Here’s a tabular comparison of Power BI Service and Power BI Desktop to highlight their key differences:
| Feature/Aspect | Power BI Desktop | Power BI Service |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Data modeling, report creation, and visualization development. | Online platform for sharing, collaboration, and report consumption. |
| Deployment | Installed on a local machine. | Cloud-based, accessed through a web browser. |
| Data Connection | Supports a wide range of data sources for creating datasets and reports. | Requires published datasets; supports live connections to some sources. |
| Data Modeling | Advanced modeling capabilities: relationships, DAX, and calculated columns. | Limited or no data modeling capabilities. |
| Report Creation | Full control over creating, editing, and formatting reports. | Can create simple reports and dashboards but is not as feature-rich. |
| Sharing and Collaboration | No built-in sharing; must publish reports to Power BI Service for sharing. | Allows sharing reports, dashboards, and datasets with users and groups. |
| Collaboration Features | Not available. | Workspaces, shared datasets, subscriptions, and comments. |
| Real-Time Data | Can connect to streaming datasets, but not ideal for real-time dashboards. | Supports real-time dashboards with auto-refresh from connected sources. |
| Scheduled Refresh | Requires publishing reports to Power BI Service for scheduled refresh. | Supports scheduling data refresh for published datasets and reports. |
| Offline Use | Fully functional offline. | Requires an internet connection. |
| Custom Visuals | Can create and use custom visuals. | Can use custom visuals but cannot create them directly. |
| Integration | Integrates with Power Query, Power Pivot, and R/Python scripting locally. | Integrates with Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, and other cloud-based services. |
| Security | Relies on file-based security (e.g., file permissions). | Provides role-based access, row-level security (RLS), and compliance features. |
| Licensing | Free to use. Power BI Desktop is included in Power BI free tier. | Requires Power BI Pro or Premium license for advanced sharing and features. |
| Publishing | Publish reports to Power BI Service or export to PDF, PowerPoint, etc. | Host and manage published reports, apps, and dashboards. |
Key Takeaways:
- Power BI Desktop is best for creating and designing complex reports and datasets.
- Power BI Service is ideal for sharing, collaboration, and consuming reports/dashboards online.
Both tools complement each other and are often used together in the Power BI ecosystem.
