What is DataTako?
DataTako is a Power BI sharing portal built on Microsoft Fabric and Power BI Embedded. Founded by Paco Stoelman and based in the Netherlands, DataTako focuses specifically on one problem: enabling organisations to share Power BI reports with internal teams, clients, and external users without buying per-user Pro licenses for every viewer.
The platform sits on top of your existing Power BI environment, connects to your Fabric capacity, and delivers branded analytics through a customisable portal under your own domain. DataTako serves customers ranging from BI agencies and mid-market SaaS products through to enterprises like Accenture, Vattenfall, Toyota Material Handling, MSD, and Lima Airport. The product fits organisations up to roughly 750 FTE particularly well — large enough to have meaningful Power BI sharing needs, small enough to value pricing transparency and focused product scope over multi-product suite breadth.
DataTako emphasises pricing transparency, automated capacity management (the platform pauses and resumes your Fabric capacity automatically to control compute costs), and a modern setup process. For broader context on what DataTako does, see how DataTako works.
What is PowerBI Portal?
PowerBI Portal is an established Power BI sharing solution from DevScope, a certified Microsoft Solutions Partner based in Porto, Portugal. Founded over a decade ago, PowerBI Portal is part of the broader PowerBI Tiles Suite — a five-product ecosystem that includes PowerBI Tiles Pro (Office embedding), PowerBI Robots (automated distribution), PowerBI Scorecards (KPI tracking), and PowerBI SmartPivot (Excel pivot table enhancements).
PowerBI Portal serves over 40,000 professionals worldwide and counts an impressive Fortune 500 client roster including Intel, Toyota, 3M, Deloitte, Dell, PwC, PepsiCo, Booking.com, and Prada. The platform offers three tiers — Standard, Premium, and Enterprise — with Premium and above adding white-label, custom domain, and the recently launched Portal AI agent that lets users ask natural-language questions about their Power BI data in six languages.
DevScope's broader positioning is as a full-suite Microsoft Power BI partner, so PowerBI Portal benefits from integration with the rest of the PowerBI Tiles ecosystem when organisations want multiple Power BI productivity tools in one vendor relationship.
How much does DataTako cost vs PowerBI Portal?
Both platforms sit on top of Microsoft Fabric or Power BI Embedded capacity (which you pay for separately to Microsoft). The platform-licensing costs themselves differ meaningfully.
DataTako uses transparent tiered pricing typically running €200-€500 per month for 100 users on a standard configuration, with white-label customisation included as a standard feature rather than a premium upgrade. See the optimise Power BI licence costs page for current pricing details and the pricing page for tier comparisons.
PowerBI Portal uses a three-tier pricing structure: Standard at $399.92/month (annual billing) or $439.90/month (monthly) without white-label, Premium at $449.92/month (annual) or $479.90/month (monthly) with white-label, custom domain, and edit mode, and Enterprise for custom pricing with additional Agent Mode, eCommerce, and SLA features. Both DataTako and PowerBI Portal still require you to pay for the underlying Microsoft Fabric or Power BI Embedded capacity separately.
The practical difference: for white-label deployments (which is what most agencies and SaaS need), DataTako is typically 30-50% cheaper at the entry tier. For organisations that don't need white-label, PowerBI Portal Standard becomes competitive but lacks the customisation that makes the portal feel like your own product.
Winner: DataTako on price-to-feature ratio for white-label use cases, with PowerBI Portal Standard competitive for non-white-label internal sharing.
Which has the better AI and natural-language analytics?
This dimension PowerBI Portal wins decisively in 2026.
PowerBI Portal's Portal AI is a built-in conversational AI agent that lets users ask questions about Power BI data in natural language across six languages (English, Portuguese, French, Spanish, Chinese, German). Critically, Portal AI respects Row-Level Security at every level — answers and insights are generated within each user's permitted data scope, so the AI cannot return data a user isn't authorised to access. For organisations where end-users want to explore data conversationally rather than navigate fixed dashboards, this is a meaningful feature.
DataTako focuses on dashboard delivery rather than AI-driven analytics. Power BI Copilot (Microsoft's native AI for Power BI) is available on Fabric capacities at F64 and above and can be used with any DataTako deployment, but DataTako doesn't add its own AI layer on top.
