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Machine Learning · head to head

BigQuery ML vs Power BI

BigQuery ML logo

BigQuery ML

Machine Learning

Machine learning in BigQuery using SQL

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Power BI logo

Power BI

Business Intelligence

Business analytics by Microsoft

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: BigQuery ML not available in BigQuery's Standard edition, so the cheapest tier cannot use it; Power BI free tier cannot publish or share reports; Pro tier required for collaboration
  • They diverge on capability: BigQuery ML covers SQL-based ML, Power BI covers AI-powered Insights.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which BigQuery ML and Power BI actually diverge.

Attributes where BigQuery ML and Power BI differ
AttributeBigQuery MLPower BI
Pricing modelusage-basedUnknown
PlatformsWebWeb, Desktop, Mobile
CategoryMachine LearningBusiness Intelligence
Founded20081975

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in BigQuery ML

  • SQL-based ML
  • AutoML Tables
  • Model export
  • Prediction functions
  • Feature preprocessing
  • BigQuery
  • Vertex AI
  • TensorFlow

Only in Power BI

  • AI-powered Insights
  • Natural Language Queries
  • Real-time Dashboards
  • Paginated Reports
  • Mobile Apps
  • Excel
  • Azure
  • Dynamics 365

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

BigQuery ML

  • Training models in SQL without exporting datanot Power BI
  • Linear and logistic regression on warehouse datanot Power BI
  • K-means clustering and matrix factorisation for recommendationsnot Power BI
  • Time series forecasting with ARIMA_PLUSnot Power BI
  • Running imported ONNX, TensorFlow or XGBoost models against BigQuery datanot Power BI

Power BI

  • Self-service analyticsnot BigQuery ML
  • Data explorationnot BigQuery ML
  • Ad-hoc reportingnot BigQuery ML
  • Collaborative analysisnot BigQuery ML
  • Embedded analyticsnot BigQuery ML

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

BigQuery ML

  • Not available in BigQuery's Standard edition, so the cheapest tier cannot use it
  • Billed through BigQuery compute and storage rather than as its own product, so training cost tracks data scanned
  • Remote models incur extra Agent Platform charges on top
  • Externally trained model types such as boosted trees and AutoML run through Agent Platform rather than inside BigQuery

Power BI

  • Free tier cannot publish or share reports; Pro tier required for collaboration
  • Free tier cannot schedule automatic data refreshes
  • Offline capabilities limited to local Power BI Desktop; cloud service always requires internet
  • Data refresh capped at 8 times per day on Pro tier without Premium Per User

Pricing, plan by plan

BigQuery ML

Free
  • Free TierFree
    • 10GB storage
    • 1TB queries
  • On-Demand$5/TB
    • Pay per TB scanned
    • ML training costs

Power BI

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Local report creation in Power BI Desktop
    • Cannot publish or share
    • No scheduled refreshes
  • Power BI Pro$14/user/month
    • Publish and share reports
    • Up to 8 scheduled refreshes/day
    • Collaborate with other Pro users
  • Premium Per User$24/user/month
    • All Pro features
    • Up to 48 scheduled refreshes/day
    • Copilot integration

Which should you pick?

Choose BigQuery ML if

  • You need sql-based ml.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want automl tables.
BigQuery ML review

Choose Power BI if

  • You need ai-powered insights.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
  • You also want natural language queries.
Power BI review

Questions people ask

Is BigQuery ML or Power BI better?
Neither clearly leads. BigQuery ML starts at Free and Power BI at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, BigQuery ML or Power BI?
BigQuery ML starts at Free and Power BI at Free.
Does BigQuery ML or Power BI run on more platforms?
BigQuery ML runs on Web. Power BI runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
Can I use BigQuery ML for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is BigQuery ML best used for?
BigQuery ML is most often used for training models in sql without exporting data, linear and logistic regression on warehouse data, k-means clustering and matrix factorisation for recommendations, time series forecasting with arima_plus. Of those, training models in sql without exporting data and linear and logistic regression on warehouse data are not what Power BI is typically brought in for.
What can BigQuery ML do that Power BI cannot?
BigQuery ML covers SQL-based ML, AutoML Tables, Model export, Prediction functions. Power BI covers AI-powered Insights, Natural Language Queries, Real-time Dashboards, Paginated Reports. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

BigQuery ML: How much does Google Cloud BigQuery ML cost?

BigQuery ML pricing is not specified separately on Google Cloud's pricing page. It follows the same pay-as-you-go model as BigQuery, charging per terabyte of data scanned during analysis. Customers receive $300 in free credits and can use 20+ products free up to monthly limits.

Source
Power BI: Can I use Power BI Desktop offline?

Power BI Desktop runs locally and can edit reports offline, but publishing to the service and refreshing cloud data sources requires internet connection. Offline reports show cached data from the last refresh.

Source
BigQuery ML: Does Google Cloud offer a free trial?

Yes, new customers get $300 in free credits and all customers can use 20+ Google Cloud products free up to their monthly usage limits.

Source
Power BI: What are the data refresh limits for each tier?

Power BI Premium Per User allows up to 48 scheduled refreshes per day, while Pro tier is limited to 8 scheduled refreshes per day. Free tier cannot schedule automatic refreshes.

Source
Power BI: Can I use Power BI Free with shared data sources?

Free tier users can create local reports in Power BI Desktop but cannot publish to the Power BI Service for collaboration. Publishing requires Power BI Pro ($14/user/month).

Source
Power BI: Is SSO available and on which plan?

SSO is available on Power BI Premium Per User ($24/user/month) and Fabric capacity plans through Azure AD integration.

Source
Power BI: What does Copilot require in Power BI?

Copilot for natural language queries and automatic report generation requires Power BI Premium Per User or Fabric capacity pricing, not available on Pro or Free tiers.

Source
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