Microsoft Power BI vs Looker Studio
Side-by-side from the Top 11 ranking of The 11 Best Business Intelligence Tools for SMBs. Last verified June 8, 2026.
The short answer
Microsoft Power BI ranks higher on Top 11 (#1 vs #3) for Small and mid-size business owners choosing BI and analytics tools (Tableau vs Power BI vs Looker). Unbeatable value and deep Microsoft integration make it the top choice for most SMBs.
At a glance
| Microsoft Power BI | Looker Studio | |
|---|---|---|
| Top 11 rank | #1 / The 11 Best Business Intelligence Tools for SMBs | #3 / The 11 Best Business Intelligence Tools for SMBs |
| Score (out of 9.4) | 9.2 | 8.8 |
| Best for | Best value for Microsoft users | Best free BI tool |
| Pricing | $ ($0 to $20/user/mo) | $ ($0 to $9/user/mo) |
| HQ | Redmond, USA | Mountain View, USA |
| Founded | 2011 | 2016 |
Microsoft Power BI
Unbeatable value and deep Microsoft integration make it the top choice for most SMBs.
powerbi.microsoft.com/See full entry in The 11 Best Business Intelligence Tools for SMBs
Looker Studio
A powerful and easy-to-use free tool, perfect for the Google marketing stack.
lookerstudio.google.com/See full entry in The 11 Best Business Intelligence Tools for SMBs
Methodology and scoring weights live at /methodology. No vendor pays for placement — see about.