For products that consider AI-driven natural-language querying part of their core value proposition, this is a clear differentiator in PowerBI Portal's favour. For products where users mainly consume pre-built dashboards rather than explore data conversationally, the AI difference matters less.
Winner: PowerBI Portal, clearly, for AI-driven analytics specifically.
How does white-labelling compare?
Both platforms support white-labelling, but the structure differs.
DataTako includes white-labelling as a standard feature — custom domain, your branding, multi-tenant branding for agencies serving multiple clients, branded authentication and emails. This applies across pricing tiers, so white-label isn't an upgrade decision.
PowerBI Portal restricts white-labelling to the Premium tier ($449/month annual) and above. The Standard tier provides the portal functionality but with PowerBI Portal's branding visible. Premium and Enterprise unlock full white-label, custom domain, and the ability to deliver branded analytics experiences to clients.
Both platforms support multi-tenant branding configurations, custom domains, and isolated client environments. The depth of customisation is comparable; the difference is that DataTako includes it by default while PowerBI Portal makes it a tier-upgrade decision.
For agencies and B2B platforms where white-label is non-negotiable, DataTako removes the tier-upgrade question. For organisations doing internal sharing where white-label isn't critical, PowerBI Portal Standard offers a cheaper entry point.
Winner: DataTako on white-label-by-default; PowerBI Portal Premium is comparable in capability but requires the higher tier.
Which handles Power BI capacity management better?
Both platforms address the same operational problem — Fabric capacity is expensive when running 24/7 if your audience only views reports during business hours — but with different approaches.
DataTako uses automated capacity pause and resume. The platform tracks viewer activity and pauses your Fabric capacity during inactive periods, then resumes when activity is detected. This typically cuts compute costs by 60-70% for audiences with concentrated daytime usage. Configuration is automatic; no manual scheduling required.
PowerBI Portal offers similar functionality — its documentation describes activity-based on/off switching where Power BI Embedded capacity automatically turns off after a configurable inactivity period and turns back on when activity is detected. The mechanism is conceptually similar to DataTako's approach.
In practice, both platforms achieve comparable cost savings on capacity. DataTako emphasises the automation more prominently in its positioning; PowerBI Portal includes it as one of many features. The economic outcome is broadly similar.
Winner: Tie on substance, with DataTako marketing the capability more visibly.
Which has the better product ecosystem?
PowerBI Portal wins this dimension by breadth.
PowerBI Portal is part of the PowerBI Tiles Suite, a five-product ecosystem from DevScope. Organisations that want Power BI productivity tools beyond just sharing can use PowerBI Tiles Pro for embedding Power BI visuals in Office documents, PowerBI Robots for automated report distribution via email or SharePoint, PowerBI Scorecards for KPI tracking, and PowerBI SmartPivot for Excel pivot table enhancements. One vendor relationship covers multiple Power BI needs.
DataTako focuses on the single sharing problem. It doesn't have or attempt to have an Office plugin, an automated distribution service, a scorecard product, or an Excel enhancement product. The focus is intentional — DataTako positions itself as a specialist in one thing rather than a generalist across many.
This is a genuine trade-off. For organisations wanting one vendor for multiple Power BI needs, PowerBI Portal's suite advantage is real. For organisations where the sharing use case is the only need, DataTako's focus translates into simpler implementation, clearer pricing, and a product that does one thing well rather than several things adequately.
Winner: PowerBI Portal for breadth of suite; DataTako for depth of focus.
How do they compare on enterprise credibility and references?
Both platforms have legitimate enterprise track records, though they emphasise different segments.
PowerBI Portal's client list includes Intel, Toyota, 3M, Santander, Xerox, Deloitte, Dell Technologies, PepsiCo, PwC, Novo Nordisk, Mitsubishi Electric, Canon, Booking.com, Marathon Oil, Prada, EDP, and Bestseller. DevScope reports 40,000 professionals worldwide using the platform and holds Microsoft Solutions Partner certification with over a decade of history.
DataTako's enterprise customers include Accenture, Vattenfall, Toyota, MSD, and Lima Airport, alongside a strong base of BI agencies, marketing agencies, and mid-market SaaS products. The platform handles organisations up to roughly 750 FTE comfortably, with the typical sweet spot being organisations that want enterprise-grade capability without the multi-product suite premium.
