A developer-friendly Power BI Embedded alternative, without Azure

Embed reports and dashboards directly inside your SaaS product using web components and your own data layer. No Azure account, no capacity-based licensing, no Fabric F-SKU, no Entra ID requirement, no iframe.

Competitor
Power BI Embedded
Est.
2016
Cloud
Azure and Entra ID
Template
.pbix (binary)
Join the waitlistSee how we differ

A different approach to embedded analytics

Power BI Embedded is a capable platform with broad visual support and deep integration into the Microsoft data stack. For analyst-driven, ad-hoc exploration inside a Microsoft shop, it is hard to beat. Where it gets expensive, both literally and architecturally, is when you try to use it as the embedded reporting layer of a third-party SaaS product.

Golden Reports is built for that case specifically. The product team owns the report templates, the data layer is your own GraphQL schema, embedding is a native web component rather than an iframe, and pricing scales with the people building reports rather than with the hours your Azure or Fabric capacity is provisioned.

  1. Web components, any framework

    Embed reports using standard web components. Wrap them in React, Angular, or Vue with a thin adapter, or use them as-is in any HTML page. No iframe, no embed-token dance, no Microsoft chrome.

  2. Your data layer, not Microsoft’s

    Connect to your data sources via GraphQL. You define the schema, you control what gets exposed. No pushing data into the Power BI service, no scheduled dataset refreshes to babysit.

  3. Predictable pricing

    Per-seat subscription for builders, query-volume limits, embedding and unlimited viewers included on every paid tier. No capacity SKUs, no per-render fees, no Power BI Pro or PPU per author.

  4. Extensible block system

    Build your own report blocks scoped to your design system and load them as plugins at runtime. Power BI Embedded does not support custom server-side render blocks like this.

Power BI Embedded vs Golden Reports

Different tools for different needs. Here is a side-by-side comparison.
  • Embedding model
    Power BI Embedded
    iframe with embed token
    Golden Reports
    Native web component, any framework
  • Authoring tool
    Power BI Embedded
    Power BI Desktop (Windows)
    Golden Reports
    Browser-based editor, plain-text templates
  • Template format
    Power BI Embedded
    .pbix (binary, model-driven)
    Golden Reports
    HTML, CSS, Liquid (plain text)
  • Data layer
    Power BI Embedded
    Push to Power BI datasets
    Golden Reports
    GraphQL over your own sources
  • Cloud dependency
    Power BI Embedded
    Requires Azure and Entra ID
    Golden Reports
    SaaS or self-hosted, no Azure
  • Pricing model
    Power BI Embedded
    A SKUs billed hourly, or Fabric F SKUs
    Golden Reports
    Per-seat subscription, free Community tier
  • Author licensing
    Power BI Embedded
    Power BI Pro or PPU required per author
    Golden Reports
    Included in subscription
  • Custom render components
    Power BI Embedded
    Limited: visuals SDK, sandboxed
    Golden Reports
    Plugin-based block system, full server-side
  • Theming
    Power BI Embedded
    Limited theme JSON
    Golden Reports
    Full CSS, dark mode built-in
  • Best fit
    Power BI Embedded
    Ad-hoc analytics, internal BI
    Golden Reports
    Embedded reporting, structured operational reports

Both platforms support multiple output formats and serve reports inside applications. The differences are in authoring model, embedding shape, and pricing structure.

Migrating from Power BI Embedded

There is no automated .pbix converter, so migration is a rebuild. The architectural model is genuinely different.
  • Power BI
    .pbix report
    HTML, CSS, and Liquid template

    Plain text. Versioned in Git. No model-driven binary, no Power BI Desktop required.

  • Power BI
    Datasets and dataflows
    GraphQL data contexts

    Stop pushing data into Power BI. Reports query your own GraphQL schema directly.

  • Power BI
    DAX measures
    GraphQL resolvers plus Liquid filters

    Aggregations and calculations live in your data layer, not in the report file.

  • Power BI
    Visuals (built-in and AppSource)
    HTML and CSS components plus plugin blocks

    Build visuals as ordinary web components. Reuse across reports as plugins.

  • Power BI
    Filters and slicers
    Report parameters plus Liquid filtering

    Typed parameters drive GraphQL query variables. Slicers become standard HTML form controls.

  • Power BI
    Row-level security (RLS)
    GraphQL resolver and permission rules

    Enforce permissions in the data layer where they belong. Per-field permissions are also supported.

  • Power BI
    Embed tokens
    App-managed authentication

    No token-minting service to operate. Your app authenticates the user, and reports render natively.

  • Power BI
    Capacity SKUs (A1, A2, Fabric F…)
    Per-seat subscription plus query limits

    No hourly capacity billing. Pricing scales with builders and query volume.

  • Power BI
    Power BI Service workspace
    Golden Reports workspace

    Hosting, scheduling, permissions, and report distribution are part of the platform.

  • Power BI
    Power BI Desktop authoring
    Browser-based editor or any IDE

    No Windows-only desktop tool. Edit in the browser or in any IDE that handles HTML and Liquid.

Practical migration pattern: separate the two use cases. Power BI content that is genuinely interactive analytics often makes sense to keep on Power BI. Power BI content that is really structured embedded reporting, the kind your customers see inside your product, is the high-ROI migration target. Start there.

