In today’s data-driven digital world, data visualization tools are invaluable for parsing vast amounts of corporate data. Teams and leadership depend on such technologies to glean actionable insights. By 2031, the Data Visualization Tools Market anticipates the industry to grow to a massive $20bn.
There are many tools in the Data Visualization Market. Make sure you find the one that fits your needs and budget.
In the constantly evolving business landscape, Business Intelligence (BI) tools are crucial. They streamline organizational performance by showcasing customer-focused data which allows decision-makers to strategize effectively. Two of the frontrunners in this space are Tableau and Power BI. Both tools translate ‘big data’ into visually appealing, easily digestible formats, empowering businesses to make data-backed decisions.
While both tools offer free versions, there are key distinctions in their pricing structures. Power BI often emerges as the go-to choice for small to medium-sized businesses, primarily due to its affordability. In contrast, Tableau, with its heftier price tag, is more fitting for larger enterprises. The acquisition of Tableau by Salesforce in a deal worth about $15 billion has only heated up the competition in the BI space.
Diving Deeper into Pricing: Tableau’s Offerings
Tableau’s pricing is on the steeper side, but it promises comprehensive features for better analysis. It generally performs better with larger data systems.
Tableau offers an array of packages tailored to different needs:
- Tableau Creator at $75/user/month (billed annually), includes Tableau Prep Builder, Tableau Desktop, and one Creator license for Tableau Cloud or Tableau Server. This package will help you connect your data, build ‘vizzes’ and publish dashboards.
- Tableau Explorer at $42/user/month (billed annually) includes one Explorer license of Tableau Cloud and allows teams and organizations to edit and collaborate on existing dashboards.
- Tableau Viewer at $15/user/month (billed annually) includes one Viewer license of Tableau Cloud and allows teams to view data and interact with dashboards.
- Customize your package by choosing the number of Explorers, Creators, and Viewers, coupled with hosting options.
- Tableau Public is entirely free for home-based analysts. It allows public sharing and online viewing of workspaces.
- Tableau Student & Academic Programs offers students from accredited institutions a free license and offers discounts to academic institutions.
Another Option: Power BI Licenses
Power BI also offers a variety of packages with different levels of capabilities, and the best uses of Power BI are usually less complex data sets that may not require real-time analysis.
- Power BI in Microsoft Fabric – the free version that allows users to create interactive reports.
- $10/user/month and it allows users to publish and share reports. Power BI Pro is included in Microsoft 365 E5.
- Power BI Premium at $20/user/month includes all the features of Power BI Pro and allows user access to more advanced data flows, larger models, and a faster refresh rate.
- Power BI Premium per capacity (with Microsoft Fabric) at $4,995 per capacity/month licenses your organization for extensive storage, analytics, and reporting.
- Students or individuals can tap into Power BI via school or work email, using My Workspace with a free license. For sharing capabilities, an upgrade to Power BI Premium Per User (PPU) or Power BI Pro are necessary.
Tableau vs. Power BI: At a Glance
Arlington is the home of the Texas Rangers’ Globe Life Park. It is among the world’s largest baseball stadiums with a capacity of 49,115. Making sure the place is full for every home game is a challenge unique to Major League Baseball (MLB). In the NFL, there are just eight home games in a regular season. The NBA has 41 regular-season home games, but stadium capacity is usually in the 20,000-25,000 range. The Rangers have to try and sell out 81 home games a season!
The franchise began using Tableau to track real-time ticket purchases. It also uses the software to track sales or merchandise and food & beverages. The Rangers have seen a steady decline in attendance since a peak season total of 3.46 million in 2012 as you will see in this table:
Features |
Tableau |
Power BI |
|---|---|---|
| Types of Licenses | Creator, Explorer, Viewer | Free, Pro, Premium, Premium per capacity |
| Licensing Models | Annual Billing | Monthly Billing |
| Fees for Teams | $75/user/ month $42/user/month $15/user/month |
free; $10/user/ month $20/user/ month $4995/capacity/ month |
| Student/Faculty Programs | Free for Students discounted for Academic Institutions |
Same as above |
All prices and details are subject to change and should be verified with respective vendors.
In conclusion, while both Tableau and Power BI offer robust capabilities for data visualization, their pricing models cater to different business sizes and needs. It’s crucial for decision-makers to assess their requirements and budget before choosing the best option for your business.
Curious to know more? Schedule a consultation with Thinklytics to know more about how data analytics can make your life easier and make you a hero at work.