Both platforms can credibly serve enterprises. The practical difference: PowerBI Portal positions itself as a Fortune 500 vendor with deep multi-product offering, while DataTako positions itself as a focused specialist that happens to serve enterprises when the fit is right. For procurement processes that prioritise the longest established vendor track records, PowerBI Portal has the historical edge. For procurement processes that prioritise focused product fit and modern positioning, DataTako competes effectively at any scale up to and including large enterprises.
Winner: Both credible at enterprise scale; PowerBI Portal for historical breadth, DataTako for focused fit.
Who should pick DataTako?
You're a BI agency, marketing agency, or consultancy serving multiple clients. DataTako's focus on per-client white-label branding and multi-tenant management was built around the agency use case. See the BI agency playbook and marketing agency playbook.
You're a mid-market SaaS product embedding analytics for customers. White-label by default, automated capacity management, and a single-product focus reduce implementation complexity compared to broader-suite alternatives.
You're an enterprise up to roughly 750 FTE that values focus over suite breadth. DataTako serves enterprises like Accenture, Vattenfall, Toyota Material Handling, MSD, and Lima Airport — so the platform handles enterprise scale comfortably. The fit is best when the sharing use case is the primary need and you don't require a five-product Power BI productivity suite from one vendor.
Pricing predictability matters more than enterprise feature breadth. DataTako's transparent pricing structure makes budget planning straightforward, particularly at smaller scale where PowerBI Portal Premium pricing can feel disproportionate to the user count.
You're European-anchored or value EU data residency. DataTako is Netherlands-based with European operations as the default. For some compliance contexts and procurement preferences, this matters.
You don't need an AI conversation layer. If your end-users consume pre-built dashboards rather than ask conversational questions, DataTako's focus on delivery rather than AI exploration is the right shape.
You want one focused product, not a five-product suite. Decision simplicity has value. DataTako does one thing; you can evaluate it on the merits of that one thing.
Who should pick PowerBI Portal?
You want a built-in AI agent for natural-language analytics. Portal AI is genuinely differentiated — six languages, RLS-aware, integrated into the portal experience. If conversational data exploration is core to your offering, this is the right choice.
Your organisation values established vendor track records. Fortune 500 client lists, 40,000+ professional users, and a decade-plus history simplify enterprise procurement processes. For deals where vendor stability is a hard requirement, PowerBI Portal's history matters.
You want multiple Power BI productivity tools from one vendor. The PowerBI Tiles Suite (Portal + Robots + Scorecards + SmartPivot + Tiles Pro) gives you one relationship across multiple Power BI needs. If you'll use more than just sharing, the ecosystem advantage compounds.
You're processing enterprise procurement that requires Microsoft Solutions Partner status. DevScope's certification and Microsoft partnership history is more established than newer entrants in the space.
You don't need white-label and want the cheaper Standard tier. PowerBI Portal Standard ($399/month annual) is competitive for internal-only sharing scenarios where the PowerBI Portal branding is acceptable.
You operate across multiple regions and want a vendor with global enterprise presence. PowerBI Portal's client base spans North America, Europe, and Asia — a broader geographical footprint than newer regional entrants.
Verdict
For BI agencies, marketing agencies, and mid-market SaaS products needing focused Power BI sharing with white-label branding at predictable pricing, DataTako is the right choice in 2026. The single-product focus, white-label-by-default model, transparent pricing, and modern capacity management automation fit these use cases more naturally than PowerBI Portal's broader-suite positioning. The European base is an additional fit for organisations prioritising EU vendors.
For enterprises with established procurement processes that value Microsoft Solutions Partner credentials, Fortune 500 references, and broader Power BI tooling beyond sharing, PowerBI Portal justifies its premium pricing and broader scope. Portal AI is a genuine differentiator for organisations where AI-driven natural-language analytics is part of the value proposition.
The right choice depends less on platform capability (both solve the core sharing problem effectively) and more on what you're optimising for: focus and pricing transparency (DataTako), or established vendor credibility and product breadth (PowerBI Portal).
For agencies, mid-market SaaS, and European organisations specifically, DataTako is the more natural fit. For multinational enterprises and organisations needing the broader DevScope ecosystem, PowerBI Portal is the established choice.