Which is better, Qlik Sense or Microsoft Power BI?

Microsoft Power BI edges out Qlik Sense based on user ratings across 2,583 reviews. That said, the best pick depends on your workflow — Qlik Sense may be a stronger fit for specific team sizes or use cases. Review the full comparison to decide.

What are the main differences between Qlik Sense and Microsoft Power BI?

Key differences between Qlik Sense and Microsoft Power BI include pricing (Qlik Sense starts at $30 vs Microsoft Power BI at $9.99); target audience (Qlik Sense targets Freelancers / Consultants while Microsoft Power BI serves Large Enterprises). Use the Spotsaas comparison table to evaluate each dimension before deciding.

Do both Qlik Sense and Microsoft Power BI offer a Free trial?

Yes, both Qlik Sense and Microsoft Power BI offer a Free Trial.

Who are the typical users of Qlik Sense?

Qlik Sense is designed for Freelancers / Consultants, Large Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business.

Who are the typical users of Microsoft Power BI?

Microsoft Power BI is designed for Large Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business.

What is the starting price of Qlik Sense and Microsoft Power BI?

Pricing for Qlik Sense starts at $30/User/Month, whereas Microsoft Power BI starts at $9.99/User/Month.

What are the best alternatives to Qlik Sense?

Some top alternatives to Qlik Sense include Alteryx, iDashboards, Entrinsik Informer, Tableau, Looker.

What are the best alternatives to Microsoft Power BI?

Some top alternatives to Microsoft Power BI include Google Drive, Tableau, IBM Cognos Analytics, Dundas BI, SAS Business Intelligence.

Qlik Sense vs Microsoft Power BI Comparison

Last updated: May 20, 2026

Qlik Sense

4.3(1,718 reviews)

Starting at $30 /User/Month

Free Trial
Freelancers / Consultants
Large Enterprises

Qlik is an advanced analytics platform that makes business intelligence more powerful, engaging and simple. With Sense's all-in-one dashboard and interactive visualizations, user can create dashboards and reports, share…

View Pricing Read Reviews

Microsoft Power BI

4.4(2,583 reviews)

Starting at $9.99 /User/Month

Free Trial
Large Enterprises
Medium Business

Power BI is a suite of analytics tools that works across a variety of devices. Power BI gives business users access to real-time data from systems, from spreadsheets and databases to SaaS applications. Power BI can live…

View Pricing Read Reviews

Microsoft Power BI leads on user satisfaction with a 4.4-star rating across 2,583 reviews.

Qlik Sense vs Microsoft Power BI — at a glance

Feature	Qlik Sense	Microsoft Power BI
Rating	4.3 / 5	4.4 / 5
Reviews	1,718	2,583
Starting price	$30 /User/Month	$9.99 /User/Month
Free trial	Yes	Yes
Free version	No	No
Best for	Freelancers / Consultants, Large Enterprises, Medium Business	Large Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business
Category	Business Intelligence Software	Business Intelligence Software
Platforms	SaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Mobile - iOS, Installed - Windows, Installed - Mac	SaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Mobile - iOS
API	Available	Available
Support modes	24/7 (Live rep), Business Hours, Online	Business Hours, Online
Certifications	SOC 2, HIPAA, GDPR, ISO 27001	—
Data residency	Global	—

Key differences between Qlik Sense and Microsoft Power BI

Pricing: Qlik Sense starts at $30 /User/Month, while Microsoft Power BI starts at $9.99 /User/Month.
Target audience: Qlik Sense is built for Freelancers / Consultants and Large Enterprises, while Microsoft Power BI targets Large Enterprises and Medium Business.
User satisfaction: Microsoft Power BI scores higher with a 4.4-star average.
Deployment: Qlik Sense supports SaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Mobile - iOS, Installed - Windows, Installed - Mac; Microsoft Power BI supports SaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Mobile - iOS.

Qlik Sense vs Microsoft Power BI — find the better fit before you commit.

Which tool fits your team best

Which is actually cheaper for your team size

Where each product wins, per real buyers

Most Business Intelligence Software tools look identical on paper. This comparison cuts to the differences that matter — pricing structure, team fit, and what real buyers found after signing up.

Biggest differences

Features

Pricing

Buying details

Security

Buyer feedback

Integrations

Product tour

Other options

	Qlik Sense (418) Talk to an expert Talk to an expert	Microsoft Power BI (151) Talk to an expert Talk to an expert

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Biggest differences

Affiliate Disclosure

Start here before you go deeper into features.

Qlik Sense

Best for medium to large enterprises needing powerful, self-service BI with strong ETL.

Choose if

You need a flexible, all-in-one BI platform for interactive dashboards and reports.
Your team includes data analysts and business users requiring customizable, self-service analytics.
You require strong ETL capabilities integrated with frontend visualization for efficient data processing.

Consider alternatives if

You are a small business with limited BI budget and need a simple, out-of-the-box tool.
Your priority is mobile/tablet BI performance or minimal learning curve for quick adoption.

Microsoft Power BI

Best for

Large Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business

Qlik Sense typically suits Freelancers / Consultants and Large Enterprises. Microsoft Power BI tends to fit Large Enterprises and Medium Business better. The right choice depends on your team size, workflow, and whether a free trial matters.

Description	Qlik is an advanced analytics platform that makes business intelligence more powerful, engaging and simple. With Sense's all-in-one dashboard and interactive visualizations, user can create ... Read More about Qlik Sense	Power BI is a suite of analytics tools that works across a variety of devices. Power BI gives business users access to real-time data from systems, from spreadsheets and databases to SaaS ... Read More about Microsoft Power BI
Entry Level Pricing	Starts from $30	Starts from $9.99
Free Trial Availability	Free Trial available	Free Trial available
SpotScore What's this? ↗	9.2/10	9.8/10
User Ratings Based on verified Spotsaas reviews	4.3 (1718)	4.4 (2583)
Best Company Size	51-500 employees500+ employees	—
	Get pricing help	Get pricing help

Software Demo

Demo

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How do Qlik Sense and Microsoft Power BI Compare on Features?

Total Features	10 Features	8 Features
Unique Features	No unique features	No unique features
	Get Quote	Get Quote

Compare Qlik Sense and Microsoft Power BI on pricing

Review starting price, plan structure, and free-trial access side by side so you can see which option fits your budget and buying process.

Pricing Option
Starting From	$30	$9.99
Pricing Plans	Not Available	Not Available
Pricing Page
	View detailed pricing	View detailed pricing

Other Details

Organization Types supported	Medium Business Freelancers Large Enterprises Small Business Individuals	Medium Business Freelancers Large Enterprises Small Business Individuals
Platforms Supported	Mobile - Android Browser Based (Cloud) Mobile - iOS Installed - Windows Installed - Mac Browser Based (Cloud)	Mobile - Android Browser Based (Cloud) Mobile - iOS Installed - Windows Installed - Mac Browser Based (Cloud)
Modes of support	24/7 (Live rep) Business Hours Online	24/7 (Live rep) Business Hours Online
API Support	Available	Available
	Get help choosing	Get help choosing

Security & Compliance

Certifications, data handling, and security controls for IT and compliance evaluators.

SOC 2	✓ Yes	—
HIPAA	✓ Yes	—
GDPR	✓ Yes	—
ISO 27001	✓ Yes	—
Single Sign-On (SSO)	✓ Yes	—
Multi-Factor Auth (MFA)	✓ Yes	—
Data Encryption	✓ Yes	—
Audit Logs	✓ Yes	—
Data Residency	🌐 Global	—

