Power BI vs SSRS: Migration and Comparison Guide for 2026

<h1>Power BI vs SSRS: Migration and Comparison Guide for 2026</h1>

<p>SQL Server Reporting Services has been the operational reporting backbone for thousands of enterprises since its introduction in SQL Server 2004. Two decades later, organizations face a strategic inflection point: continue investing in SSRS, migrate to Power BI, or architect a hybrid that leverages both platforms. This guide provides a rigorous, enterprise-grade comparison of SSRS and Power BI, a framework for deciding when SSRS still makes sense, and a phased migration methodology that minimizes business disruption while modernizing your reporting estate. EPC Group has executed SSRS-to-Power-BI migrations for Fortune 500 organizations across healthcare, finance, and government. Our <a href="/services/power-bi-consulting">Power BI consulting practice</a> brings 25 years of Microsoft ecosystem expertise to every engagement.</p>

<h2>SSRS vs Power BI: Feature-by-Feature Comparison</h2>

<p>Understanding the architectural differences between SSRS and Power BI is foundational to any migration decision. These are not interchangeable tools. They were designed for different eras of business intelligence and solve different categories of reporting problems.</p>

<table> <thead> <tr><th>Capability</th><th>SSRS</th><th>Power BI Service</th></tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr><td>Report paradigm</td><td>Pixel-perfect paginated reports (RDL)</td><td>Interactive dashboards and visuals (PBIX) plus paginated reports (RDL)</td></tr> <tr><td>Data model</td><td>Query-time execution against relational sources</td><td>In-memory VertiPaq engine with import, DirectQuery, and composite models</td></tr> <tr><td>Self-service authoring</td><td>Limited; requires Report Builder or Visual Studio</td><td>Full self-service via Power BI Desktop with natural language Q&amp;A</td></tr> <tr><td>Scheduling and subscriptions</td><td>Native email and file share subscriptions via SQL Agent</td><td>Scheduled refresh, email subscriptions, Power Automate integration</td></tr> <tr><td>Embedding</td><td>URL embedding, ReportViewer control</td><td>Power BI Embedded (Azure), JavaScript SDK, Teams integration</td></tr> <tr><td>Mobile experience</td><td>HTML rendering (not optimized)</td><td>Native iOS, Android, and Windows mobile apps with offline support</td></tr> <tr><td>AI and analytics</td><td>None</td><td>AI visuals, anomaly detection, Smart Narratives, Copilot integration</td></tr> <tr><td>Licensing</td><td>Included with SQL Server license (Standard or Enterprise)</td><td>Per-user Pro/Premium Per User or capacity-based Premium/Fabric</td></tr> <tr><td>Deployment</td><td>On-premises only (Windows Server + SQL Server)</td><td>Cloud SaaS, or on-premises via Power BI Report Server</td></tr> <tr><td>Row-level security</td><td>Database-level security, report parameters</td><td>Model-level RLS with DAX expressions, dynamic security groups</td></tr> <tr><td>Real-time data</td><td>Not supported natively</td><td>DirectQuery, streaming datasets, Real-Time Intelligence in Fabric</td></tr> <tr><td>Version control</td><td>RDL files in source control</td><td>Git integration in Power BI Desktop, deployment pipelines</td></tr> </tbody> </table>

<p>The comparison reveals that Power BI dominates in self-service analytics, AI-powered insights, mobile experience, and cloud-native architecture. However, SSRS retains clear advantages in specific scenarios that organizations must evaluate honestly before committing to a full migration.</p>

<h2>When SSRS Still Makes Sense</h2>

<p>Despite the momentum toward Power BI, there are legitimate enterprise scenarios where SSRS remains the right tool. Migrating prematurely creates technical debt and business disruption without proportional value. SSRS continues to be the better choice in the following situations:</p>

<ul> <li><strong>High-volume pixel-perfect printing.</strong> Organizations that generate thousands of invoices, packing slips, regulatory filings, or compliance documents per day need precise page layout control. SSRS renders pixel-perfect output to PDF, Word, Excel, and direct-to-printer. Power BI paginated reports offer similar capability in the cloud, but organizations with air-gapped or on-premises-only mandates cannot use the Power BI Service.</li> <li><strong>Existing SQL Server Enterprise Agreement.</strong> SSRS is included at no additional cost with SQL Server Standard and Enterprise licenses. Organizations with large SQL Server estates already paying for these licenses incur zero incremental reporting cost with SSRS.</li> <li><strong>Regulatory environments requiring on-premises-only deployment.</strong> Government agencies operating at classified levels, healthcare systems with strict data residency requirements, and financial institutions under regulatory mandates that prohibit cloud processing may be unable to use the Power BI Service. Power BI Report Server is an alternative, but it lacks many cloud-only features.</li> <li><strong>Deep integration with SQL Server Agent jobs.</strong> SSRS subscriptions driven by SQL Server Agent provide sophisticated scheduling scenarios including data-driven subscriptions that dynamically determine recipients, rendering formats, and delivery methods based on database queries.</li> <li><strong>Legacy applications with ReportViewer control embedding.</strong> Applications that embed SSRS reports via the ReportViewer ASP.NET control have a direct dependency that requires refactoring to migrate to Power BI Embedded.</li> </ul>

<p>If your organization fits one or more of these scenarios, a hybrid architecture (covered later in this guide) may be the optimal path rather than a complete migration.</p>

<h2>Power BI Report Server vs SSRS: Understanding the On-Premises Option</h2>

<p>Power BI Report Server (PBIRS) is Microsoft's bridge between the SSRS on-premises world and the Power BI cloud ecosystem. It runs on the same infrastructure as SSRS and supports both traditional RDL paginated reports and Power BI interactive reports (.pbix files). Key differences from SSRS include:</p>

<ul> <li><strong>Power BI report hosting.</strong> PBIRS can render .pbix files on-premises, allowing organizations to deploy interactive Power BI reports without sending data to the cloud.</li> <li><strong>Modern web portal.</strong> The PBIRS portal replaces the legacy SSRS Report Manager with the same modern interface used in the Power BI Service.</li> <li><strong>KPI support.</strong> PBIRS supports mobile KPIs and key performance indicators directly in the portal.</li> <li><strong>Licensing.</strong> Requires Power BI Premium or SQL Server Enterprise Edition with Software Assurance. It is not available with SQL Server Standard.</li> <li><strong>Feature lag.</strong> PBIRS receives updates three times per year and consistently lags the Power BI Service by four to six months on new features. AI visuals, Copilot, dataflows, and many premium features are cloud-only and will never be available in PBIRS.</li> </ul>

<p>PBIRS is an excellent transitional technology. It allows organizations to begin authoring in Power BI Desktop while maintaining on-premises deployment. However, it should not be treated as a permanent destination. Microsoft's investment is overwhelmingly in the cloud Power BI Service and Microsoft Fabric. Organizations planning a three-to-five-year horizon should treat PBIRS as a waypoint, not a terminus.</p>

<h2>Migration Assessment: Where to Start</h2>

<p>Every successful SSRS-to-Power-BI migration begins with a thorough assessment of the existing report estate. EPC Group's <a href="/services/enterprise-deployment">enterprise deployment services</a> include a standardized discovery phase that catalogs every report, data source, subscription, and consumer. The assessment must answer these questions:</p>

<ol> <li><strong>Report inventory.</strong> How many RDL reports exist across all SSRS instances? Include production, development, and departmental instances that may not be centrally managed. We routinely discover 30 to 50 percent more reports than IT leadership estimates.</li> <li><strong>Report usage analytics.</strong> Query the SSRS ExecutionLog table to identify which reports are actively used, how frequently, by whom, and in what rendering format. Reports with zero executions in 12 months are candidates for retirement rather than migration.</li> <li><strong>Report complexity classification.</strong> Categorize reports into tiers: simple tabular (direct migration), complex paginated (RDL-to-paginated), interactive analytics (rebuild in Power BI Desktop), and embedded application reports (requires Power BI Embedded refactoring).</li> <li><strong>Data source inventory.</strong> Document every shared and embedded data source, including connection strings, authentication methods, stored credentials, and data source types. Pay special attention to non-SQL-Server sources (Oracle, DB2, SAP, custom ODBC) that may require gateway configuration.</li> <li><strong>Subscription inventory.</strong> Export all subscription definitions including schedules, recipients, delivery methods (email, file share, SharePoint library), and rendering formats. Data-driven subscriptions require special handling.</li> <li><strong>Security model audit.</strong> Document folder-level role assignments, item-level security overrides, and any custom security extensions. Map these to Power BI workspace roles and row-level security requirements.</li> </ol>

<p>This assessment typically takes two to four weeks for organizations with 200 to 500 reports and produces a migration roadmap with effort estimates, risk ratings, and a prioritized sequence. <a href="/contact">Contact EPC Group</a> to schedule a migration assessment for your organization.</p>

<h2>RDL Compatibility: What Migrates and What Does Not</h2>

<p>Report Definition Language (RDL) files are the core artifact of SSRS reports. Understanding RDL compatibility is critical to estimating migration effort accurately. Power BI supports RDL in two ways: Power BI paginated reports (cloud) and Power BI Report Server (on-premises).</p>

<p><strong>What migrates directly:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Tablix data regions (tables, matrices, lists)</li> <li>Chart visuals (bar, line, pie, scatter, area)</li> <li>Gauge and indicator visuals</li> <li>Subreports (with limitations in paginated reports)</li> <li>Parameters (single-value and multi-value)</li> <li>Expressions (most RDL expressions translate to paginated report expressions)</li> <li>Page headers and footers</li> <li>Drillthrough actions and bookmarks</li> </ul>

<p><strong>What requires rework:</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong>Custom code blocks.</strong> VB.NET custom code embedded in RDL files is not supported in Power BI paginated reports. This code must be refactored into DAX measures, Power Query transformations, or external API calls.</li> <li><strong>Custom assemblies.</strong> .NET assemblies referenced by SSRS reports for complex calculations or data transformations have no equivalent in Power BI. These functions must be re-implemented.</li> <li><strong>Map visuals.</strong> SSRS map reports using spatial data types require rebuilding using Power BI's native map visuals (ArcGIS, Azure Maps, or Shape Map).</li> <li><strong>Data-driven subscriptions.</strong> The subscription model differs fundamentally between SSRS and Power BI. Data-driven subscriptions must be rebuilt using Power Automate or the Power BI REST API.</li> <li><strong>Linked reports.</strong> SSRS linked reports (parameterized variants of a base report) have no direct equivalent. Use parameterized bookmarks or URL parameter passing in Power BI.</li> </ul>

<p>For a deep dive into paginated reports in the Power BI ecosystem, see our <a href="/blog/power-bi-paginated-reports-enterprise-guide-2026">Power BI Paginated Reports Enterprise Guide</a>.</p>

<h2>Data Source Migration</h2>

<p>Data source migration is the most technically complex aspect of an SSRS-to-Power-BI transition. SSRS connects directly to data sources at query time using stored credentials or integrated Windows authentication. Power BI introduces an intermediary layer: the On-Premises Data Gateway for sources that are not cloud-accessible, and direct cloud connections for Azure SQL, Synapse, Dataverse, and other cloud-native sources.</p>

<p><strong>Key migration steps for data sources:</strong></p>

<ol> <li><strong>Install and configure the On-Premises Data Gateway.</strong> Deploy the gateway in standard mode (not personal mode) on a dedicated Windows Server with network access to all on-premises data sources. Configure high availability with a gateway cluster of at least two nodes for production workloads.</li> <li><strong>Recreate shared data sources as gateway data source connections.</strong> Each SSRS shared data source becomes a data source definition on the gateway. Map stored credentials to gateway-managed credentials. For Windows authentication, configure Kerberos constrained delegation for single sign-on passthrough.</li> <li><strong>Handle non-SQL-Server sources.</strong> Oracle, DB2, SAP HANA, Teradata, and ODBC sources require specific data providers installed on the gateway server. Test connectivity for each source type before migrating reports.</li> <li><strong>Migrate embedded data sources.</strong> Reports with embedded (not shared) connection strings must have those connections extracted and centralized as gateway data sources. This is an opportunity to eliminate credential sprawl.</li> <li><strong>Validate query performance.</strong> SSRS queries execute on the report server. Power BI import mode queries execute during scheduled refresh on the gateway. DirectQuery queries execute on every user interaction. Benchmark query performance through the gateway to identify queries that need optimization before migration.</li> </ol>

<h2>Subscription Migration</h2>

<p>SSRS subscriptions are a critical business function. Finance teams depend on scheduled report delivery for month-end close. Operations teams rely on data-driven subscriptions for exception-based alerting. Disrupting these workflows during migration is not acceptable.</p>