Where Power BI is still the stronger choice

Comparison cuts both ways. There are real cases where Power BI is a better fit than Golden Reports today:
  • Ad-hoc analytical exploration. If business users drag-and-drop fields onto a canvas to explore data, Power BI's authoring experience is more mature than ours.
  • Broad visual library out of the box. Power BI ships dozens of built-in visuals plus an AppSource marketplace. Golden Reports gives you HTML, CSS, and a plugin system: flexible, but you build more.
  • Deep Microsoft stack integration. If your organization runs on Fabric, Synapse, Entra ID, and Microsoft 365, Power BI fits naturally. The integrations are real value.
  • AI Q&A and natural language features. Power BI's Copilot and Q&A features are a meaningful differentiator if your end users want to ask questions in English. We do not have an equivalent.

Many teams end up using both: Power BI internally for analyst-driven exploration, Golden Reports for the structured reports they ship to customers inside their product. Picking one tool to do everything is rarely the right answer.

Is Golden Reports right for you?

Golden Reports is a good fit if you:
  • Are building a SaaS product and need embedded reporting that does not require an Azure dependency for your customers
  • Want predictable pricing that scales with builders and query volume, rather than capacity SKUs billed per hour
  • Want to keep data in your own infrastructure instead of pushing it into the Power BI service
  • Need a true white-label experience with native web components instead of iframes and embed tokens
  • Need report blocks scoped to your design system, with full server-side rendering control

If your organization is already deep in the Microsoft stack, your end users are analysts who live in Power BI Desktop, or your reports lean heavily on Power BI's built-in visuals and AI features, staying with Power BI Embedded probably makes more sense. We are not the right fit for everyone. We are the right fit for teams who want embedded reporting they actually control.

Frequently asked questions

Common questions from teams evaluating Golden Reports as a Power BI Embedded alternative.
Why choose a Power BI Embedded alternative instead of Power BI Embedded itself?
Power BI Embedded is capable, but it comes with structural costs: capacity-based licensing (A SKUs, billed per hour while running, or Fabric F SKUs), a hard dependency on Azure and Microsoft Entra ID, embed-token flows you have to mint server-side, and Power BI Pro or Premium Per User licenses required for every author. Teams typically look for an alternative when those costs are growing faster than revenue, or when "embedded" turns out to mean "iframe with Microsoft chrome around it" rather than something native to their product.
Can I import Power BI reports (.pbix files) into Golden Reports?
No. Golden Reports does not parse .pbix. Templates are HTML, CSS, and Liquid, which is a different shape than Power BI’s model-driven reports. Migration means rebuilding reports against a GraphQL schema. The trade is that you stop pushing data into the Power BI service and start querying your own data sources directly.
Does Golden Reports replace Power BI for ad-hoc analytics and dashboards?
Partially. Golden Reports is built primarily for operational and embedded reports: structured, parameterized reports your end-users consume inside your product. You can build dashboards and charts, but if your team relies heavily on ad-hoc exploration, Q&A natural-language features, or the broad Power BI visual library, Power BI is still the stronger tool for that. Many teams keep Power BI internally for analyst-driven exploration and use Golden Reports for the embedded reports they ship to their customers.
Does Golden Reports require Azure or Microsoft Entra ID?
No. There is no Azure dependency, no Entra ID requirement, and no embed-token dance. Authentication is handled by your own application, and reports are embedded via web components or framework SDKs (React, Angular, plain HTML). Self-hosting is a single Helm chart on any Kubernetes cluster.
How does pricing compare to Power BI Embedded capacity SKUs?
Golden Reports uses per-seat subscriptions for the people who build and manage reports, plus query-volume limits, rather than capacity-based hourly billing. Embedding and unlimited end-user viewers are included in every paid tier. The Community tier is free forever (3 builders, 1 workspace, 1,500 queries per month). There is no equivalent of running an A-SKU or Fabric F-SKU capacity around the clock.
Is Golden Reports a true white-label embedded experience?
Yes. Reports embed as native components inside your app with your own CSS and design tokens: no Power BI chrome, no "Powered by" branding, no iframe to style around. You can build custom report blocks scoped to your design system and load them as plugins, which Power BI Embedded does not support.
Can I use my existing data sources, or do I have to push data into Golden Reports?
Use your own. Golden Reports connects to data sources via GraphQL. You define the schema, you control what gets exposed. There is no equivalent of Power BI datasets that you have to push data into and refresh. Postgres is supported at launch via the connector plugin system; SQL Server, REST, GraphQL, and gRPC connectors are on the roadmap.
How do I migrate from Power BI Embedded to Golden Reports?
There is no automated converter. Migration starts with separating the two use cases inside your product: which Power BI content is actually structured embedded reporting (a good migration target), and which is genuinely interactive analytics (often best left in Power BI for now). For the embedded reporting half, rebuild against a GraphQL schema using the migration concept map on this page, and use the free Community tier to evaluate before committing.

Compare to other reporting tools

Evaluating your options? See how Golden Reports stacks up against other platforms.

vs

Jasper Reports

XML-based reporting, modernized

See comparison →

vs

Crystal Reports

Web-native, cross-platform

See comparison →

vs

SSRS

SQL Server 2025 dropped SSRS

See comparison →

Start your evaluation

Build your first report in an afternoon, not a quarter.

The free Community tier is designed for exactly the kind of evaluation a Power BI Embedded migration deserves. No credit card, no commitment, no migration plan required up front.

Join the waitlistSee pricing
Free tier
3 builders · 1 workspace
Queries / month
1,500