What our customers told us...
Power BI dashboards have great data visualization options and are very responsive for smaller amounts of data or if connecting to Azure Synapse with sufficient resources but ClicData is more about getting to the data and transforming the data into the way we need it to be visualized and that is why we chose CicData. The fact that all the tools are in one platform as opposed to having to purchase different services and connecting them technically, was the decision factor.
Disclaimer
We’ve done our best to ensure this comparison is accurate, fair, and based on public sources or expert use as of the date of writing. Our goal is to provide objective analysis to support informed decisions.
Quick Overview
ClicData: An all-in-one cloud-based business intelligence platform offering data integration, transformation, and visualization tools. Microsoft Power BI is a Data visualization and analytics suite integrated with Microsoft ecosystem, focused on reporting and business insights.. Although Microsoft has other services via Microsoft Azure and on-premise that complement the Power BI, we are only comparing this app not Microsoft Azure Data Lakes, Microsoft SQL Azure, Microsoft Entra, and other services offered by Microsoft.
⚙️ Features | ClicData | PowerBI |
|---|---|---|
| Data Connectors | 250+ incl. APIs, DBs, cloud, files | 100+ built-in connectors, strong Microsoft ecosystem integration |
| ETL / Data Prep | Full ETL, SQL, Python, joins, cleanses | Power Query and Dataflows; M language for transformations |
| Data Warehouse | Built-in, scalable to 16TB | No built-in warehouse; relies on external sources like Azure Synapse |
| Data Lake | Built-in, scalable to 100TB | No built-in warehouse; relies on external sources like Azure Synapse |
| Dashboard Designer | Full flexibility, widget-based | Rich visuals with drag-and-drop UI, custom visuals via marketplace |
| Report Designer | Full flexibility, pixel perfect PDF | Does not ahve a report designer however dashboards can be tailored to behave like reports |
| Collaboration / Sharing | Alerts, exports, dynamic links | Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, and email integration |
| Automation | Full scheduling, triggers, workflows | Scheduled refreshes, Power Automate integration |
| AI/ML Integration | Forecasting, OpenAI | AI visuals, cognitive services, AutoML (Premium) |
| API Access | Full REST API | REST API and Power BI Embedded SDK |
| Mobile Support | Web-based UI | Native apps for iOS, Android, Windows |
| Dashboard Embedding | Yes (via iframe or API, secure access) | Yes (Power BI Embedded, API, secure token access) |
| Export / Data Stream | Yes (via iframe or API, secure access) | Limited direct data export; relies on APIs and third-party integration |
After 5 years with ClicData, it’s become the heartbeat of our data operations. What started as simple dashboarding evolved into full automation, seamless reporting, and effortless data management. The exceptional customer support makes all the difference—fast, reliable, and constantly improving!
Urvish Vashisht
Head of Analytics & Strategy - Betacalco
💲 Pricing | ClicData | PowerBI |
|---|---|---|
| Free Tier | No - Free Trial for 15 days | Yes – Power BI Desktop (local use only) |
| Entry-Level Plan | $265/month – 5 users, 5GB DW, per minute data refresh | $10/user/month (Power BI Pro) |
| Mid-Tier Plan | $488/month – 25 users, 15GB DW, per minute data refresh | $20/user/month (Premium Per User) |
| Enterprise Plan | $788/month – 50 users, 25GB DW, per minute data refresh | Premium capacity: starts at $4,995/month (dedicated node) |
| Dedicated/Custom Plan | Custom – private cloud or on-prem | Yes, via Microsoft Fabric or Azure integration |
| Per User Pricing | $5/user, $2/user at scale | $10–20/user, or enterprise capacity model |
| Storage (Lake / Warehouse) Pricing | $2 to $5 per GB on DW, $0.20/GB Lake for extra storage | Data Warehouse/Storage is not included, must be purchased separately |
☁️ Hosting & Deployment | ClicData | PowerBI |
|---|---|---|
| Cloud Hosting | Microsoft Azure | Microsoft Azure |
| Region Availability | USA, Ireland (EU), Canada, France, Singapore | Global |
| On-Premises Option | Yes (Dedicated plan) | Yes – via Power BI Report Server |
| Data Residency Control | Yes | Yes – region selection available in Azure |
| Historical Data Retention | Unlimited | Not applicable/Does not have Data Storage |
| Cloud-Native (100%) | Yes – fully browser-based, no install | Mostly – Power BI Service is browser-based; Desktop required for authoring |
| Designer Platform | Browser-based (Windows, Mac, Linux) | Power BI Desktop (Windows only); limited editing via browser |
🛡️ Security & Compliance | ClicData | PowerBI |
|---|---|---|
| Compliance Programs | ISO 27001/2019, ISO 27001/2022, ISO 27701, SOC 2 Type 2 | ISO 27001, ISO 27701, SOC 1, SOC 2 and SOC 3 |
| Privacy Certifications | GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA | GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA (with Microsoft enterprise licensing) |
| Other Certifications | WCAG | N/A |
| Data Encryption | AES 256 at rest, TLS 1.2+ in transit | AES 256 at rest, TLS in transit |
| Authentication Methods | SAML, OpenID, API, 2FA, Passkeys, Microsoft 365, Google, and Password Policies | Azure AD, SAML, OAuth, multi-factor auth |
🛎️ Support & Services | ClicData | PowerBI |
|---|---|---|
| Self Service | Online documentation, tutorials, and Udemy courses | Comprehensive resources including Microsoft Learn, Power BI documentation, community forums, and YouTube tutorials. |
| Support Levels | Email support included with all plans, InApp chat optional on lower plans, included in higher plans | Varies by license: Free, Pro, Premium, and Premium Per User (PPU). Higher tiers offer enhanced support options. |
| Support Availability | 9am–5pm EST (North America) and 9am–5pm CET (Western Europe), Monday–Friday | 24/7 support is available for Premium and enterprise customers. Pro users have access to support during business hours. |
| Support Channels | In-app chat, email, phone | Support is accessible via the Microsoft 365 admin center, with options for submitting tickets and accessing community forums. |
| Languages Supported | English, French | Power BI service supports 44 languages, including French, Dutch, German, and Spanish. Power BI Desktop supports the same languages, excluding Hebrew and Arabic. |
| Services Provided | Tailored onboarding sessions covering data integration, dashboard design, analytics, and platform navigation | Offers technical support, onboarding assistance, training programs, consulting services, and certifications. |
✅ Summary | ClicData | PowerBI |
|---|---|---|
| Ideal Use Case | Complex data projects with warehousing, transformation, automation, custom dashboards | Teams already using Microsoft ecosystem, needing BI & reporting |
| Strengths | Full-stack analytics, strong compliance, private hosting options, advanced ETL and scripting | Deep Microsoft integration, low per-user cost for dashboards, robust community & support |
| Limitations | Higher entry price point, overkill for simple needs | Windows-only design tool, fragmented between service and desktop, requires integration of other services for User Security, Storage, and Automation |
Company | ClicData | PowerBI |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | ClicData SAS | Microsoft Corporation |
| Headquarters | Lille, France | Redmond, Washington, USA |
| Country of Registration | France | United States |
| Year Founded | 2008 | 1975 (Power BI launched in 2015) |
| Primary Market | Global | Global |