<p><strong>Migration approach for subscriptions:</strong></p>

<ul> <li><strong>Standard email subscriptions</strong> map to Power BI email subscriptions. Configure subscription schedules, recipient lists, and attachment formats (PDF, Excel, PowerPoint) in the Power BI Service. Note that Power BI subscriptions require recipients to have Power BI Pro or PPU licenses.</li> <li><strong>File share subscriptions</strong> must be rebuilt using Power Automate. Create flows that trigger on schedule, export the Power BI report or paginated report to the desired format using the Power BI REST API, and write the file to the target file share, SharePoint document library, or Azure Blob Storage.</li> <li><strong>Data-driven subscriptions</strong> require the most effort. Rebuild the subscription logic in Power Automate using the Power BI REST API ExportToFile endpoint. The flow queries the recipient database, loops through recipients, generates personalized report exports with appropriate parameter values, and delivers via email or file drop.</li> <li><strong>Run parallel subscriptions during transition.</strong> For the first 30 days after migrating a report, run both SSRS and Power BI subscriptions simultaneously. Have business owners confirm that the Power BI output matches expectations before decommissioning the SSRS subscription.</li> </ul>

<h2>Governance During Transition</h2>

<p>The migration period is the highest-risk window for governance failures. Reports exist in two systems simultaneously. Users are uncertain which system is authoritative. Data discrepancies between SSRS and Power BI cause confusion and erode trust. A governance framework must address these risks explicitly.</p>

<ul> <li><strong>Establish a single source of truth registry.</strong> Maintain a shared tracker (SharePoint list, Azure DevOps board, or Excel workbook) that records the authoritative location of every report. As each report migrates, update the registry and notify consumers.</li> <li><strong>Implement a report deprecation process.</strong> When a report is migrated to Power BI and validated, add a banner to the SSRS report stating that the report has moved to Power BI with a direct URL. After 30 days, disable the SSRS report. After 60 days, archive the RDL file and remove it from SSRS.</li> <li><strong>Lock down SSRS for new development.</strong> From the start of migration, prohibit new report development in SSRS. All new reporting requests must be fulfilled in Power BI. This prevents the migration scope from growing during execution.</li> <li><strong>Align security models.</strong> Map SSRS folder permissions and item-level roles to Power BI workspace roles (Admin, Member, Contributor, Viewer). Implement row-level security in Power BI semantic models before migrating reports that rely on database-level security in SSRS. Test with representative users from each security group.</li> <li><strong>Audit trail continuity.</strong> SSRS maintains execution logs. Power BI maintains activity logs and usage metrics. Ensure your compliance and audit teams have access to both systems during the transition period to maintain an unbroken audit trail for regulated reporting.</li> </ul>

<p>Governance is the difference between a migration that builds organizational trust and one that creates chaos. Our <a href="/services/enterprise-deployment">enterprise deployment methodology</a> includes governance frameworks tailored to regulated industries.</p>

<h2>Hybrid Architectures: Running SSRS and Power BI Together</h2>

<p>Most enterprises will operate a hybrid SSRS-and-Power-BI environment for 12 to 36 months during migration. Some will maintain a permanent hybrid for operational and strategic reasons. A well-designed hybrid architecture avoids the pitfalls of two disconnected systems.</p>

<p><strong>Recommended hybrid patterns:</strong></p>

<ul> <li><strong>Power BI for analytics, SSRS for operational reporting.</strong> Interactive dashboards, self-service analytics, and AI-driven insights live in Power BI. Pixel-perfect invoices, regulatory filings, and high-volume batch reports remain in SSRS until paginated reports in Power BI Premium can absorb the workload.</li> <li><strong>Power BI Report Server as the consolidation point.</strong> Deploy PBIRS as the single portal for both .pbix interactive reports and .rdl paginated reports. Users access one web portal instead of two. This reduces confusion during transition.</li> <li><strong>Shared semantic models.</strong> Build Power BI semantic models (datasets) as the single analytical layer. SSRS paginated reports can connect to Power BI semantic models using the XMLA endpoint (Premium or Fabric capacity required). This eliminates data discrepancies between the two platforms because both consume the same model.</li> <li><strong>Gateway consolidation.</strong> Use the same On-Premises Data Gateway cluster for both Power BI and Power BI Report Server. This reduces infrastructure footprint and simplifies credential management.</li> </ul>

<h2>Cost Analysis</h2>

<p>Cost is frequently the primary driver or blocker for SSRS-to-Power-BI migration decisions. A rigorous total cost of ownership (TCO) analysis must account for both direct licensing costs and indirect costs that are often underestimated.</p>

<p><strong>SSRS cost components:</strong></p> <ul> <li>SQL Server license (Standard: approximately $3,945 per two-core pack; Enterprise: approximately $15,123 per two-core pack)</li> <li>Windows Server license</li> <li>Hardware or VM infrastructure (servers, storage, networking)</li> <li>DBA and system administrator labor for patching, monitoring, and troubleshooting</li> <li>Report developer labor (typically more expensive due to RDL complexity)</li> <li>No per-user cost for report consumers</li> </ul>

