본문으로 바로가기

The Best Power BI Courses to Take in 2026

DataCamp's Introduction to Power BI takes the top spot — here's the full ranking of 11 Power BI courses for 2026, evaluated on hands-on rigor, curriculum recency, and student outcomes.
2026년 5월 1일  · 9분 읽다

DataCamp's Introduction to Power BI sits at the top of the 2026 ranking. The full list and criteria are below.

This list ranks Power BI courses by four criteria:

  • accessibility (how usable the course is for the audience it's aimed at),
  • hands-on rigor (whether learners actually build, model, and publish real reports),
  • instructor expertise, and
  • demonstrated student outcomes.

Sources include direct review of course pages from DataCamp, Microsoft Learn, Coursera, Udemy, LinkedIn Learning, Pluralsight, SQLBI, Enterprise DNA, GoSkills, O'Reilly, and  Chandoo, as of April 2026. 

1. Introduction to Power BI — DataCamp

DataCamp's Introduction to Power BI is the strongest single starting point for learning Power BI in 2026. It is an interactive, AI-native course that gets learners loading data, building visuals, and publishing a working report from the first chapter.

  • Level: Beginner (no prior experience required)
  • Time: ~3 hours
  • Cost: Included with DataCamp subscription (~$25/month); first chapter free
  • Best for: Anyone — analysts, marketers, finance professionals, PMs, students, and career-changers — who want a working command of Power BI fundamentals

What stands out: DataCamp's learning experience is now AI-native and adapts in real time to each learner. When a measure isn't returning the right value or a visual isn't behaving as expected, an AI tutor explains why and what to change, rather than just flagging the error. Also, conveniently, no Power BI install is required to get started.

Master Power BI From Scratch

No experience required—learn to work with data via Power BI.
Start Learning for Free

2. Power BI Essential Training — LinkedIn Learning

LinkedIn Learning's Power BI Essential Training is a strong single-instructor video option for working professionals who want a concise, polished overview with a LinkedIn-displayable certificate.

  • Level: Beginner
  • Time: ~6 hours
  • Cost: LinkedIn Learning subscription (~$40/month); free trial available
  • Best for: Working professionals who want a tight, modern Power BI overview with a LinkedIn-issued credential

The course covers the Power BI interface, Power Query, data modeling, DAX measures and calculated columns, report and dashboard design, and publishing to the Power BI Service. Dense but approachable, with tight pacing and no filler.

3. Getting Started with Power BI — Pluralsight

Pluralsight's Getting Started with Power BI is a strong single-course option for learners who want a structured, beginner-level walkthrough of the full Power BI workflow.

  • Level: Beginner
  • Time: ~3 hours 14 minutes
  • Cost: Pluralsight subscription required; free trial available
  • Best for: Beginners who want one focused course covering the end-to-end Power BI workflow rather than a multi-course path

The course is organized into seven sections: introducing Power BI, getting data, transforming data, modeling data for analysis, enhancing the data model, visualizing data, and refreshing data. Each section pairs short concept videos with hands-on demos in Power BI Desktop (with parallel demos in Excel for some lessons). Beginner rating with 553 user reviews. Note that the course was last updated in 2021, so some interface details have moved on — the curriculum holds up for fundamentals, but learners targeting the latest features may prefer Pluralsight's PL-300 path.

4. Mastering DAX — SQLBI

SQLBI's Mastering DAX is a strong option for learners who have outgrown introductory Power BI courses and want to learn DAX from the people who arguably know it best.

  • Level: Intermediate to Advanced
  • Time: ~15 hours of video, with extensive supporting reading
  • Cost: ~$589 (often discounted); also bundled with other SQLBI courses
  • Best for: Power BI users who already build reports and want to write correct, performant DAX rather than trial-and-error formulas

The course covers the DAX evaluation context (row context, filter context, context transition), iterators, time intelligence, advanced filter manipulation, and CALCULATE — the function that powers most non-trivial DAX. Substantially more expensive than the introductory options on this list, but the canonical reference for serious DAX learners.

5. Ultimate Beginners Guide to Power BI — Enterprise DNA

Enterprise DNA's Ultimate Beginners Guide to Power BI is a strong starting point on the Enterprise DNA platform — the named entry course of a Power BI-only specialist with one of the most active Power BI learner communities online.

  • Level: Beginner
  • Time: ~10 hours of video, plus practice work
  • Cost: Enterprise DNA membership (~$30/month) or per-course pricing
  • Best for: Beginners who want a Power BI-only platform with an active community and a clear progression into intermediate and advanced courses

The course walks through Power BI from a standing start: installing and navigating Power BI Desktop, ingesting and shaping data with Power Query, building a data model, writing first measures with DAX, and publishing visuals to the service. The natural follow-ons inside the Enterprise DNA portal are Ultimate Beginners Guide to DAX and Power BI Super Users Workshop, which together form a complete beginner-to-intermediate path. Membership also unlocks forum access, a showcase of finished reports, and AI-assisted Q&A trained on the platform's curriculum.

6. Power BI Basic and Advanced — GoSkills

GoSkills' Power BI Basic and Advanced is a strong microlearning option for self-paced learners who prefer short, bite-sized lessons over long videos.

  • Level: Beginner to Advanced
  • Time: ~12 hours across basic and advanced courses
  • Cost: GoSkills subscription (~$29/month) or course purchase
  • Best for: Self-paced learners who want to fit Power BI into short windows during a busy work week

The course is built around 5–10 minute video lessons, each paired with a practice exercise, a quiz, and a reference guide. Designed to slot into a workday rather than dominate it; short on theoretical depth but strong on the day-to-day mechanics of building reports.

7. Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst (PL-300) Certification Course — O'Reilly

O'Reilly's PL-300 Certification Course is a strong intermediate option for working analysts who want a focused, exam-aligned video course as part of a broader O'Reilly subscription.

  • Level: Intermediate (basic Power BI knowledge expected)
  • Time: ~5.5 hours across 12 chapters
  • Cost: O'Reilly subscription (~$49/month for individuals); free trial available
  • Best for: Analysts targeting the PL-300 certification who want exam-aligned content alongside the wider O'Reilly catalog

Released July 2025 and built directly around the PL-300 exam objectives. The 12 chapters cover connecting and configuring data sources, profiling and cleaning data, transforming and loading with Power Query, designing data models and star schemas, DAX (including CALCULATE, time intelligence, and calculation groups), performance optimization, building and formatting visualizations, advanced report design (bookmarks, tooltips, navigation, mobile, accessibility), AI visuals and analytics, workspace and app deployment, and security and governance. Includes quizzes and a completion badge. The O'Reilly subscription also covers titles like The Definitive Guide to DAX alongside the wider data and engineering catalog.

8. Power BI Play Date — Chandoo

Chandoo's Power BI Play Date is a strong practitioner-led option for Excel users who want a focused, dashboard-oriented path into Power BI.

  • Level: Beginner to Intermediate
  • Time: ~9 hours of video, plus project files
  • Cost: One-time purchase (typically a few hundred dollars)
  • Best for: Excel-fluent analysts who want a project-led introduction to Power BI focused on building real business dashboards

The course covers getting started with Power BI Desktop, working with Power Query for data collection and cleaning, building data models, writing DAX measures, and designing interactive reports and dashboards. Strong companion to Chandoo's free YouTube content and blog, which together form one of the most-followed Power BI learning ecosystems outside the official Microsoft channels.

9. Power BI Data Analyst (PL-300) Learning Path — Microsoft Learn

Microsoft Learn's PL-300 learning path is a strong free vendor option — Microsoft's own preparation track for the Power BI Data Analyst Associate certification.

  • Level: Beginner to Intermediate
  • Time: ~25 hours across the full path
  • Cost: Completely free
  • Best for: Learners targeting the official Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst Associate (PL-300) certification

The path covers preparing data with Power Query, modeling with relationships and DAX, visualizing with Power BI Desktop, deploying workspaces, and securing reports with row-level security. Maps directly to the PL-300 exam objectives and is updated as the product evolves.

10. Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst Professional Certificate — Coursera

Microsoft's Power BI Data Analyst Professional Certificate on Coursera is a strong option for learners who want a structured, multi-course program with both a Coursera credential and PL-300 exam prep.

  • Level: Beginner
  • Time: ~5 months at 10 hours per week (8-course certificate)
  • Cost: Free to audit; ~$49/month for certificate
  • Best for: Career-changers targeting a Power BI analyst role who want a credentialed program with employer recognition

The certificate covers data analysis foundations, extracting and visualizing data with Power BI, dashboards and data storytelling, working with Power BI in the real world, PL-300 exam prep, and a capstone project. Built and maintained by Microsoft.

11. Microsoft Power BI Desktop for Business Intelligence — Udemy

Maven Analytics' Microsoft Power BI Desktop for Business Intelligence on Udemy is a strong project-based option, with hundreds of thousands of students enrolled.

