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Microsoft Power BI VS BIRT

Compare Microsoft Power BI VS BIRT and see what are their differences

Microsoft Power BI logo Microsoft Power BI

BI visualization and reporting for desktop, web or mobile

BIRT logo BIRT

BIRT is an open source technology platform used to create data visualizations and reports that can be embedded into rich client and web applications.
  • Microsoft Power BI Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-06-14
  • BIRT Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-12-19

Microsoft Power BI features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    Power BI has an intuitive drag-and-drop interface that makes it easy for users to create reports and dashboards without extensive technical knowledge.
  • Integration with Microsoft Products
    Seamlessly integrates with other Microsoft products like Excel, Azure, and Office 365, enhancing productivity and data accessibility.
  • Real-Time Data
    Supports real-time data streaming, which allows users to get up-to-date insights and make informed decisions quickly.
  • Custom Visualizations
    Offers a wide range of built-in visualizations, as well as the ability to create custom visuals, helping users present data in a meaningful way.
  • Robust Security
    Provides strong security features including role-based access, data encryption, and compliance with global regulatory standards.

Possible disadvantages of Microsoft Power BI

  • Complex Licensing
    The licensing model can be confusing and expensive, especially for small businesses or individual users.
  • Performance Issues with Large Data Sets
    Performance can be impacted when handling very large data sets, making it less suitable for extremely data-intensive applications.
  • Limited Customization
    While offering many built-in features, deep customization options may require advanced knowledge of DAX (Data Analysis Expressions) and Power Query.
  • Learning Curve
    Users new to business intelligence tools may find there is a significant learning curve to fully utilize all of Power BI's features.
  • Dependency on Internet Connection
    Many features, especially those involving cloud services, require a stable internet connection, which may be a limitation for some users.

BIRT features and specs

  • Open Source
    BIRT (Business Intelligence and Reporting Tools) is open-source, which means it is free to use and can be customized to meet specific needs without additional licensing costs.
  • Integration with Eclipse
    BIRT is well-integrated with the Eclipse IDE, providing a seamless development experience for users who are familiar with Eclipse. This makes it easier for Java developers to incorporate reporting into their applications.
  • Rich Feature Set
    BIRT offers a wide array of features, including data access from multiple sources, sophisticated report designs, and interactive reports, which cater to diverse reporting needs.
  • Community Support
    There is a strong community around BIRT, providing forums, documentation, and other resources to help developers troubleshoot and enhance their reporting solutions.
  • Customizability
    BIRT's design allows for extensive customization in terms of report design and data integration, enabling the creation of tailored reporting solutions.

Possible disadvantages of BIRT

  • Complexity
    BIRT can be complex, particularly for new users or those with little experience in report designing, due to its extensive feature set and flexible setup.
  • Performance Issues
    Some users have reported performance issues, especially when dealing with large datasets or very complex reports, which may require optimization to address.
  • Limited Out-of-Box Functionality
    While BIRT is highly customizable, it lacks some out-of-the-box functionality offered by commercial reporting tools, which might require more initial development time.
  • Steep Learning Curve
    Due to its broad capabilities and comprehensive environment, BIRT may have a steep learning curve, requiring significant time and effort to master.
  • Documentation Quality
    The quality and depth of available documentation can be inconsistent, which may make it difficult for users to find detailed guidance on advanced features or troubleshooting.

Analysis of Microsoft Power BI

Overall verdict

  • Power BI is a highly recommended tool for business intelligence and data visualization, particularly within organizations that are already invested in the Microsoft ecosystem. Its integration capabilities, ease of use, and robust feature set make it an excellent choice for turning data into actionable insights.

Why this product is good

  • Microsoft Power BI provides a robust data visualization and business intelligence tool, allowing users to transform raw data into informative insights through interactive dashboards and reports.
  • The platform integrates seamlessly with a wide range of Microsoft services, such as Azure, Excel, and SQL Server, and offers connectivity with numerous third-party data sources, enhancing its versatility.
  • Power BI is known for its user-friendly interface, which makes it accessible to both technical and non-technical users. The drag-and-drop functionality makes creating visualizations straightforward.
  • It offers strong data security features, including authentication and data encryption, which are essential for maintaining data integrity and confidentiality.
  • Power BI is cost-effective, providing a competitive pricing model that scales from individual users to large organizations, ensuring value for businesses of all sizes.

Recommended for

  • Businesses that already use Microsoft products and services, as they can fully leverage the integrations Power BI offers.
  • Data analysts and business professionals who need to create visual reports and dashboards without extensive technical knowledge.
  • Organizations looking for a scalable and affordable BI solution to facilitate data-driven decision-making.
  • Teams or companies that need to collaborate on reports and share insights easily within a secure and controlled environment.