<p><strong>Power BI cost components:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Power BI Pro: $10 per user per month (included with Microsoft 365 E5)</li> <li>Power BI Premium Per User (PPU): $20 per user per month</li> <li>Power BI Premium capacity: starting at approximately $5,000 per month (P1) for dedicated cloud capacity</li> <li>Microsoft Fabric capacity: consumption-based pricing starting at F2</li> <li>On-Premises Data Gateway: no license cost, but requires server infrastructure</li> <li>Migration project labor: assessment, development, testing, training, and change management</li> </ul>

<p><strong>TCO comparison framework:</strong> For organizations with fewer than 200 report consumers, Power BI Pro licensing is almost always more cost-effective than maintaining SSRS infrastructure. For organizations with 500-plus consumers and heavy paginated report usage, Power BI Premium capacity or Fabric capacity provides unlimited viewer access without per-user licensing, but the capacity cost must be justified by volume. Organizations already paying for SQL Server Enterprise and consuming SSRS as a free included feature must account for the hidden costs of infrastructure, administration, and the opportunity cost of not having self-service analytics.</p>

<h2>Timeline and Phased Migration Approach</h2>

<p>EPC Group recommends a four-phase migration timeline based on our experience with enterprise SSRS estates of 200 to 2,000-plus reports. For a detailed methodology covering migrations from other legacy BI platforms as well, see our <a href="/blog/power-bi-migration-legacy-bi-tools-guide-2026">Power BI Migration from Legacy BI Tools Guide</a>.</p>

<h3>Phase 1: Assessment and Planning (Weeks 1 through 4)</h3> <ul> <li>Complete report inventory and usage analysis</li> <li>Classify reports by migration complexity</li> <li>Document data sources, subscriptions, and security</li> <li>Build TCO model and secure executive sponsorship</li> <li>Establish governance framework and migration registry</li> <li>Deploy and configure On-Premises Data Gateway</li> </ul>

<h3>Phase 2: Foundation and Quick Wins (Weeks 5 through 12)</h3> <ul> <li>Migrate high-usage, low-complexity reports first to demonstrate value</li> <li>Publish Power BI semantic models for shared data sources</li> <li>Migrate simple tabular SSRS reports to Power BI paginated reports</li> <li>Rebuild top 10 most-viewed reports as interactive Power BI dashboards</li> <li>Run parallel subscriptions and validate output with business owners</li> <li>Conduct pilot training sessions with early adopter groups</li> </ul>

<h3>Phase 3: Core Migration (Weeks 13 through 30)</h3> <ul> <li>Migrate remaining reports in priority order based on business impact</li> <li>Refactor reports with custom code and custom assemblies</li> <li>Rebuild data-driven subscriptions in Power Automate</li> <li>Implement row-level security in semantic models</li> <li>Deprecate SSRS reports following the 30/60-day banner-then-archive process</li> <li>Deliver organization-wide Power BI training and certification programs</li> </ul>

<h3>Phase 4: Optimization and Decommission (Weeks 31 through 40)</h3> <ul> <li>Resolve remaining edge cases (embedded application reports, linked reports)</li> <li>Performance-tune Power BI semantic models and gateway queries</li> <li>Complete SSRS decommission or establish permanent hybrid boundaries</li> <li>Hand off to internal Center of Excellence with runbooks and documentation</li> <li>Conduct post-migration retrospective and publish lessons learned</li> </ul>

<p>Total elapsed time for a typical enterprise migration: 8 to 10 months. Organizations with fewer than 100 reports can compress this to 3 to 4 months. Organizations with 1,000-plus reports should plan for 12 to 18 months with dedicated migration resources.</p>

<h2>Next Steps</h2>

<p>Migrating from SSRS to Power BI is not a simple upgrade. It is a platform transformation that touches data architecture, security models, operational workflows, and organizational culture. The organizations that succeed are those that invest in thorough assessment, disciplined governance, and phased execution rather than attempting a big-bang cutover.</p>

<p>EPC Group has guided Fortune 500 enterprises through SSRS-to-Power-BI migrations across healthcare, financial services, and government. We bring deep expertise in both platforms, compliance frameworks for regulated industries, and a proven methodology that minimizes business disruption. <a href="/contact">Contact EPC Group</a> to schedule a migration assessment and receive a customized roadmap for your organization's reporting modernization.</p>