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Databricks vs Microsoft Power BI comparison

The compared Databricks and Microsoft solutions aren't in the same category. Databricks is ranked #8 in CDW , with an average rating of 8.3, and holds a 8.9% mindshare in the category. Microsoft is ranked #1 in BIT , with an average rating of 7.8, and holds a 21.1% mindshare. Additionally, 96% of Databricks users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 93% of Microsoft users who would recommend it.
Databricks
Read 91 Databricks reviews
  • 2,200 Views
  • 88 Comparison Views
96% willing to recommend
Microsoft Power BI
Read 321 Microsoft Power BI reviews
  • 18,413 Views
  • 14,752 Comparison Views
93% willing to recommend
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Apr 20, 2025

Microsoft Power BI and Databricks are leading solutions in the business intelligence and data analytics sector. Microsoft Power BI stands out for its ease of use and integration capabilities with other Microsoft tools, while Databricks is preferred for handling large datasets and its robust machine learning capabilities. Power BI holds an advantage in self-service BI for non-technical users, while Databricks excels with its scalability and processing power for technical users.

Features: Microsoft Power BI integrates seamlessly with Microsoft tools, allowing easy data visualization for non-technical users. It is praised for self-service BI capabilities, enabling business users to independently solve problems. Databricks is recognized for handling extensive datasets efficiently, with scalable Spark processing and excellent machine learning functionalities, allowing for complex data manipulation in Python, SQL, and R.

Room for Improvement: Power BI users suggest expanding visualization options, particularly for financial reporting, and improving performance with large datasets. They also desire broader Direct Query support and enhanced mobile features. For Databricks, users recommend better integration with visualization tools like Power BI and Tableau, improved automated machine learning support, and a more user-friendly experience for non-technical users.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Microsoft Power BI is adaptable to Public, Private, and Hybrid Cloud environments, supported by a large community for external solutions. Official support is strong, supplemented by active community assistance. Databricks is typically deployed in Public and Hybrid Cloud environments, offering high performance but with limited official support, making community assistance crucial.

Pricing and ROI: Microsoft Power BI is competitively priced, especially beneficial when bundled with other Microsoft products, providing value to smaller teams and basic use cases. Its Pro and Premium tiers offer scalability based on business needs. Databricks, though powerful, is considered expensive for smaller teams and less demanding use cases but offers significant ROI for extensive data operations through its scalable and high-performance capabilities.

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Buyer's Guide
Cloud Data Warehouse
May 2025
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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

ROI

Sentiment score
6.5
Databricks enhances efficiency and ROI, offering scalable solutions and cost savings over traditional Hadoop with easy setup.
Sentiment score
7.9
Microsoft Power BI is cost-effective, user-friendly, and efficient, enhancing BI capabilities and saving time and money.
For a lot of different tasks, including machine learning, it is a nice solution.
When it comes to big data processing, I prefer Databricks over other solutions.
For more quotes and insights, download the Databricks report
In a world surrounded by data, tools that allow navigation of large data volumes ensure decisions are data-driven.
Power BI is easy to deploy within an hour, providing robust security against data leaks.
For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Power BI report
Parag Bhosale - PeerSpot reviewerIshwarSukheja - PeerSpot reviewer
MO
Shoury Priyanshu - PeerSpot reviewer
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
7.2
Databricks' support is generally praised for responsiveness, though some note delays, with resources often sufficient for independent problem-solving.
Sentiment score
6.7
Microsoft Power BI customer service is responsive and effective, but users frequently rely on forums for quicker solutions.
Whenever we reach out, they respond promptly.
As of now, we are raising issues and they are providing solutions without any problems.
I rate the technical support as fine because they have levels of technical support available, especially partners who get really good support from Databricks on new features.
For more quotes and insights, download the Databricks report
The significant drawback I notice is that Microsoft's size makes it hard to get specific change requests addressed unless they involve a bug.
We have a partnership with Microsoft, involving multiple weekly calls with dedicated personnel to ensure our satisfaction.
The support is good because there is also a community available.
For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Power BI report
Parag Bhosale - PeerSpot reviewer
BP
LK
MO
James Balbach - PeerSpot reviewer
MH
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.5
Databricks is praised for its adaptability, scalability, automation features, and performance across industries but needs improved autoscaling control.
Sentiment score
7.0
Microsoft Power BI is scalable, integrates well with Azure, but faces challenges with large datasets and concurrent users.
The patches have sometimes caused issues leading to our jobs being paused for about six hours.
Databricks is an easily scalable platform.
I would rate the scalability of this solution as very high, about nine out of ten.
For more quotes and insights, download the Databricks report
You expect only a small percentage of users concurrently, but beyond a thousand concurrent users, it becomes difficult to manage.
With increasing AI capabilities, architectural developments within Microsoft, and tools like Fabric, I expect Power BI to scale accordingly.
As more data is processed, performance issues may arise.
For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Power BI report
Parag Bhosale - PeerSpot reviewer
BP
LK
Shoury Priyanshu - PeerSpot reviewerJames Balbach - PeerSpot reviewerRaymond De Rooij - PeerSpot reviewer
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.7
Databricks is highly rated for stability and performance, with occasional minor issues often due to user or external factors.
Sentiment score
7.5
Microsoft Power BI is stable and reliable, excelling with smaller datasets but may need resources for larger ones.
They release patches that sometimes break our code.
Although it is too early to definitively state the platform's stability, we have not encountered any issues so far.
Databricks is definitely a very stable product and reliable.
For more quotes and insights, download the Databricks report
In terms of stability, there's no data loss or leakage, and precautions are well-managed by Microsoft.
We typically do not have problems with end-user tools like Excel and Power BI.
It is very stable for small data, but with big data, there are performance challenges.
For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Power BI report
Parag Bhosale - PeerSpot reviewer
BP
AC
Shoury Priyanshu - PeerSpot reviewerJames Balbach - PeerSpot reviewer
MH
 

