQL well
- → Critical governance: You need strict control of metrics and definitions
- → Google Cloud: Your data warehouse is BigQuery
- → Embedded analytics: You want to integrate dashboards into your SaaS product
- → Enterprise scale: 500+ users and corresponding budget
- → API-first: You need intensive programmatic access to data
Key Technical Differences
Data Architecture
Power BI
Import model: data is copied to an in-memory engine (VertiPaq). Also supports DirectQuery for live queries. Transformation is done in Power Query (visual ETL).
Looker
No own engine: executes SQL directly on your data warehouse. LookML defines the semantic layer. No data import, always live queries.
Semantic Layer
Power BI
Metrics are defined in DAX within each model. In 2024 Microsoft launched "Semantic Model" to centralize definitions, but it's still maturing.
Looker
LookML is the main differentiator: a language that centrally defines metrics, dimensions, and relationships. Once defined, all users see the same consistent metrics.
Development Workflow
Power BI
Primarily visual development in Power BI Desktop. Publishing to Service. Git integration available but not the standard flow.
Looker
Development in LookML (code). Git version control is part of the standard flow. Deploy via integrated IDE. More similar to traditional software development.
My Recommendation for SMBs
As a Power BI certified consultant (PL-300) who has worked with both platforms, my recommendation for SMBs with 50-500 employees is clear:
Start with Power BI
95% of an SMB's Business Intelligence needs can be solved with Power BI at a fraction of the cost. Looker makes sense when you have a dedicated data team (3+ people), enterprise budget, and very specific governance or embedded analytics needs.
— Jorge Cepeda, MBA UC, Microsoft Certified PL-300
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I migrate from Power BI to Looker (or vice versa)?
Is Tableau better than both?
Is Looker free with Google Cloud?
Can I use both in the same company?
Need help choosing?
If you still have doubts about which platform is better for your company, schedule a call. We'll analyze your specific case with no commitment.