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Microsoft Power BI vs QlikView vs ThoughtSpot comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

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
Microsoft Power BI delivers high ROI with cost-effective deployment, enhancing reporting, analytics, and decision-making for businesses.
Sentiment score
6.4
QlikView ROI appears through time savings, decision-making improvements, and efficient deployment, despite licensing complexity impacting perception.
Sentiment score
6.4
ThoughtSpot offers time savings and strategic benefits, though ROI quantification is challenging and adoption varies despite its user-friendly interface.
In a world surrounded by data, tools that allow navigation of large data volumes ensure decisions are data-driven.
Corporate HR Financial Controller at STMicroelectronics Holding
Because of integration with Microsoft Power BI, its interactive dashboards, and how easily it integrates with other SQL data sources, business decisions from business users have become much faster.
Data engineer at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
Power BI is easy to deploy within an hour, providing robust security against data leaks.
Senior Manager, Strategy & Consulting at Viacom18 Media Pvt Ltd
The biggest return on investment is the time saving for the customer.
Managing Director at Hurricnae
Using ThoughtSpot has resulted in significant time savings and improved business sales by allowing us to identify sellers and buyers across regions, facilitating targeted marketing.
Business Intelligence & Reporting Manager at a tech vendor with 51-200 employees
Based on our implementation in one project, we are trying to raise more funding to expand its use.
Senior Business Intelligence Architect at Mphasis
This tool has really improved our decision-making by 70 to 80% because we are able to rely on insights from different data sources from different departments.
Financial Analyst at Nestlé
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.6
Microsoft Power BI support is positive, with responsive customer service, though technical support response times and expertise vary.
Sentiment score
6.1
QlikView's customer support is highly rated, with quick responses, a helpful community, and generally strong availability despite geographic factors.
Sentiment score
5.9
ThoughtSpot's customer service receives mixed reviews, with praise for responsiveness but some criticism for delays and knowledge base limitations.
The significant drawback I notice is that Microsoft's size makes it hard to get specific change requests addressed unless they involve a bug.
Corporate HR Financial Controller at STMicroelectronics Holding
We have a partnership with Microsoft, involving multiple weekly calls with dedicated personnel to ensure our satisfaction.
Executive Director, Decision Support at Community Health Network
The support is good because there is also a community available.
Business Development Director at a tech consulting company with 201-500 employees
I would rate the customer support a solid 10.
Managing Director at Hurricnae
I am totally satisfied with technical support from Qlik.
Financial Controller with task of Business Intelligence Implementation at a wholesaler/distributor with 1,001-5,000 employees
I stopped opening tickets due to insufficient and untimely responses.
Software Engineer (Data specialist) at Salesforce
ThoughtSpot provides a dedicated customer success person and the ability to submit tickets online, with a response time of no more than a day.
Business Intelligence & Reporting Manager at a tech vendor with 51-200 employees
The customer support for ThoughtSpot is very proactive and supportive, available 24/7.
Financial Analyst at Nestlé
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
6.9
Microsoft Power BI effectively scales for most users, though large datasets and high-capacity licenses pose challenges and costs.
Sentiment score
7.0
QlikView scales well with efficient resource management, but superior scalability features are found in Qlik Sense, requiring robust infrastructure.
Sentiment score
6.1
ThoughtSpot is praised for scalability and flexibility but faces challenges in governance; contract type affects its scalability potential.
You expect only a small percentage of users concurrently, but beyond a thousand concurrent users, it becomes difficult to manage.
Senior Manager, Strategy & Consulting at Viacom18 Media Pvt Ltd
With increasing AI capabilities, architectural developments within Microsoft, and tools like Fabric, I expect Power BI to scale accordingly.
Executive Director, Decision Support at Community Health Network
As more data is processed, performance issues may arise.
Product Owner at ABN AMRO Bank N.V.
If you want better performance with a larger volume of data, you can simply add an additional server.
Financial Controller with task of Business Intelligence Implementation at a wholesaler/distributor with 1,001-5,000 employees
Tableau, Power BI, or Looker have separate tools for preparation, customization, and storytelling.
Sr Data Analytics Consultant at Capgemini
The platform does not have technical problems with scaling data or connections.
Software Engineer (Data specialist) at Salesforce
As our data has grown, I have validated huge datasets and complex models without significant issues.
Data Analyst at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.4
Users find Microsoft Power BI stable and reliable but face performance issues with large datasets and real-time data limitations.
Sentiment score
7.7
Users rate QlikView's stability highly, with issues mainly due to infrastructure or large data, resolved with hardware tweaks.
Sentiment score
6.3
ThoughtSpot is reliable and stable, with minimal downtime and smooth upgrades, despite occasional performance issues and integration needs.
In terms of stability, there's no data loss or leakage, and precautions are well-managed by Microsoft.
Senior Manager, Strategy & Consulting at Viacom18 Media Pvt Ltd
We typically do not have problems with end-user tools like Excel and Power BI.
Executive Director, Decision Support at Community Health Network
It is very stable for small data, but with big data, there are performance challenges.
Business Development Director at a tech consulting company with 201-500 employees
I use it primarily for large datasets, and it performs faster than regular data visualization tools such as Power BI, which has limits on dataset size.
Sr Data Analytics Consultant at Capgemini
The upgrades are smooth with no downtime, which is super important.
Software Engineer (Data specialist) at Salesforce
The responsiveness of accessing live data is exceptional and faster than most other BI tools.
Business Intelligence & Reporting Manager at a tech vendor with 51-200 employees
 