Room For Improvement

Databricks should improve visualization, integration, user experience, and scalability, addressing concerns about pricing, error messages, and onboarding.
Microsoft Power BI faces criticism for Windows dependency, interface complexity, limited features, and challenges in integration and pricing.
Adjusting features like worker nodes and node utilization during cluster creation could mitigate these failures.
We prefer using a small to mid-sized cluster for many jobs to keep costs low, but this sometimes doesn't support our operations properly.
We use MLflow for managing MLOps, however, further improvement would be beneficial, especially for large language models and related tools.
For more quotes and insights, download the Databricks report
This makes Power BI difficult to manage as loading times can reach one or two minutes, which is problematic today.
Access was more logical in how it distinguished between data and its formatting.
Microsoft updates Power BI monthly based on user community feedback.
For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Power BI report
ShubhamSharma7 - PeerSpot reviewerParag Bhosale - PeerSpot reviewerRama Subba Reddy Thavva - PeerSpot reviewerShoury Priyanshu - PeerSpot reviewer
MO
James Balbach - PeerSpot reviewer
 

Setup Cost

Databricks offers flexible, often expensive pricing, mitigated by cloud deployment and tiered licensing, with varied user cost experiences.
Microsoft Power BI provides cost-effective pricing options, with plans ranging from free to $4,995 monthly, competing with Tableau and Cognos.
It is not a cheap solution.
For more quotes and insights, download the Databricks report
I found the setup cost to be expensive
Power BI isn't very cheap, however, it is economical compared to other solutions available.
The pricing for Microsoft Power BI is low, which is a good selling point.
For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Power BI report
BP
ST
Shoury Priyanshu - PeerSpot reviewer
MH
 

Valuable Features

Databricks offers an intuitive interface for data processing, integrating SQL, Python, and features like Delta Lake and MLflow.
Power BI offers seamless Microsoft integration, data visualization, and self-service tools, enhancing data-driven decisions with flexibility and affordability.
Databricks' capability to process data in parallel enhances data processing speed.
The platform allows us to leverage cloud advantages effectively, enhancing our AI and ML projects.
The Unity Catalog is for data governance, and the Delta Lake is to build the lakehouse.
For more quotes and insights, download the Databricks report
In today's data-driven environment, these tools are of substantial value, particularly for large enterprises with numerous processes that require extensive data analysis.
Within the organization, Microsoft Power BI is used to create dashboards and gain insights into data, enhancing data-driven decision-making.
The solution makes it easy for me to develop reports and publish them.
For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Power BI report
ShubhamSharma7 - PeerSpot reviewer
BP
LK
MO
Raymond De Rooij - PeerSpot reviewer
ST
 

Categories and Ranking

Databricks
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.0
Number of Reviews
91
Ranking in other categories
Cloud Data Warehouse (8th), Data Science Platforms (1st), Streaming Analytics (1st)
Microsoft Power BI
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
7.3
Number of Reviews
321
Ranking in other categories
BI (Business Intelligence) Tools (1st), Reporting (1st)
 

Mindshare comparison

While both are Business Intelligence solutions, they serve different purposes. Databricks is designed for Cloud Data Warehouse and holds a mindshare of 8.9%, up 4.1% compared to last year.
Microsoft Power BI, on the other hand, focuses on BI (Business Intelligence) Tools, holds 21.1% mindshare, down 22.0% since last year.
Cloud Data Warehouse
BI (Business Intelligence) Tools
 

Featured Reviews

ShubhamSharma7 - PeerSpot reviewer
Capability to integrate diverse coding languages in a single notebook greatly enhances workflow
Databricks offers various courses that I can use, whether it's PySpark, Scala, or R. I can leverage all these courses in a single notebook, which is beneficial for clients as they can access various tools in one place whenever needed. This is quite significant. I usually work with PySpark based on client requirements. After coding, I feed the Databricks notebooks into the ADF pipeline for updates. Databricks' capability to process data in parallel enhances data processing speed. Furthermore, I can connect our Databricks notebook directly with Power BI and other visualization tools like Qlik. Once we develop code, it allows us to transform raw data into visualizations for clients using analysis diagrams, which is very helpful.
Read full review
Shoury Priyanshu - PeerSpot reviewer
Facilitates seamless data aggregation with some outdated visual elements hindering user appeal
Real-time data integration is an area for improvement. Although I've worked on several solutions involving real-time integration, it's not very user-friendly and often lags, especially with over a million data rows. This makes Power BI difficult to manage as loading times can reach one or two minutes, which is problematic today. There are challenges with scalability, requiring multiple pages in dashboards to manage these issues. Visualization could be improved as it appears outdated. Users, especially newcomers, find it unappealing and not user-friendly.
Read full review
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Comparison Review

it_user79932 - PeerSpot reviewer
Feb 4, 2015
Comparison of SAP BO, Tableau, QlikView, Cognos, Microsoft, OBIEE and Pentaho
1. SAP BO/BI Enterprise scalability Security Ease of use Semantic layer 2. Tableau Visualization Data discovery Turnaround time 3. IBM Cognos Enterprise scalability Security In-memory feature 4. MS BI - Flexibility 5. Pentaho - Open source but still enterprise grade 6. QlikView Data…
Read full review
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
18%
Computer Software Company
10%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Healthcare Company
6%
Educational Organization
30%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Computer Software Company
7%
Government
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

Which do you prefer - Databricks or Azure Machine Learning Studio?
Databricks gives you the option of working with several different languages, such as SQL, R, Scala, Apache Spark, or Python. It offers many different cluster choices and excellent integration with ...
See all answers
How would you compare Databricks vs Amazon SageMaker?
We researched AWS SageMaker, but in the end, we chose Databricks. Databricks is a Unified Analytics Platform designed to accelerate innovation projects. It is based on Spark so it is very fast. It...
See all answers
Which would you choose - Databricks or Azure Stream Analytics?
Databricks is an easy-to-set-up and versatile tool for data management, analysis, and business analytics. For analytics teams that have to interpret data to further the business goals of their orga...
See all answers
Seeking lightweight open source BI software
There are many...It would rather depend what System BI architecture or Enterprise legacy you have at your end...I would recommend as follows: 1) If you have legacies of SAP, Oracle - look for SAP...
See all answers
Is Power BI a complete platform or only a visualization tool?
Power BI is an advanced visualization tool oriented to big data with a very complete set of widgets to visualize information, control users accessing information, the configuration of governance po...
See all answers
How does Oracle OBIEE compare with Microsoft BI?
Oracle OBIEE is great in allowing design and creativity per the individual needs of the organization. Dashboards are fully customizable and very user-friendly. This solution is very stable. Oracle ...
See all answers
 

