Understanding Power Platform Licensing

Understanding Power Platform Licenses

The Microsoft Power Platform is a suite of applications, connectors, and a data platform (Dataverse) that provides a low-code environment for app development, process automation, and data analysis. To use these tools effectively, understanding the licensing structure is crucial. Below is an explanation of Power Platform licenses and their key features.

1. Power Apps Licensing

Power Apps is designed for building custom applications. Licensing options include:

a. Power Apps Per App Plan

• Cost: $5/user/app/month.
• Features:
  • Access to a single app or portal.
  • Includes Dataverse storage.
  • Ideal for scenarios where users need access to one or two specific apps.

b. Power Apps Per User Plan

• Cost: $20/user/month.
• Features:
  • Unlimited access to apps within the tenant.
  • Includes Dataverse storage.
  • Suitable for users who need access to multiple apps.

c. Pay-As-You-Go Plan

• Cost: Based on usage (metered billing).
• Features:
  • Charged per active user per app.
  • Useful for unpredictable usage patterns.

2. Power Automate Licensing

Power Automate is used for creating automated workflows. Licensing options include:

a. Per User Plan

• Cost: $15/user/month.
• Features:
  • Unlimited workflows for individual users.

b. Per User Plan with Attended RPA

• Cost: $40/user/month.
• Features:
  • Includes robotic process automation (RPA) with attended bots.

c. Per Flow Plan

• Cost: $100/flow/month (up to five users per flow).
• Features:
  • Ideal for organizational workflows shared by multiple users.

3. Power BI Licensing

Power BI is a business analytics tool for visualizing data. Licensing options include:

a. Power BI Free

• Cost: Free.
• Features:
  • Personal data visualization.
  • Limited sharing capabilities.

b. Power BI Pro

• Cost: $10/user/month.
• Features:
  • Collaborative data sharing.
  • Access to shared dashboards and reports.

c. Power BI Premium

• Cost: Starts at $20/user/month or $4,995/capacity/month.
• Features:
  • Advanced AI capabilities.
  • Dedicated cloud resources.
  • Paginated reports.

4. Power Pages Licensing

Power Pages is for building secure, low-code websites. Licensing options include:

a. Authenticated Users

• Cost: $200/100 users/month.
• Features:
  • Secure access for authenticated users.

b. Anonymous Users

• Cost: $75/500 users/month.
• Features:
  • Public access to websites.

5. Dataverse Licensing

Dataverse is the underlying data platform for Power Platform applications. Licensing is typically included with Power Apps and Power Automate plans, but additional capacity can be purchased:

• Database Capacity: $40/GB/month.
• File Capacity: $2/GB/month.
• Log Capacity: $10/GB/month.

6. Add-ons and Additional Capacity

For organizations requiring more capacity or features:

• AI Builder Credits: $500/1 million service credits.
• Power Apps Portals Logins: $200/100 logins/month.
• Additional Flow Runs: $100/50,000 runs/month.

7. Licensing Considerations

• Tenant vs. Per User Licensing: Evaluate whether users need individual access or shared resources.
• App Scope: Choose between per-app and unlimited app plans based on usage patterns.
• Automation Needs: Select Power Automate plans that align with the complexity and scale of workflows.
• Analytics Needs: Power BI licensing depends on sharing and collaboration requirements.

8. Licensing Resources

• Power Platform Licensing Guide
• Microsoft Power Platform Pricing

Understanding Power Platform licenses ensures optimal usage and cost management, enabling organizations to maximize their investment in Microsoft technologies.