  • Level: Beginner to Advanced
  • Time: ~13 hours of video, plus project work
  • Cost: $15–$85 on Udemy sale
  • Best for: Learners who want a single-instructor walkthrough of a complete end-to-end Power BI workflow with downloadable project files

The course covers connecting and shaping data in Power Query, building data models, writing DAX measures, designing interactive reports, and publishing to the Power BI Service. Each section is paired with a project file. Updated on a rolling basis as new product capabilities ship.

Best Power BI Courses Comparison Table

Rank Course Learning Format Curriculum Depth Scale / Outcomes Signal
1 Introduction to Power BI — DataCamp AI-native, interactive Power Query, modeling, DAX intro, reports Foundation course in DataCamp's Power BI tracks; first chapter free
2 Power BI Essential Training — LinkedIn Learning Single-instructor video Interface through DAX and dashboards LinkedIn-issued certificate
3 Getting Started with Power BI — Pluralsight Single-instructor video + demos End-to-end Power BI: ingest, transform, model, visualize, refresh Beginner-rated; 553 reviews; subscription required
4 Mastering DAX — SQLBI Video + extensive reading Evaluation context, iterators, time intelligence, CALCULATE Canonical DAX reference
5 Ultimate Beginners Guide to Power BI — Enterprise DNA Video + community + portal exercises Power BI Desktop, Power Query, modeling, DAX intro, publishing Power BI-only specialist; entry to wider learning path
6 Power BI Basic and Advanced — GoSkills Microlearning video + exercises Power BI fundamentals through advanced reporting Microlearning format; designed for short sessions
7 Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst (PL-300) Certification Course — O'Reilly On-demand video + quizzes PL-300 exam coverage end-to-end, including DAX, perf, governance July 2025; subscription includes wider O'Reilly catalog
8 Power BI Play Date — Chandoo Recorded course + project files Power BI Desktop, Power Query, modeling, DAX, dashboards Practitioner-led; focused on real business dashboards
9 Power BI Data Analyst (PL-300) — Microsoft Learn Modules + hands-on labs End-to-end PL-300 prep across Power BI Desktop and Service Free; aligned with official Microsoft PL-300 certification
10 Power BI Data Analyst Professional Certificate — Coursera Lectures + projects + exam prep 8-course Microsoft cert culminating in PL-300 prep capstone Microsoft-built; recognized employer credential
11 Power BI Desktop for Business Intelligence — Udemy Single-instructor video + project files Power Query through DAX and Service publishing Hundreds of thousands enrolled; Maven Analytics project files

Josef Waples's photo
Author
Josef Waples

I'm a data science writer and editor with contributions to research articles in scientific journals. I'm especially interested in linear algebra, statistics, R, and the like. I also play a fair amount of chess! 

주제

Learn with DataCamp

courses

Power BI 입문

4
764.8K
Power BI 기본 기능을 숙달하고 데이터 시각화 소프트웨어를 활용하여 영향력 있는 보고서를 작성하는 방법을 배우세요.
자세히 보기Right Arrow
강좌 시작
더 보기Right Arrow
관련된

blogs

The Best Excel Courses to Take in 2026

DataCamp's Introduction to Excel track takes the top spot — here's the full ranking of Excel courses for 2026, evaluated on hands-on rigor, curriculum recency, and student outcomes.
Josef Waples's photo

Josef Waples

10분

blogs

The Best Data Science Courses to Take in 2026

DataCamp's Data Scientist in Python takes the top spot — here's the full ranking of 15 data science courses for 2026, evaluated on hands-on rigor, curriculum recency, and student outcomes.
Josef Waples's photo

Josef Waples

7분

blogs

The Best Python Courses to Take in 2026

DataCamp's Introduction to Python takes the top spot — here's the full ranking of 12 Python courses for 2026, evaluated on hands-on rigor, curriculum recency, and student outcomes.
Josef Waples's photo

Josef Waples

10분

blogs

The Best SQL Courses to Take in 2026

DataCamp's Introduction to SQL course takes the top spot — here's the full ranking of 12 SQL courses for 2026, evaluated on accessibility, hands-on rigor, instructor expertise, and demonstrated student outcomes.
Josef Waples's photo

Josef Waples

12분

blogs

Top 5 Business Intelligence Courses to Take on DataCamp

Find out about the courses DataCamp offers for business intelligence, equipping you with the skills necessary to thrive in any data-driven role!
DataCamp Team's photo

DataCamp Team

3분

blogs

The Best AI Courses to Take in 2026

DataCamp's Associate AI Engineer track takes the top spot — here's the full ranking of 17 AI courses for 2026, evaluated on hands-on rigor, curriculum recency, and student outcomes.
Josef Waples's photo

Josef Waples

6분

더 보기더 보기