Module 1
3 min read
Power BI Desktop vs Service
Understand the difference between Desktop and Service
Desktop vs Service - What's the Difference?
Power BI Desktop = Where you BUILD reports (free app on your computer)
Power BI Service = Where you SHARE reports (cloud platform at app.powerbi.com)
Power BI Desktop
- Free Windows app
- Build reports and dashboards
- Connect to data, transform, create visuals
- Works offline
- Download from powerbi.microsoft.com
Power BI Service
- Cloud platform (browser-based)
- Share reports with your team
- Schedule automatic data refresh
- Access from anywhere
- View on mobile
How They Work Together
- Build in Desktop
- Publish to Service (click Publish button)
- Share with your team
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Desktop | Service |
|---|---|---|
| Build reports | Yes | Limited |
| Data modeling | Yes | No |
| Share with team | No | Yes |
| Auto refresh | No | Yes |
| Mobile access | No | Yes |
| Cost | Free | Free / Pro |
Pricing
- Free - Desktop + view your own reports in Service
- Pro ($10/month) - Share with others, team workspaces
- Premium - Enterprise features, share with free users
What Do You Need?
Learning? Just Desktop (free)
Working in a team? Desktop + Pro
For this course, Desktop is all you need. It's 100% free.