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Edu4Sure Admin
- November 25, 2020
For any company, it is crucial to be able to make sense of its data. Even more important is to visualize that data in an understandable form that can be shared with clients. That is the reason that data analytics tools like Power BI and Tableau have been trending in the market. Google Data Studio is one of the newest entrants in this field. Go through Google Data Studio VS Power BI below.
However, this is not Google’s first data analytics tool. Data Studio has been said to be an upgraded version of Google Analytics, an older product.
Like Microsoft’s Power BI, data analysts can use Google’s Google Data Studio to bring their data to life in smart dashboards. Both help decision-makers visualize data in easy-to-understand reports. However, there are critical differences between these two tools.
Which tool would serve you better: Google Data Studio Vs Power BI?
In the following table, we give you a side-by-side comparison of both the tools on the most important criteria.
If you are also looking at the pros and cons of Power BI compared with Tableau, check out our post “Tableau Or Power BI, Which Is The Market Leader?“
| S No. | Basis | Google Data Studio | Power BI |
| 1 | Release Date | October 2018 | July 2015 |
| 2 | Price | Google Data Studio is Free. Exception: You have to pay a fee for sourcing data from Community Connectors. | Three Version: 1. Power BI Desktop: Free Limited features include data cleaning and preparation, customization, publishing to Power BI services 2. Power BI Pro: $9.99/month per user Full features including Dashboards with a 360-degree real-time view 3. Power BI Premium: $4995/month per user With advanced analytics, Big Data support, Enterprise BI, clouds, and on-premise reporting |
| 3 | Data Sources | Data can be loaded from over 200 connectors. Free sources: Google Connectors like Google Sheets, Google Ads, Google Analytics, MySQL, etc. Partner Connectors like Adobe Analytics, Facebook Ads, Chrome UX Report, etc. Paid Sources: These are the Community Connectors. They allow connection to any internet-accessible data source, for example, social media platforms. |
It gives you a wider range of data sources than Google Data Studio. Files: Excel, CSV, XML, Text, JSON and Folder Database: SQL Server, Oracle, IBM DB2, MySQL, SAP HANA, etc. Microsoft Azure: Azure is integrated with Power BI giving access to sources like Azure SQL Database, MS Azure Document CB, etc. Power BI Data Sets and Data Flows Other Sources: Spark, Zendesk, Hadoop, etc., and online sources like Dynamic CRM online, Google Analytics, etc. |
| 4 | Set up | Google Data Studio is Cloud-based. There is no extra setup needed. | Power BI Desktop: requires you to install tools on your desktop. One of the tools, Query Editors allows data modeling. Power BI Service is Cloud-based. Here, Data modelling is limited. Sometimes, designers have to use both of these versions for more efficient results. |
| 5 | Usage | – Designed for semi-technical users, mostly business analysts – More suitable for smaller organizations using mostly Google data sources |
– Designed for beginner and advanced-level business analysts – More suitable for bigger enterprises with more advanced needs |
| 6 | Sharing | You can easily share reports by creating URL links. Anyone with the link can access the reports. | Users cannot share reports outside the domain. |
| 7 | Compatibility with Mobile Devices | Not mobile-friendly. | It is mobile-friendly. It has mobile applications for iOS, Windows, and Android devices. |
| 8 | Ease of Use | GDS serves many functions. The ease of learning depends on what function you want to use it for. | It is easy to learn and easy to use. |
| 9 | Customization | Offers full customization. You can
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You can use visualizations that are available for your reports and dashboard, or you can customize them. However, users have often reported complaints regarding refreshing Power BI customizations. |
| 10 | Templates | It provides around 30 templates. For instance, Pie charts, Line charts, Time series, etc. | Power BI also provides around 30 templates, but you have the option to add more via two options: 1. Import template form file 2. Import template from the marketplace |
| 11 | Data Updating | It refreshes its data every 12 hours. | It does 8 automatic refreshes per day. |
| 12 | Data Cleaning | Google Data Studio does not perform data cleaning. You are required to upload clean data to view reports. | Power BI has a Power Query that can filter and clean raw data, combine tables, convert unique characters, etc. |
Conclusion – Which one might work best for you?
In Short, your choice would depend a lot on what your primary requirements are.
You can go with Google Data Studio if creating dashboards and reports that you need to share with clients is your objective, and the price is a concern for you. However, if your data is unclean and needs more complex analysis, and if you want to produce more customized solutions for your clients, Power BI is a clear choice.
One aspect in which Google lags far behind Power BI is its awareness among Indian consumers. Specifically, according to an industry survey conducted by Edu4Sure, only 19% of the responders had heard of Google Data Studio. Furthermore, only 4% had used it. Therefore, Google hasn’t marketed Google Data Studio enough to encourage its adoption in the Indian data analytics hub.
In conclusion, we believe Power BI is the superior tool and the safer option, given its current position as the leader in data analytics.
FAQ – Google Data Studio VS Power BI
1. Which is better for beginners, Google Data Studio or Power BI?
Google Data Studio is simpler to use for beginners who mostly work with Google data sources like Sheets or Analytics. Power BI, on the other hand, is ideal for users who plan to handle complex datasets and enterprise-level reporting.
2. Can Power BI connect to Google sources like Google Analytics or Sheets?
Yes, Power BI can connect to Google data sources using connectors and APIs. However, setting it up requires additional configuration compared to Google Data Studio, which integrates these sources seamlessly.
3. Is Google Data Studio completely free for corporate use?
Yes, Google Data Studio is free to use, but some advanced data connections through Community Connectors are paid. For small and mid-sized businesses, the free version is often sufficient.
4. How does Power BI handle data cleaning compared to Google Data Studio?
Power BI includes Power Query, which allows users to clean, merge, and transform data before visualisation. We also have a Power Query Online Course in case you want to upskill in this. Google Data Studio lacks this feature, and you need to upload pre-cleaned data.
5. Which tool do experts recommend for professionals aiming to grow in analytics?
Most training experts, including Edu4Sure, recommend Power BI for professionals who want to master advanced data visualisation and unlock better analytics career opportunities.
For any training, kindly email partner@edu4sure.com or Call/WhatsApp at +91-95.5511.5533.
