Key takeaways

• Microsoft Power Platform combines Power Apps, Power Automate, Power BI and Power Pages to help businesses build apps, automate workflows and visualise data with low-code tools.
• Licensing can be complex, with per-user, per-app and add-on options, plus some features included in Microsoft 365 and Dynamics 365 plans.
• Start by identifying your goals (whether it’s app development, automation or analytics) and choose the right mix of licenses to maximise ROI and scalability.

Power Platform is an innovative suite of tools. It comprises specific solutions designed to help businesses be agile and forward-thinking. When used effectively, it can help you overcome vast challenges, welcome the power of automation, utilise data better and streamline bespoke processes.

Power Platform comprises numerous distinct tools. Due to this, you may struggle to pinpoint the best licence for your business needs. With packaged and standalone options available, there’s plenty to choose from.

In this guide, we examine the different licencing options across Power Platform, what’s included in each and what’s the best one for you.

What is Power Platform?

Firstly, let’s dive into what Microsoft Power Platform is. It’s a suite of low-code tools that helps users build custom business applications, automations and reports. It makes the creative innovation associated with large budgets accessible to any business.

It consists of four main components:

1. Power Apps: This tool allows users to craft custom apps with minimal coding, which can be used on web and mobile devices, to streamline internal processes or improve customer experiences.
2. Power Automate: This enables automation of repetitive tasks and workflows across various applications and services for time-saving benefits.
3. Power BI: Power BI provides tools for data visualisation and business intelligence, helping users create interactive reports and dashboards that allow data to tell a meaningful story.
4. Power Pages: This tool facilitates the creation of secure, data-driven websites with low-code development, such as customer portals.

Each of these tools are integrated with Microsoft Dataverse, which provides a unified data platform. This also means Power Platform tools can connect with other Microsoft services like Azure, Dynamics 365 and Microsoft 365. This allows users to extend their functionality and deliver custom use cases.

How is Power Platform licensed?

There are multiple options for Power Platform licensing, depending on what it is you want.

Firstly, you can get individual licenses across Power Apps, Power Pages, Power Automate and Power BI. These are typically charged per user, per month. This is apart from Power Pages which is priced for a specific number of users per month. We’ll delve into the licensing options soon.

Some Power Platform tools are available within other Microsoft licences. These include:

• Microsoft 365 E3/E5: Includes limited Power Apps and Power Automate capabilities, allowing users to create and run apps and flows within the context of Microsoft 365 date
• Office 365 E1/E3/E5: Like Microsoft 365, these plans include basic Power Apps and Power Automate functionalities
• Dynamics 365 Sales, Customer Service, Field Service, etc: These licenses often include full access to Power Apps and Power Automate, enabling users to build custom apps and automate workflows within the Dynamics 365 environment

If you have one of these licenses, you may already have access to the Power Platform tools you need.

Another complexity within Power Platform licensing is add-on licenses. They provide additional capacity or capabilities beyond what is included in the standard licenses, such as increasing storage, API requests or AI builder credits. You can find out more about add-on licenses here.

While you can buy some licenses from Microsoft directly, they typically rely on network of partners they use to sell and implement Power Platform licenses, including Infinity Group. Partners will support you through the process, making the licensing process much easier.

As licensing needs can be complicated to figure out, we recommend discussing your goals with your chosen Power Platform partner. They will be able to guide you through the options and get a package that supports your long-term use of the platform.

Power Platform licensing options and prices

We’ve explained how licensing works for Power Platform. Now, let’s look at the specific licenses available and how much they cost.

Power Apps licenses

Microsoft offer three options for Power Apps licenses:

• Power Apps Developer plan (free): This is a free plan to get you started with building and testing Power Apps, with up to 750 automation flows per month. However, you cannot deploy apps
• Power Apps Premium (£16.40 per user, per month): This gives you full use of Power Apps, including unlimited app and Power Pages building, 500 AI Builder credits and dataverse entitlements of 250 MB database and 2 GB file
• Power Apps Premium with 2000 seat minimum (£9.90 per user, per month): This license is the same as the above, but is available for organisations purchasing a minimum of 2000 licences

Power Automate licenses

Microsoft offers a few types of licenses for Power Automate.

• Power Automate Premium (£12.30 per user, per month): This offers process and task mining with 50 MB data stored, 5,000 AI Builder service credits and Microsoft Dataverse entitlements of 250 MB database and 2 GB file

On top of this, you can buy licenses per bot, which enable bots to run tasks without human intervention:

• Power Automate Process (£123.30 per bot, per month): This offers desktop flows in unattended mode, 5,000 AI Builder service credits and Microsoft Dataverse entitlements of 250 MB database and 2 GB file
• Power Automate Hosted Process (£176.70 per bot, per month): This offers desktop flows in unattended mode, 5,000 AI Builder service credits and Microsoft Dataverse entitlements of 250 MB database and 2 GB file, plus a Microsoft hosted virtual machine

Power Automate is also available on a 30-day free trial.

Power BI licenses

There are plenty of options for Power BI access:

• Power BI Pro (£8.20 per user, per month): Publish and share unlimited Power BI reports
• Power BI Premium (£16.40 per user, per month): The same capability as Power BI Pro, but with larger model sizes and more frequent data refreshes

You can also get Power BI Embedded where you can create customer-facing reports, dashboards and analytics in your own applications. This is priced on a custom basis.

You can also access a free plan, which allows you to create reports with limited features. You can’t publish or share reports with this plan.

Power Pages licenses

Power Pages licensing operates a little differently. Instead of being charged per user, you are charged per website you create using the tool. They also have a distinction between anonymous users (who can browse your site without you having any information of them or requiring a log in) vs authenticated users (enabling users to log in securely into the website). Here are the licenses available:

• Power Pages anonymous users (£61.60 per website, per month): Including built-in content delivery network support for anonymous browsing and Dataverse storage. This covers up to 500 monthly users on your site.
• Power Pages authenticated users (£164.10 per website, per month): This is an ideal plan for businesses that want predictable costs and scalability, alongside authenticated access. Including built-in content delivery network support for anonymous browsing and Dataverse storage. This covers up to 100 monthly users on your site.

Power Pages is also available on a 30-day free trial.

How do I find a Power Platform partner?

The easiest way to purchase a license and deploy Power Platform tools is through a certified Microsoft partner.

By working with a Microsoft partner with expertise in Power Platform, you can get support in finding the best license for your needs, embedding the tool effectively into your operations and find value-adding use cases.  This may include helping you to build relevant apps, apply automated workflows, create Power Pages and beyond.

Many partners offer assessment services to help you prepare for Power Platform, alongside architecture planning, implementation and training. This can help you to embrace the tools more effectively and get faster rewards.

To find a Dynamics 365 partner, start by visiting the Power Platform Partner page. Here, you can find partners ranked by proximity, responsiveness and other factors.

You should have an initial call with any potential partner. You can then determine if they’re a good fit for your needs and discuss next steps.

Explore the Power Platform with Infinity Group

Infinity Group are one of the largest, independently owned Microsoft Partners in Europe, with exclusive Inner Circle membership. Our experts are highly knowledgeable in all things Power Platform, with vast experience embedding the specific tools into business processes.

We’ve worked with organisations across industries to introduce the innovation of automation, bespoke apps and websites and powerful reporting.

We can also guide you through Power Platform licensing to address business needs while achieving the best ROI.

Visit our Power Platform page to find out more. Or, listen to Tristan, our Chief Innovation Officer, explain in more detail how Power Platform can be embedded into your real-life, daily working practices: