Network Performance Monitor vs Microsoft Power BI

ManageEngine Endpoint Central

Pulseway

Endpoint Central (formerly Desktop Central) from ManageEngine is an integrated desktop & mobile device management application that enables the centralized management of desktops, servers, laptops, tablets & smartphones.

AI-powered platform that unifies identity, endpoints, and compliance—giving IT teams time and control back.

Pulseway is a remote monitoring and management software designed for managing workstations, servers, and network devices across Windows, Mac, and Linux environments. The platform includes real-time monitoring with actionable alerts, remote control capabilities with unlimited sessions, automated patch management for operating systems and third-party applications, and scripting tools with auto-remediation features.

SolarWinds Network Performance Monitoring software makes it easy to quickly detect, diagnose, and resolve performance issues before outages occur. It delivers real-time views and dashboards that enable you to visually track and monitor network performance at a glance.

Activity Dashboard

Alerts/Escalation

Alerts/Notifications

Application Management

Automatic Configuration

Bandwidth Monitoring

Baseline Manager

Capacity Management

Color Codes/Icons

Compliance Management

Configuration Management

Connectivity Management

Content Caching

CPU Monitoring

Customizable Dashboard

Dashboard

Data Discovery

Data Visualization

Device Auto Discovery

Diagnostic Tools

Disaster Recovery

Endpoint Management

Event Logs

Health Monitoring

Hierarchical Mapping

Inventory Management

IP Address Monitoring

IT Reporting

Load Distribution

Location-Based Mapping

Maintenance Scheduling

Map Exporting

Monitoring

Multi-Cloud Management

Network Analysis

Network Mapping

Network Monitoring

Network Resource Management

On-Demand Mapping

Patch Management

Performance Management

Performance Metrics

Performance Monitoring

Predefined Protocols

Redundancy Checking

Remote Access/Control

Reporting/Analytics

Scheduling

Security Management

Self-Updating Maps

Server Monitoring

Service Level Agreement (SLA) Management

Software Management

SSL Offload

Testing Scripts

Test Performance Metrics

Troubleshooting

Uptime Reporting

Virtualization

Virtual Machine Monitoring

Web Traffic Reporting

Network Performance Monitor

Web-based

Windows

ManageEngine OpManager

PRTG

ServiceNow

Microsoft Power BI

Subscription

Perpetual

Consultant

It gives a clear view of our network in real-time, making it easy to spot and fix issues before they cause major downtime.

Desktop Support Engineer

It has features for real-time network monitoring, automated network discovery,  advanced network alerting, and wireless network monitoring.

IT Engineer

Human Resources Manager

I am impressed by the accuracy of Network Performance Monitor.

Escalation Engineer

We love this software - it gives us alerts and generates ticket emails when a node has been down or is having a packet loss issue, or if we need to monitor bandwidth usage.

Network Admin

The features allow your typical network monitoring, including devices applications and services. As such it helps to troubleshoot and avoid unnecessary downtime.

network specialist

Being able to view the traffic levels passing through the circuit or port and being able to view how long it has been down if there is any interruption here are the best aspects for me.

We have to be able to see at times if there is a packet loss issue at the ISP level, and NPM definitely helps with this.

security analyst

Analysis of network firewalls on a very high basis like bandwidth utilization, Netflow, web filter, etc.. for engineers to analyze and identify when any issue comes up.

IT Planning

If you nee to see information like network traffic you need an extra license that is additional cost or if you need to see databases performance is other license, so to see the entire picture you will need pay more

We can see at a glance if a client connection is down or has an issue.

It does what you need it to but it requires more administration that it should and the performance is poor.

Electrical & Communications Engineer

I can consider it the best NPM software out there, it is suitable for types of organizations starting with small till large & very large, I have been using it for more than 4 years & i'm satisfied.

Lead Engineer 

Customer support and technical writing specialist 

I have been using this software for a very long time and its graphical representations and reporting is so top notch and its very easy to install, configure, and troubleshoot and interact with highly skilled individuals on its Thwack Community and share and discuss new ideas and look for guidance/assistance and documentation with labs and we can collect points to exchange with gifts and certification vouchers.

if there is something that everyone is interested in this product is its capability and performance.

Consultor

The tool is easy to implement and configure, plus you don't have to wait long to see the results.

Network Security Engineer 

It is not good for smaller networks as it is way expensive and they may not use it at the fullest.

Director, Consulting Engineer

Building custom reports can be a challenge, it's not that easy.

Systems Engineer

It was their first product and by far has been the most developed.

Implementation

Licensing

Setup

Node Monitoring

Network Management

Reporting

Training and Learning Curve

Alert System

Freelancers

Large Enterprises

Small Business

Mid-size Business

SolarWinds

Tableau

Tableau is a business intelligence and analytics platform that enables users to connect to databases, create data visualizations, and share insights. The platform offers deployment options including cloud-based, self-hosted, and desktop environments with drag-and-drop functionality for building interactive dashboards. It features AI-based analytics capabilities, integration with Salesforce CRM, and supports visual storytelling and collaboration across organizations.

Google Analytics 360

Enterprise-level analytics platform for marketers, BI staff, and online businesses to gain insights into customer website interactions.

MATLAB

MATLAB is a programming and numeric computing platform, which enables businesses and educational institutions to create models, develop algorithms, analyze data sets and more. Professionals can use the live editor to create scripts and enhance code with hyperlinks, images, and headings.


Client Project Manager

Experience with Microsoft Power BI was really good and their support is a strong plus

IT Business Analyst

The support documentation Microsoft provides has been excellent and a huge aid in learning Power BI.

Microsoft Power BI converts data into rich interactive visualizations, utilizing business analytics tools to share dashboard-based insights across all devices

Ad hoc Analysis

Ad hoc Query

Ad hoc Reporting

AI/Machine Learning

Charting

Collaboration Tools

Customizable Reports

Customization

Dashboard Creation

Data Blending

Data Cleansing

Data Connectors

Data Import/Export

Data Management

Data Mining

Data Modeling

Data Synchronization

Data Transformation

Data Warehousing

Forecasting

Geographic Maps

High Volume Processing

Integration into Third Party Applications

Interactive Reports

KPI Monitoring

Mobile Access

Multiple Data Sources

Natural Language Search

Real-Time Analytics

Real-Time Data

Real-Time Reporting

Real-Time Updates

Reporting & Statistics

Self-service Analytics

Self Service Data Preparation

Single Page View

Templates

Visual Analytics

Reviews for Microsoft Power BI come from a wide variety of industries, including Information Technology and Services (12% of reviewers), Computer Software (9%), and Financial Services (3%). The most frequent use case for Microsoft Power BI cited by reviewers is data visualization (61% of reviewers).

Users and use cases

Reviewers appreciate the strong value for money, especially for Office 365 users, and they like the free version's substantial functionality. However, some reviewers find the free plan limited and report that pricing and licensing can be confusing and restrictive.

Value for money

The Microsoft Power BI integrations most frequently cited by reviewers are: Microsoft Excel (a spreadsheet product rated 4.8 out of 5 for its integration with Microsoft Power BI), Microsoft 365 (a document management product, 4.7), and Microsoft SQL Server (a database product, 4.7).

Integrations

Microsoft Power BI is a data visualization solution with key features that include data visualization, reporting and analytics, data import and export, customizable dashboards, and data connectors, and more.

Android

Qlik Sense

Looker

Domo

Google Data Studio

Sisense

SAP Analytics Cloud

SAP Crystal Reports

IBM Cognos Analytics

Amazon QuickSight

Mode

SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence

Trevor.io

Alteryx Designer

Phocas

BrightGauge

Power BI in Microsoft Fabric free account

Power BI Pro

Power BI Premium - Per User

Limited and challenging customization

Machine learning engineer

In addition the customization to have nice visualization and customer oriented design is really tricky.

38% of reviewers feel negative about Customization Options in Microsoft Power BI. Reviewers report that customizing backgrounds, visuals, and display components is not intuitive and often requires external tools or extra effort. Users indicate that formatting options are limited compared to other platforms, making it difficult to tailor dashboards to specific needs. Some reviewers find configuration and design tasks tricky, with restricted flexibility for creating custom infographics or adjusting themes. They say the process for customizing templates and objects is cumbersome and not user-friendly.

Network Performance Monitor vs Microsoft Power BI Comparison (2026)

Network Performance Monitor vs Microsoft Power BI Comparison (2026)

Network Performance Monitor

Microsoft Power BI

Overview

Video & Screenshots

Pricing

User reviews

Key features

Integrations

Alternatives