Microsoft Power BI videos

No Microsoft Power BI videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

Add video

BIRT videos

BIRT Designer | Eclipse Reporting Tool : A Tutorial & Review

More videos:

  • Tutorial - BIRT Tutorial
  • Review - MY VERY HONEST AND RAW BIRTH VIDEO - Welcome to the world Nikola!

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Microsoft Power BI and BIRT)
Data Dashboard
97 97%
3% 3
Business Intelligence
96 96%
4% 4
Data Visualization
97 97%
3% 3
Data Analysis
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Microsoft Power BI and BIRT

Microsoft Power BI Reviews

Explore 7 Tableau Alternatives for Data Visualization and Analysis
Microsoft Power BI is a robust data visualization and business intelligence tool that enables users to create interactive, real-time dashboards and reports with minimal coding. It supports over 100 data connectors, integrates seamlessly with the Azure SQL Database, and features advanced data modeling with the DAX language. Power BI's intuitive interface, frequent AI-driven...
Source: www.draxlr.com
Explore 6 Metabase Alternatives for Data Visualization and Analysis
It offers multiple pricing options, including a free version for individual users and paid plans like Power BI Pro and Power BI Premium. Pricing is based on user and capacity needs.
Source: www.draxlr.com
5 best Looker alternatives
Power BI: Microsoft Power BI is a legacy BI tool that is known for its seamless integration to Microsoft ecosystem, which is one of its strongest advantages. However, this tight integration can also be a drawback, as it tends to have limited compatibility with other ecosystems and often relies on Microsoft tools for optimal functionality.
Source: www.draxlr.com
10 Best Alternatives to Looker in 2024
Power BI: Microsoft's Power BI stands out for its seamless integration with other Microsoft products, making it a top choice for organizations deeply invested in the Microsoft ecosystem. Its powerful data visualization tools and extensive community support make it a strong contender in the BI landscape.
Top 10 AI Data Analysis Tools in 2024
Microsoft Power BI is a versatile business intelligence platform that enables users to sort through their data and visualize it for actionable insights. One of its key strengths lies in its ability to import data from nearly any source, allowing users to build reports and dashboards effortlessly. Additionally, Power BI empowers users to build machine learning models and...
Source: powerdrill.ai

BIRT Reviews

Top 10 Tableau Open Source Alternatives: A Comprehensive List
Launched in 2004, Business Intelligence and Reporting Tools (BIRT) is one of the most used open-source Business Intelligence tools worldwide. With an intuitive user interface, BIRT allows the users to generate a variety of comprehensive reports, including textual details, graphs, and various charts. Although this software is primarily intended to meet the needs of intuitive...
Source: hevodata.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Microsoft Power BI seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 17 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Microsoft Power BI mentions (17)

  • Unified Analytics Platform: Microsoft Fabric
    Microsoft Fabric is currently in preview and provides data integration, engineering, data warehousing, data science, real-time analytics, applied observability, and business intelligence under a single architecture by integrating services such as Azure Data Factory, Azure Synapse Analytics, Data Activator, and Power BI. In addition, it comes with a SaaS, multi-cloud data lake called "OneLake" that is built-in and... Source: about 2 years ago
  • NSS Data Analytics Program Question
    I'd suggest spending some time learning the material before you invest thousands in tuition only to find that you don't like it or aren't good at it. Download Tableau Public or Power BI and force yourself to use them for a few months. That's how I taught myself R. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Why Is Data Analytics Important?
    Discover why business analytics is crucial for your business and how to utilise data analytics and PowerBI to make informed and data-backed decisions! Source: about 2 years ago
  • Cloud dB reporting tool?
    Power BI is popular... But for table reports with Excel/PDF export you can use Pebble Reports. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Asking for guidance on migrating to a database from Excel
    Yes, MySQL can do the job. You can use Airforms to do data entry. No need to learn MySQL syntax. You will also need a reporting tool, such as Power BI. Source: over 2 years ago
View more

BIRT mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of BIRT yet. Tracking of BIRT recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Microsoft Power BI and BIRT, you can also consider the following products

Tableau - Tableau can help anyone see and understand their data. Connect to almost any database, drag and drop to create visualizations, and share with a click.

JasperReports - JasperReports Server is a stand-alone and embeddable reporting server.

Looker - Looker makes it easy for analysts to create and curate custom data experiences—so everyone in the business can explore the data that matters to them, in the context that makes it truly meaningful.

Pentaho - Pentaho is a Business Intelligence software company that offers Pentaho Business Analytics, a suite...

Sisense - The BI & Dashboard Software to handle multiple, large data sets.

Crystal Reports - Save up to 25% when you buy or upgrade. Discover SAP Crystal Reports to take control of complex data and monitor business performance to achieve results.