Forum Discussion
Which Subscription is best for power bi report server.
Hello Everyone,
I would like guidance on setting up Power BI Report Server to host and share Power BI reports through web applications.
Specifically, I am looking for advice on:
The most suitable subscription or licensing option to access and use Power BI Report Server.
Approaches to minimize server and licensing costs while maintaining an efficient setup.
I do not require Microsoft Fabric, Power BI Service, or any cloud-based capabilities. The requirement is strictly to host Power BI reports on an on-premises server and expose them to web applications.
Any insights or recommendations would be appreciated.
Thank You in Advance!
@dsvansh Power BI Report Server operates on a core-based licensing model and is available through three main licensing options:
- Fabric F64+ reserved instances
- SQL Server Enterprise Edition with Software Assurance
- SQL Server Enterprise Subscriptions
Licensing Options
- Fabric F64+ Reserved Instances: This option allows organizations to run Power BI Report Server on a core-based model. A Power BI Pro license is required to publish both paginated and Power BI reports in the Report Server.
- SQL Server Enterprise Edition with Software Assurance (SA): Organizations that have SQL Server Enterprise Edition with SA can also run Power BI Report Server. A Power BI Pro license is required only for publishing Power BI reports, while paginated reports can be viewed without a Pro license.
- SQL Server Enterprise Subscriptions: Similar to the Enterprise Edition with SA, this option allows for the use of Power BI Report Server, with the same licensing requirements for publishing reports.
Remember that SQL Server Enterprise uses core-based licensing so that is how you can control your costs. So you could get a 2-core pack for probably around $14K and then your SA would be probably around $4K per year or so. That would be around $25K over the course of 3 years which would be far less expensive than a reserved F64 which would be around $180K over those same 3 years.
Power BI Report Server (On-Prem) – Short Guidance
Power BI Pro alone is NOT sufficient for Power BI Report Server (PBIRS).
PBIRS requires one of the following licenses:
SQL Server Enterprise Edition with Software Assurance (SA) ✅ (most cost-effective on-prem option)
Power BI Premium (P-SKU)
What PBIRS supports
Fully on-premises hosting
Sharing reports via web portal or internal web applications
Active Directory / Windows authentication
No dependency on Power BI Service, Fabric, or cloud
What it does NOT support
Public or anonymous “Publish to Web”
Cloud sharing or Fabric features
Cost-minimization tips
Use a single PBIRS server
License minimum SQL Enterprise cores
Use AD security groups (no per-user Power BI licenses)
Prefer Import mode for better performance
4 Replies
- GeraldGEmerick
Memorable Member
@dsvansh Power BI Report Server operates on a core-based licensing model and is available through three main licensing options:
- Fabric F64+ reserved instances
- SQL Server Enterprise Edition with Software Assurance
- SQL Server Enterprise Subscriptions
Licensing Options
- Fabric F64+ Reserved Instances: This option allows organizations to run Power BI Report Server on a core-based model. A Power BI Pro license is required to publish both paginated and Power BI reports in the Report Server.
- SQL Server Enterprise Edition with Software Assurance (SA): Organizations that have SQL Server Enterprise Edition with SA can also run Power BI Report Server. A Power BI Pro license is required only for publishing Power BI reports, while paginated reports can be viewed without a Pro license.
- SQL Server Enterprise Subscriptions: Similar to the Enterprise Edition with SA, this option allows for the use of Power BI Report Server, with the same licensing requirements for publishing reports.
Remember that SQL Server Enterprise uses core-based licensing so that is how you can control your costs. So you could get a 2-core pack for probably around $14K and then your SA would be probably around $4K per year or so. That would be around $25K over the course of 3 years which would be far less expensive than a reserved F64 which would be around $180K over those same 3 years.
v-sgandrathiCommunity Support
Hi dsvansh,
Thank you Amar_Kumar and GeraldGEmerick for your answers.
We haven’t heard from you on the last response and was just checking back to see if your query was answered.
Otherwise, will respond back with the more details and we will try to help .Thank you.
- Amar_Kumar
Super User
Power BI Report Server (On-Prem) – Short Guidance
Power BI Pro alone is NOT sufficient for Power BI Report Server (PBIRS).
PBIRS requires one of the following licenses:
SQL Server Enterprise Edition with Software Assurance (SA) ✅ (most cost-effective on-prem option)
Power BI Premium (P-SKU)
What PBIRS supports
Fully on-premises hosting
Sharing reports via web portal or internal web applications
Active Directory / Windows authentication
No dependency on Power BI Service, Fabric, or cloud
What it does NOT support
Public or anonymous “Publish to Web”
Cloud sharing or Fabric features
Cost-minimization tips
Use a single PBIRS server
License minimum SQL Enterprise cores
Use AD security groups (no per-user Power BI licenses)
Prefer Import mode for better performance
- v-sgandrathi
Hi dsvansh,
we haven't heard back from you regarding our last response and wanted to check if your issue has been resolved.
Should you have any further questions, feel free to reach out.
Thank you for being a part of the Microsoft Fabric Community Forum!