Room For Improvement

Microsoft Power BI needs performance improvements, better mobile accessibility, non-Microsoft database support, and simplified interface for non-technical users.
QlikView needs a more intuitive interface, better scalability, integration, predictive analytics, and cost-effective licensing for improved user experience.
ThoughtSpot lacks customization, flexibility, and affordable options, with users desiring improved integrations, usability, and a free learning version.
This makes Power BI difficult to manage as loading times can reach one or two minutes, which is problematic today.
Senior Manager, Strategy & Consulting at Viacom18 Media Pvt Ltd
Access was more logical in how it distinguished between data and its formatting.
Corporate HR Financial Controller at STMicroelectronics Holding
Microsoft updates Power BI monthly based on user community feedback.
Executive Director, Decision Support at Community Health Network
In QlikView, I believe the improvement that should be made is to bring the costs down, as you'll have to be competitive with Power BI, aiming for at least a 30% reduction to stop the hemorrhaging to Power BI.
Managing Director at Hurricnae
It would be beneficial to have AI or ML features in QlikView.
Financial Controller with task of Business Intelligence Implementation at a wholesaler/distributor with 1,001-5,000 employees
Currently, it is not as customizable as the options available on Power BI or Tableau.
Sr Data Analytics Consultant at Capgemini
Handling governance when there are many models and dashboards is complex.
Software Engineer (Data specialist) at Salesforce
Enhancing integration capabilities with other tools like DBT would also be beneficial as it would make our lives easier.
Business Intelligence & Reporting Manager at a tech vendor with 51-200 employees
 

Setup Cost

Microsoft Power BI offers competitive pricing, with discounts available and appreciated features, despite higher Premium costs.
QlikView pricing is variable and can be costly, but strategic planning can maximize ROI for organizations.
ThoughtSpot offers competitive pricing with flexible negotiation, generally costing more than Power BI but less than Tableau.
I found the setup cost to be expensive
Responsable du département Projets et Applications at CHD Vendée
Power BI isn't very cheap, however, it is economical compared to other solutions available.
Senior Manager, Strategy & Consulting at Viacom18 Media Pvt Ltd
The pricing for Microsoft Power BI is low, which is a good selling point.
Business Development Director at a tech consulting company with 201-500 employees
The license cost per user or per year for QlikView is about 500 Euros annually.
Managing Director at Hurricnae
I would rate the pricing for QlikView as not cheap, but it is reasonable.
Financial Controller with task of Business Intelligence Implementation at a wholesaler/distributor with 1,001-5,000 employees
HubSpot is expensive.
Software Engineer (Data specialist) at Salesforce
ThoughtSpot's pricing is reasonable and in line with other BI tools.
Business Intelligence & Reporting Manager at a tech vendor with 51-200 employees
The pricing, setup cost, and licensing for ThoughtSpot are competitive.
Financial Analyst at Nestlé
 

Valuable Features

Microsoft Power BI offers user-friendly interfaces, powerful data visualization, and seamless integration for efficient data analytics solutions.
QlikView offers powerful data analysis with dynamic dashboards, intuitive interface, and rapid visualization for enhanced business performance and insights.
ThoughtSpot simplifies data exploration with AI analytics, offering speed, scalability, and user-friendly interfaces for efficient decision-making.
In today's data-driven environment, these tools are of substantial value, particularly for large enterprises with numerous processes that require extensive data analysis.
Corporate HR Financial Controller at STMicroelectronics Holding
Within the organization, Microsoft Power BI is used to create dashboards and gain insights into data, enhancing data-driven decision-making.
Product Owner at ABN AMRO Bank N.V.
To reduce the need for highly skilled personnel, we can engage someone who is just familiar and has a basic understanding of Microsoft Power BI, while AI can handle the major tasks through either agent AI or requirement analysis.
Senior Technical Service Engineer Expert at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
The best features in QlikView are rapid development, the fact that I can do what I want in QlikView, and full control along with ease of use.
Managing Director at Hurricnae
Building metrics using simple language, similar to what you have in Excel, is what I have found most valuable in QlikView.
Financial Controller with task of Business Intelligence Implementation at a wholesaler/distributor with 1,001-5,000 employees
Its compatibility with most databases, including the latest from FlexMovely and Redshift, allows users to create joins and worksheets easily.
Sr Data Analytics Consultant at Capgemini
This alerting feature is very beneficial for our company at the moment, and we use it extensively.
When I upload a data dump, AI analytics suggest possible data visualizations and insights, which I can pin to dashboards or live boards for modification.
Data Analyst at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
 

