Power BI vs Excel — when to use what (with examples)

Both tools are powerful, but each shines in different situations. Here's the honest, use-case-first answer.

Use Excel when

• You have small to medium data
• You need quick ad-hoc analysis
• You're building a one-off report

Use Power BI when

• Data lives in multiple sources
• The report will be refreshed regularly
• Multiple stakeholders will consume it