Power BI vs Qlik Sense

Data analytics and visualization tools are essential tools for businesses, organizations, and individuals to make sense of large amounts of data. These tools allow users to analyze, visualize, and interpret data in order to identify trends, patterns, and insights that can inform decision-making. It provides a range of capabilities including data cleaning, statistical analysis, machine learning, and predictive modeling. 

Data visualization tools allow users to create visual representations of data, such as charts, graphs, and maps. These visualizations can help users to better understand and communicate the insights and trends they have discovered through data analysis. Data analytics and visualization can be powerful ways to extract meaningful insights from data. 

There are many different data analytics and visualization tools available, each with its own set of features and capabilities. Some popular options include Power BI and Qlik Sense for data visualization.

What is PowerBI?

It is a Microsoft-powered visualization tool previously it was developed as an add-on to Microsoft Excel. It allows a user to connect to a variety of data sources. Power BI is more focused on business users for creating and sharing dashboards and reports. It features data preparation, analysis, and visualization, allowing users to gain insights from their data. Power BI includes a range of pre-built connectors and integrations with other Microsoft products, as well as support for custom data connectors. It also includes a suite of mobile and web-based apps, making it easy to access and share data insights from anywhere.

Advantages

1. Affordability: Power BI is generally more affordable than some other business intelligence and data visualization tools.
2. Ease of use: Power BI has a user-friendly interface and a range of pre-built templates and tools, making it easy for users to get started with data analysis and visualization.
3. Integration with Microsoft products: Power BI is well integrated with other Microsoft products, such as Excel, which can make it easier to use in environments that already use these tools.
4. Customization and extensibility: Power BI allows for a high degree of customization and includes support for custom data connectors and integrations, making it easy to tailor to the specific needs of your organization.

Disadvantages

1. Limited data preparation capabilities: Power BI has limited data preparation capabilities compared to some other tools, which can make it difficult to clean and transform data before analysis.
2. Limited integration options: Power BI is primarily designed to work with Microsoft products, and may not have as many integration options as some other platforms.
3. Limited customization options: While Power BI does allow for some customization, it is not as flexible as some other platforms, which can make it difficult to tailor to the specific needs of your organization.

What is Qlik Sense?

Qlik Sense is Qlik powered modern analytics tool that supports three types of modes i.e. Desktop, Enterprise, and Cloud. It is an application development and visual workflow management tool. Qlik Sense provides a flexible and customizable experience to the user and strongly focuses on data modeling. It allows users to create and share interactive data-driven visualizations and dashboards to gain insights from their data. Qlik Sense provides a range of tools and features for data preparation, analysis, and visualization, making it a popular choice for organizations looking to gain insights from their data.

Advantages

1. Easy to use: Qlik Sense has a user-friendly interface that makes it easy for users to create and share interactive data visualizations, even if they don’t have prior experience with data analysis or visualization.
2. Scalable: Qlik Sense is a scalable platform that can be used by small teams or large organizations. It also supports cloud-based deployment, allowing users to easily access and share their data insights from anywhere.
3. Collaborative: Qlik Sense includes features that make it easy for users to collaborate on data projects and share insights with others.
4. Secure: Qlik Sense provides robust security features to protect sensitive data and ensure that only authorized users have access to it.

Disadvantages

1. Cost: Qlik Sense can be more expensive than some other business intelligence and data visualization tools.
2. Complexity: Qlik Sense has a steep learning curve and can be complex to use, particularly for users who are not familiar with data analysis and visualization.
3. Limited integration options: Qlik Sense is not as well integrated with other business tools and systems as some other platforms, which can make it difficult to use in some scenarios.

Parameter	Qlik Sense	Power BI
Data Engine	Associative-based data engine	SQL Database based data engine
Environment	Workbooks can be created in the cloud so that all can work together	Creates an individual workbook and then shares on the cloud
User Interface	Somewhat difficult to adopt and are less interactive	Easy to understand and is more interactive as compared to Qlik Sense
Cost & Plans	Need to purchase a plan to start or need to take a free trial Plans: Business: $ 30 per user/month Enterprise SaaS: need to connect the Sales team	The desktop version is free to play with Plans: Pro: $ 13.70 per user/month Premium: $ 27.50 per user/month
Starting-up	Requires the knowledge of scripting	One can go with the excel knowledge
Key Features	Associative model to directly link tables Storytelling Qlik Indexing Engine (QIX)	Seamless integration with Office 365 More customization options Data Analysis Expression (DAX)
Platform	Self-service business intelligence platform	Cloud-based platform
Similarities	Features like dashboard, reports, and visualization	Features like dashboard, reports, and visualization
Language	Proprietary scripting language i.e. Qlik Script	Language like SQL, Python, and R.

Conclusion

Power BI is a good choice for users who want a platform that is easy to use and that has a low learning curve, on the other hand, Qlik Sense may be a better choice for organizations that are looking for a more flexible and customizable platform, and that require advanced data analysis and visualization capabilities.

Ultimately, the best platform for your organization will depend on your specific needs and requirements. It is recommended to evaluate both Power BI and Qlik Sense and to consider factors such as cost, features, integration options, and customization options before making a decision.