Forum Discussion
Helper IUnable to Purchase Power BI Pro – Payment Fails Despite Correct Card Details
Sorry for the late update. I tried the Microsoft dynamics trial and it worked. Got the work email. Thank you for the responses.
Community SupportHi Shana_Nasrin,
Thank you for posting your query in Microsoft Fabric Community Forum. Also, thanks to ribisht17, lbendlin, for those inputs on this thread. Here I provided some official Microsoft links those might be helpful to resolve your thread more quickly. Based on your description, here are a few key things to check.
The error happens because the payment gateway can't process the transaction, most likely due to ADCB Islamic card limitations or a mismatch between billing info and Microsoft account region.
Verify Region Settings: Make sure your Microsoft Account region and billing address are both set to United Arab Emirates.
Card Type Compatibility: Some Islamic Banking cards (like ADCB Islamic) may not allow software or recurring purchases. Please try a non-Islamic UAE-issued Visa/MasterCard, or one from a different bank that supports international recurring billing.
Use Microsoft Admin Center (if applicable): If you're working within an organization, try buying Power BI Pro from the Microsoft 365 Admin Center: Microsoft 365 Admin center > Billing > Purchase Services
Kindly refer to the below solved thread link for better understanding:
Solved: Power BI Pro license purchase failing: Refresh the.. - Microsoft Fabric Community
Also, please refer to the below mentioned link for more information:
Assign or unassign licenses for users in the Microsoft 365 admin center - Microsoft 365 admin | Microsoft Learn
Hope this helps clarify things and let me know what you find after giving these steps a try happy to help you investigate this further.
Thank you for using the Microsoft Community Forum.
Helper IHi,
Thank you so much for your detailed response and the helpful links.
To clarify, I have already verified that both my Microsoft Account region and billing address are correctly set to United Arab Emirates. Also, I contacted the bank , and they confirmed that recurring international purchases are allowed on the card.
I am currently working independently as a freelancer, not within any organization. Since I do not have a company domain or Microsoft 365 business setup, I am unsure how to proceed in purchasing Power BI Pro or accessing Power Apps, which both seem to require a work email or Microsoft 365 setup.
Could you please guide me on:
How freelancers can get a work email suitable for Power BI Pro / Power Apps licensing?
Whether setting up a Microsoft 365 Business trial or plan is necessary in this case?
Appreciate your time and support!
Best regards,
Shana
- ribisht17
Super User
Hi Shana,
- Set up a custom domain email (e.g.,
[email protected]) via GoDaddy or Microsoft 365. - Create a Microsoft 365 Business account to manage licenses.
- Use the free trial to explore Power BI Pro / Power Apps before committing.
- Licensing requires a work email—personal ones won’t work.
- All management happens via the Microsoft 365 Admin Center.
- This setup lets freelancers work solo with full enterprise tools.
Regards,
Ritesh
Community Champion
Please mark the answer if helpful so that it can help others
- Set up a custom domain email (e.g.,
- v-kpoloju-msft
Hi Shana_Nasrin,
Thank you for your detailed update and great questions.
You are right both Power BI Pro and Power Apps require a work or school account, which means they cannot be purchased or assigned to a personal Microsoft account (like @gmail.com or @outlook.com).
Set up a Microsoft 365 Business Trial (No Company Required): Even as a freelancer, you can set up a Microsoft 365 Business account. During setup, Microsoft will provide you with a work email like [email protected].
Microsoft 365 Business Standard | Microsoft 365Purchase Power BI Pro (after setup): Once your tenant is set up:
- Sign in to the Microsoft 365 Admin Centre
- Go to Billing > Purchase Services
- Search for Power BI Pro
- Purchase and assign the license to yourself (your new work account)
This will enable you to use both Power BI Pro and Power Apps, even without a company domain.
Hope this helps clarify things and let me know what you find after giving these steps a try happy to help you investigate this further.
Thank you for using the Microsoft Community Forum.- v-kpoloju-msft
Hi Shana_Nasrin,
Just checking in to see if the issue has been resolved on your end. If the earlier suggestions helped, that’s great to hear! And if you’re still facing challenges, feel free to share more details happy to assist further.Thank you.
- v-kpoloju-msft
Hi Shana_Nasrin,
Hope you had a chance to try out the solution shared earlier. Let us know if anything needs further clarification or if there's an update from your side always here to help.Thank you.