Mindshare comparison

BI (Business Intelligence) Tools Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Microsoft Power BI7.5%
Tableau Enterprise5.8%
Amazon QuickSight3.2%
Other83.5%
BI (Business Intelligence) Tools
Reporting Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
QlikView3.9%
Tableau Enterprise14.1%
Microsoft Power BI13.2%
Other68.8%
Reporting
BI (Business Intelligence) Tools Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
ThoughtSpot1.7%
Microsoft Power BI7.5%
Tableau Enterprise5.8%
Other85.0%
BI (Business Intelligence) Tools
 

Featured Reviews

Hemanthreddy Vakiti - PeerSpot reviewer
Data engineer at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
Interactive dashboards have transformed restaurant data into faster daily business decisions
Microsoft Power BI has many features and there is not a lot to improve. However, the licensing can be confusing. When deciding between Pro and Premium, I find it difficult to distinguish what features are offered by Pro and what features are offered by Premium, including the particular differences to choose between both licensing models. Additionally, some features such as DAX, which I mentioned previously, involve DAX calculations and complex data modeling, which are somewhat advanced and not easily understandable. Prior knowledge is required or you need to go through the documentation. If the documentation is made comprehensive so that anyone with no knowledge on DAX can easily use it by going through the documentation, it would be really helpful. Additionally, if the integration with non-Microsoft tools is improved and performance is optimized, then Microsoft Power BI can become a top-ranked visualization tool. The user experience with Microsoft Power BI is quite good. The intuitive user interface makes it easy for both technical and non-technical users to create reports. However, only the advanced features are somewhat complex, and if the documentation is improved, it can be easily accessible.
SG
Financial Controller with task of Business Intelligence Implementation at a wholesaler/distributor with 1,001-5,000 employees
Daily invoice analytics has become streamlined and complex data modeling is now simplified
We are not using analytics features and possibly predictive analytics and forecasting features in QlikView, although they are available. QlikView is very flexible, but we are currently using only tabular presentation of data because that is what we need. Presenting a large volume of data in QlikView with graphics can be overwhelming for the majority of people who want to see a lot of information in one picture. It would be beneficial to have AI or ML features in QlikView. However, I think they will decommission QlikView, and AI features are already available in Qlik Sense, so you would need to migrate to that platform.
Purity Wairimu - PeerSpot reviewer
Financial Analyst at Nestlé
Self-service analytics has empowered teams and now drives faster data-driven decisions
I have an experience of four years using ThoughtSpot. ThoughtSpot is very easy to use. Even non-technical users find it very easy to use and user-friendly. Some of the best features ThoughtSpot offers are innovation, ease of use, and data analytics. Reporting development is also pretty easy, making complex formulas slightly easier. Additionally, dashboarding for non-technical people, easy search of data, ease of getting insights, AI-driven analytics, and the ability to easily build charts are highlights. ThoughtSpot also offers data connection with live data sources. ThoughtSpot's scalability is impressive; it can handle large data easily, and performance has been powerful and reliable. The AI-driven analytics capabilities in ThoughtSpot help to predict future outcomes and are very helpful in tracking data, and performance is great.
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Comparison Review

it_user79932 - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Manager - BI Head with 5,001-10,000 employees
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…
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
14%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Government
8%
Construction Company
7%
Financial Services Firm
15%
Construction Company
13%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Comms Service Provider
7%
Financial Services Firm
15%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Computer Software Company
8%
Construction Company
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business136
Midsize Enterprise59
Large Enterprise171
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business73
Midsize Enterprise36
Large Enterprise76
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business3
Midsize Enterprise1
Large Enterprise14
 

Questions from the Community

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 wou...
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 info...
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 ...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for QlikView?
I would rate the pricing for QlikView as not cheap, but it is reasonable.
What needs improvement with QlikView?
We are not using analytics features and possibly predictive analytics and forecasting features in QlikView, although ...
What is your primary use case for QlikView?
The primary use case involves analyzing data on a daily invoice level with QlikView. Building metrics using simple la...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for ThoughtSpot?
The pricing, setup cost, and licensing for ThoughtSpot are competitive, and it is a very user-friendly tool compared ...
What needs improvement with ThoughtSpot?
The customizability of the visualization live boards should be improved. Additional support for more data warehouse s...
What is your primary use case for ThoughtSpot?
My name is Peter Chemo, a Financial Analyst at Nesto. One of the major challenges that ThoughtSpot solves is reducing...
 

Comparisons

 

Also Known As

SSRS, SSAS, MSBI, MS Reporting Services, Microsoft BI Tools, Microsoft Big Data, Power BI Pro, MS BI
No data available
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

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
Canon, Gatorade, Amcor, Panasonic, Fila, Cambridge University Hospitals, Global Retail Bank, North Yorkshire Police department, Lanoo Group Publishers, and AonGroep Nederland.
Primary Capital Mortgage, Sterling Backcheck, RichRelevance, Rambus, Batteries Plus Bulbs
Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft, Salesforce, SAP and others in BI (Business Intelligence) Tools. Updated: May 2026.
900,228 professionals have used our research since 2012.