Hex
Microsoft Power BI
| Feature | Hex | Microsoft Power BI |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $28/mo | Free / from $10/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.4 / 5 | 4.4 / 5 |
| Best For | data-analysts, data-scientists, analytics-engineers, data-teams | enterprise, analysts, microsoft-users, finance-teams |
| Founded | 2019 | 2015 |
| Sql Cells | ✓ | ✗ |
| Python Cells | ✓ | ✗ |
| Charts | ✓ | ✗ |
| Data Apps | ✓ | ✗ |
| Scheduling | ✓ | ✗ |
| Version History | ✓ | ✗ |
| Dashboards | ✗ | ✓ |
| Reports | ✗ | ✓ |
| Ai Insights | ✗ | ✓ |
| Natural Language Query | ✗ | ✓ |
| Dataflows | ✗ | ✓ |
| Paginated Reports | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Hex Pros
- SQL + Python in one tool
- Beautiful data apps
- Collaborative notebooks
- Good sharing features
✗ Hex Cons
- Expensive for teams
- Learning curve for non-technical
- Limited self-hosting
✓ Microsoft Power BI Pros
- Affordable
- Microsoft integration
- AI insights
- DAX powerful
✗ Microsoft Power BI Cons
- Windows-centric
- Complex for beginners
- Row limits
The Verdict
Hex is built for data analysts and data scientists, with a focus on sql-cells and python-cells. Microsoft Power BI targets enterprise and analysts and leads with dashboards and reports.
On pricing, Microsoft Power BI is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $10/mo compared to $28/mo for Hex. That $18/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Both offer free plans, so you can test each with your real workflow before committing to a subscription.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.