Both Microsoft Power BI Premium and SAS Visual Analytics 9.5 are powerful analytics platforms suitable for large organizations. Power BI Premium offers a lower entry price and integrates seamlessly with the Microsoft ecosystem, while SAS Visual Analytics 9.5 provides a strong drag-and-drop interface and comprehensive analytics capabilities. The choice depends on specific needs, budget, and existing infrastructure.
| Attribute | Microsoft Power BI Premium | SAS Visual Analytics 9.5 |
|---|---|---|
| Data Visualization Capabilities | Transforms raw data into understandable insights using charts and graphs. Offers hundreds of visual objects, interactive dashboards, and customizable reports. | Interactive charts, dashboards, and reports with a drag-and-drop interface, various chart types (bar, scatter, heat maps, geographic maps), and customizable dashboards. Users can create custom visualizations. |
| Data Integration Capabilities | Connects to various data sources, including Excel, databases, cloud-based, and on-premise apps. Offers prebuilt connectors and supports custom connectors. | Connects to various data sources, including databases, spreadsheets, Hadoop, cloud storage (Snowflake, S3, Synapse), and social media platforms. Facilitates real-time data integration, and data can be cleaned, processed, and combined for analysis. |
| Reporting and Dashboarding Features | Allows users to create custom reports and dashboards with self-service reporting and sharing capabilities. | Provides a drag-and-drop interface for creating interactive reports and dashboards with real-time insights. Dashboards are customizable and can be shared across teams. |
| Scalability and Performance | Engineered for large organizations with scalable, high-performance analytics. Uses capacity-based licensing with dedicated resources and autoscale feature. | Built for scalability, handling large and complex datasets with in-memory processing. Uses a distributed architecture for large amounts of data in cloud or on-premise environments. |
| Collaboration Features | Offers tiered sharing capabilities through Power BI Pro and Premium, enabling content creators to publish and share reports with governance and security controls. | Web-based interface enhances accessibility and collaboration, allowing reports and dashboards to be shared across an organization. Integrates with Microsoft Office applications for sharing live visualizations. |
| Mobile Accessibility | Provides native mobile apps for iOS, Android, and Windows, allowing secure access to live dashboards and reports on any device. | Offers mobile support through native apps for iOS and Android, allowing users to view and interact with reports and dashboards on the go, both online and offline. |
| Customization Options | Offers customization options for app navigation, allowing report developers to customize navigation. | Offers customization options to tailor the tool to specific business needs. Users can create custom graph objects. |
| Security Features | Integrates with Microsoft Purview Information Protection, encrypts data at rest and in transit, and supports row-level security (RLS). | Security measures include role-based access controls, data encryption, and audit capabilities. Supports secure connections using TLS and offers device whitelisting. Encrypts data in transit using SSL/HTTPS. |
| AI and Machine Learning Integration | Integrates with Azure Machine Learning and leverages built-in Azure AI services for text analytics, image analysis, and predictive analytics. | Integrates advanced analytics, including predictive modeling and machine learning, within the same environment. Supports automated machine learning for model creation, feature engineering, and hyperparameter optimization. Forecasts trends, detects anomalies, and segments data. |
| Cloud and On-Premise Deployment Options | Offers both cloud and on-premises deployment options, supporting hybrid strategies with Power BI Report Server. | Offers flexible deployment options, including on-premise, cloud (public or private), and hybrid deployments. |
| Pricing and Licensing | Capacity-based pricing, starting at $4,995 per month for the P1 capacity node. Power BI Premium Per User (PPU) is priced at $20 per user per month. | Pricing starts at $8,000 monthly. A free trial is available. |
| User Interface and User Experience | Designed with a user-friendly interface, empowering business users to explore data and create reports without heavy reliance on IT. | Features an intuitive drag-and-drop interface, making it accessible for both technical and non-technical users. |