Comparisons

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Compared 11% of the time
Informatica PowerCenter vs Databricks Logo
Informatica PowerCenter vs Databricks
Compared 7% of the time
Dremio vs Databricks Logo
Dremio vs Databricks
Compared 7% of the time
Tableau vs Databricks Logo
Tableau vs Databricks
Compared 5% of the time
Amazon SageMaker vs Databricks Logo
Amazon SageMaker vs Databricks
Compared 4% of the time
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Tableau vs Microsoft Power BI Logo
Tableau vs Microsoft Power BI
Compared 13% of the time
Domo vs Microsoft Power BI Logo
Domo vs Microsoft Power BI
Compared 7% of the time
Amazon QuickSight vs Microsoft Power BI Logo
Amazon QuickSight vs Microsoft Power BI
Compared 7% of the time
KNIME vs Microsoft Power BI Logo
KNIME vs Microsoft Power BI
Compared 5% of the time
Oracle OBIEE vs Microsoft Power BI Logo
Oracle OBIEE vs Microsoft Power BI
Compared 4% of the time
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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide
Databricks
June 2025
Databricks reportDownload Databricks product report
Buyer's Guide
Microsoft Power BI
May 2025
Microsoft Power BI reportDownload Microsoft Power BI product report
 

Also Known As

Databricks Unified Analytics, Databricks Unified Analytics Platform, Redash
SSRS, SSAS, MSBI, MS Reporting Services, Microsoft BI Tools, Microsoft Big Data, Power BI Pro, MS BI
 

Overview

Databricks is utilized for advanced analytics, big data processing, machine learning models, ETL operations, data engineering, streaming analytics, and integrating multiple data sources.

Organizations leverage Databricks for predictive analysis, data pipelines, data science, and unifying data architectures. It is also used for consulting projects, financial reporting, and creating APIs. Industries like insurance, retail, manufacturing, and pharmaceuticals use Databricks for data management and analytics due to its user-friendly interface, built-in machine learning libraries, support for multiple programming languages, scalability, and fast processing.

What are the key features of Databricks?

  • User-friendly interface: Simplifies operations and usability.
  • Built-in machine learning libraries: Facilitates machine learning tasks.
  • Support for multiple programming languages: Enhances flexibility.
  • Scalability: Efficiently handles growing data needs.
  • Fast processing: Improves performance and speed.
  • Automated optimization: Reduces manual efforts.
  • Data visualization: Provides insightful visuals.
  • Collaborative features: Enhances teamwork.
  • Delta Lake performance: Boosts data management.
  • Seamless cluster management: Simplifies system operations.

What are the benefits or ROI to look for in Databricks reviews?

  • Efficiency in handling large datasets: Ensures smooth processing.
  • Interactive workspace environment: Improves user collaboration.
  • Integration with platforms: Provides connectivity benefits.
  • Performance optimization: Enhances overall system performance.
  • Support for data governance and security: Ensures data integrity and protection.

Databricks is implemented in insurance for risk analysis and claims processing; in retail for customer analytics and inventory management; in manufacturing for predictive maintenance and supply chain optimization; and in pharmaceuticals for drug discovery and patient data analysis. Users value its scalability, machine learning support, collaboration tools, and Delta Lake performance but seek improvements in visualization, pricing, and integration with BI tools.

Databricks

Microsoft Power BI is a powerful tool for data analysis and visualization. This tool stands out for its ability to merge and analyze data from various sources. Widely adopted across different industries and departments, Power BI is instrumental in creating visually appealing dashboards and generating insightful business intelligence reports. Its intuitive interface, robust visualization capabilities, and seamless integration with other Microsoft applications empower users to easily create interactive reports and gain valuable insights.

Microsoft
 

Sample Customers

Elsevier, MyFitnessPal, Sharethrough, Automatic Labs, Celtra, Radius Intelligence, Yesware
Accenture Adidas Aetna AIG Airbus Alibaba Allstate Amazon American Express Aon AT&T Audi Bank of America BASF Bayer Berkshire Hathaway Boeing Coca-Cola Comcast Cisco Coca-Cola Dell Disney Emirates Equinix FedEx Ford GE Google H&M Home Depot Honda IBM Intel JPMorgan Chase Kellogg's Kroger L'Oréal McDonald's Merck MetLife Microsoft Nike Oracle P&G PepsiCo Procter & Gamble Prudential Financial SAP Siemens Snapchat Spotify Starbucks Target Toyota T-Mobile Unilever Visa Walmart WeWork World Bank Xerox
Buyer's Guide
Cloud Data Warehouse
May 2025
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We monitor all Cloud Data Warehouse reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.