Qlik Sense User Reviews & Rating Comparison

User Ratings	4.3 (based on 1718 reviews)	4.4 (based on 2583 reviews)
Rating Distribution	315 91 11 0 1	105 42 3 1 0
Spotsaas Editor’s POV generated by AI	Buyer sentiment Overall positive sentiment highlights ease of use and powerful self-service BI features, tempered by concerns over complexity and mobile performance. What buyers like Ease of use Self-service BI empowerment Strong ETL capabilities Common complaints Complexity in customization Mobile/tablet app performance issues	Buyer sentiment Buyer sentiment is positive across 151 reviews, with strong overall satisfaction. What buyers like Wide range of pricing models, offering flexibility for different budgets. Can connect to almost any data source, enhancing data accessibility and analysis. Offers extensive visual and add-on library, facilitating enhanced data visualization. Common complaints Desktop version can feel clunky and may have bugs that need addressing. Requires background knowledge in SQL and database management for efficient use. Pricing models may limit accessibility to some features for non-pro users.
Pros and Cons	Empowers self-service BI enabling users to create dashboards easily Strong ETL capabilities for efficient data processing Intuitive interface for both developers and end-users Complexity in customization and design of charts with some visualization limitations Limited governance capabilities making standard enforcement difficult	Wide range of pricing models, offering flexibility for different budgets. Can connect to almost any data source, enhancing data accessibility and analysis. Offers extensive visual and add-on library, facilitating enhanced data visualization. Desktop version can feel clunky and may have bugs that need addressing. Requires background knowledge in SQL and database management for efficient use.
Positive Reviews	No reviews available for the product	No reviews available for the product
	Read reviews	Read reviews

List of Customers

Customers	Lenovo McKesson aramark	Adobe GE Healthcare Heathrow

Media and Screenshots

Screenshots	1 Screenshots	7 Screenshots
Videos	3 Videos	5 Videos

Top Alternatives to Qlik Sense and Microsoft Power BI in 2026

Alternatives	Alteryx 4.4 iDashboards 3.7 Entrinsik Informer 4.7	Google Drive 4.7 Tableau 4.4 IBM Cognos Analytics 4.1

Frequently asked questions

Which is better, Qlik Sense or Microsoft Power BI?: Microsoft Power BI edges out the other on user ratings (4.4 vs 4.3). That said, the best pick depends on your use case — use the comparison tables above to evaluate each dimension.
Do Qlik Sense and Microsoft Power BI offer a free trial?: Yes, both Qlik Sense and Microsoft Power BI offer a free trial.
What is the starting price of Qlik Sense vs Microsoft Power BI?: Qlik Sense starts at $30 /User/Month. Microsoft Power BI starts at $9.99 /User/Month.
What are the top alternatives to Qlik Sense?: Top alternatives to Qlik Sense include Alteryx, iDashboards, Entrinsik Informer, Tableau, Looker.
What are the top alternatives to Microsoft Power BI?: Top alternatives to Microsoft Power BI include Google Drive, Tableau, IBM Cognos Analytics, Dundas BI, SAS Business Intelligence.

Qlik Sense vs Microsoft Power BI Comparison

Qlik Sense

Microsoft Power BI

Qlik Sense vs Microsoft Power BI — at a glance

Key differences between Qlik Sense and Microsoft Power BI

Qlik Sense vs Microsoft Power BI — find the better fit before you commit.

Qlik Sense

Microsoft Power BI

Download this Qlik Sense vs Microsoft Power BI comparison

Biggest differences

Description

Entry Level Pricing

Free Trial Availability

SpotScore

User Ratings

Best Company Size

Software Demo

Demo

Get shortlist help from a software advisor

How big is your team?

How do Qlik Sense and Microsoft Power BI Compare on Features?

Compare Qlik Sense and Microsoft Power BI on pricing

Other Details

Organization Types supported

Platforms Supported

Modes of support

API Support

Security & Compliance

Qlik Sense User Reviews & Rating Comparison

List of Customers

Customers

Media and Screenshots

Screenshots

Videos

Top Alternatives to Qlik Sense and Microsoft Power BI in 2026

Related Blogs and Articles for Business Intelligence Software

Frequently asked questions