Guide
Power BI Premium Per User includes Pro capabilities, but buying it for report authors does not automatically cover everyone viewing a PPU workspace. Map your authors, viewers and workspaces before choosing quantities.
Microsoft sources checked 23 September 2026. Specialist licence prices and upgrade eligibility are confirmed on request. No capacity price or guaranteed saving is assumed here.
One licence or a whole team. No payment or order when you send a request.
Separate the named-user licence, the workspace configuration and any organisation-level capacity. Pro and Premium Per User (PPU) are per-user licences. PPU includes Pro capabilities and additional features. Capacity is a different purchase with its own sizing and operating considerations; buying two PPU licences does not buy capacity for your whole organisation.
Sources: Microsoft's PPU guidance and Fabric licensing guide.
| Scenario | What to check | Common buying mistake |
|---|---|---|
| Share reports in a Pro workspace | Authors and consumers normally need Pro or PPU. | Counting only report authors. |
| Use a PPU workspace | People accessing its interactive content need PPU rights. | Assuming Pro viewers are covered by an author's PPU licence. |
| Use Fabric capacity below F64 | Power BI consumption still needs Pro or PPU in the ordinary organisational sharing scenario. | Assuming any capacity removes viewer licences. |
| Use F64 or higher, or qualifying Premium capacity | Free users can view capacity-hosted content with the required permissions and viewer role. Authors still need the relevant licence. | Treating free viewing as universal access or free capacity. |
See Microsoft's licence and capacity rules. External embedding has different rules and is outside this simple internal-team comparison. Giving someone access permission does not by itself supply their licence.
Suppose two analysts need PPU features and twenty colleagues need to use their reports. A request for two PPU licences is not yet a complete sharing plan. If all twenty colleagues access the PPU workspace's interactive content, they need suitable PPU rights too. If a separate ordinary Pro workspace meets the requirement, compare that design on its own terms. Do not assume copying a report removes the licensing requirements of its underlying PPU content.
Ask the analysts which feature requires PPU, where the data model will live and how colleagues will access it. Then count the actual licensed audience, including existing entitlements, rather than turning the number of analysts into the whole quotation. This review can prevent a small-looking purchase from becoming an unexpected organisation-wide change.
Microsoft lists Power BI Pro in Microsoft 365 E5. Confirm the exact suite and assigned rights before buying another standalone Pro licence. Do not infer that every Microsoft 365 plan includes it.
PPU already includes Pro capabilities, so a user does not need both standalone licences simply to obtain those features. An existing qualifying Pro entitlement may affect which upgrade offer is available, but a lower upgrade price must not be presented as the full PPU price for everyone. We check the actual prerequisite and offer before quoting. Keep trials separate from permanent entitlements and record when any evaluation ends.
Send a concise role-based list:
You do not need to send report contents, customer data, connection strings or credentials. A basic Microsoft licence inventory can help identify assigned product quantities; it does not inspect Power BI workspaces, report usage or the correct audience licences.
Request a Power BI licence quote. The builder includes a PPU request line; describe a Pro requirement or capacity question in the notes so the exact offer can be confirmed. PPU is price on request and is not included in a known-price total until a price has been agreed. Do not use an unpriced line as a £0 estimate.
Our new licence offers use annual commitment paid upfront or monthly commitment paid monthly where available. We do not offer annual commitment paid monthly. The final quote confirms eligibility, quantities, VAT and terms. Licence-only purchases are welcome. Report development, workspace changes and capacity sizing are separate work, scoped if you need them.
For a mixed renewal, use the renewal checklist and renewal planner alongside the core Microsoft 365 and specialist licences.
Yes. PPU includes Pro capabilities. A user does not need a separate standalone Pro licence just to obtain those capabilities.
Pro alone does not provide the required PPU rights for interactive access to PPU workspace content. Check the audience, workspace and underlying content before deciding quantities.
No. In the ordinary organisational sharing scenario, capacity size and configuration matter. F64 or higher can support free viewers with the required role and permissions; smaller F capacities still require Pro or PPU for Power BI consumption.
Yes. We confirm the exact offer and any prerequisite before supplying licences. Report development, configuration and ongoing support are separate services.
Related reading
Pricing, provider comparisons and the steps to move, all in plain English.
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