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Spreadsheets · head to head

Cube Software vs Power BI

Cube Software logo

Cube Software

Spreadsheets

FP&A layer that connects Excel and Google Sheets to source systems without asking finance to leave the spreadsheet

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Power BI logo

Power BI

Business Intelligence

Business analytics by Microsoft

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Power BI has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Cube Software the pricing page is titled transparent and upfront pricing but shows no figures at all, only three tiers with quote buttons, so the marketing claim and the buying experience directly contradict each other.; Power BI free tier cannot publish or share reports; Pro tier required for collaboration
  • They diverge on capability: Cube Software covers Excel and Google Sheets add-ins, Power BI covers AI-powered Insights.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cube Software and Power BI actually diverge.

Attributes where Cube Software and Power BI differ
AttributeCube SoftwarePower BI
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquoteUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Excel add-in, Google Sheets add-onWeb, Desktop, Mobile
CategorySpreadsheetsBusiness Intelligence
FoundedUnknown1975

Identical on both: 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 Cube Software

  • Excel and Google Sheets add-ins
  • Source system connectors
  • Central dimensional model
  • Drill-down to source
  • Scenario planning
  • Dashboards
  • Workflow automation
  • Slack and Teams integration

Only in Power BI

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

What people use each for

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

Cube Software

  • A finance team on Google Workspace that cannot use the Excel-add-in-only planning tools most of the market sellsnot Power BI
  • A startup finance function of two or three people replacing a shared workbook without a six-month implementationnot Power BI
  • Consolidating actuals from an accounting system and a CRM into one forecast without building a warehousenot Power BI
  • Collecting departmental budget inputs on a schedule with an audit trail rather than by email attachmentnot Power BI

Power BI

  • Self-service analyticsnot Cube Software
  • Data explorationnot Cube Software
  • Ad-hoc reportingnot Cube Software
  • Collaborative analysisnot Cube Software
  • Embedded analyticsnot Cube Software

Where each one falls short

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

Cube Software

  • The pricing page is titled transparent and upfront pricing but shows no figures at all, only three tiers with quote buttons, so the marketing claim and the buying experience directly contradict each other.
  • Add-ons for premium support, additional modules and API access are priced separately, which means the tier you are quoted is a floor rather than the total.
  • The spreadsheet remains the modelling surface, so organisations that grow into large multidimensional planning problems will eventually migrate again to a purpose-built tool.
  • It is a layer over source systems rather than a system of record, so data quality problems in the ERP or CRM surface in the forecast and Cube gives you no way to fix them at source.
  • The vendor targets small finance teams, so buyers needing deep statutory consolidation, multi-entity currency translation or heavy allocation logic will find the functional depth thinner than the established enterprise platforms.

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

Cube Software

On request
  • Bronze$undefined/year
    • Full platform access
    • Unlimited dimensions and users
    • Unlimited dashboards
  • Silver$undefined/year
    • Everything in Bronze
    • Slack and Teams integration
    • Workflow automation
  • Gold$undefined/year
    • Everything in Silver
    • Premium support
    • All integrations and workflows

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 Cube Software if

  • You need excel and google sheets add-ins.
  • You work on Web, Excel add-in, Google Sheets add-on.
  • You also want source system connectors.
Cube Software 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 Cube Software or Power BI better?
Neither clearly leads. Cube Software starts at On request and Power BI at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cube Software or Power BI?
Power BI has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Cube Software and Free for Power BI.
Does Cube Software or Power BI run on more platforms?
Cube Software runs on Web, Excel add-in, Google Sheets add-on. Power BI runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
Can I use Power BI for free?
Yes. Power BI has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Cube Software starts at On request.
What is Cube Software best used for?
Cube Software is most often used for a finance team on google workspace that cannot use the excel-add-in-only planning tools most of the market sells, a startup finance function of two or three people replacing a shared workbook without a six-month implementation, consolidating actuals from an accounting system and a crm into one forecast without building a warehouse, collecting departmental budget inputs on a schedule with an audit trail rather than by email attachment. Of those, a finance team on google workspace that cannot use the excel-add-in-only planning tools most of the market sells and a startup finance function of two or three people replacing a shared workbook without a six-month implementation are not what Power BI is typically brought in for.
What can Cube Software do that Power BI cannot?
Cube Software covers Excel and Google Sheets add-ins, Source system connectors, Central dimensional model, Drill-down to source. Power BI covers AI-powered Insights, Natural Language Queries, Real-time Dashboards, Paginated Reports.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Cube Software: Does Cube work with Google Sheets?

Yes, and that is its main differentiator. Google Sheets is a first-class interface, not a secondary export.

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
Cube Software: Is pricing published?

No, despite the page being titled transparent pricing. All three tiers require a quote.

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
Cube Software: Is it a replacement for our accounting system?

No. It reads actuals from your accounting or ERP system and adds planning, reporting and workflow on top.

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
Cube Software: What are the tiers called?

Bronze, Silver and Gold, with add-ons for premium support, extra modules and API access.

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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