Power BI Courses – Buyers Guide 2026

So you want to go on a comprehensive Power BI course.

Which one should you pick?

Here’s a clear, numbered breakdown of six leading providers, all to help you make the right choice.

To make this list, we reviewed dozens of UK-based Power BI training providers. Each provider was evaluated against four main factors:

Format & Accesibility – Whether they offer classroom, live online, or flexible on-demand courses.

Pricing & Value – Transparency of costs, affordability and what you get for your money.

Credentials & Certification – Accreditation status, certificates offered, and partner recognition with Microsoft.

Credibility & Reviews – Independent ratings, student feedback and industry reputation.

Only providers that offered clear pathways for beginners and more advanced learners, with a strong track record of delivery, made the final cut.

1. Acuity Training 

• Format: Live instructor-led or online, both in small groups (max 6 delegates).
• Price: From £495+
• Certificate: Yes, with 6 months of post-course support.
• Reviews: Very well reviewed, won the Feefo Gold Award every year since 2013.
• Highlights: Microsoft-accredited, offers introductory, intermediate, DAX, and Combined modules; has a course for every user.

2. The Knowledge Academy 

• Format: Live, self-paced, classroom or online.
• Price: Have to inquire to find price
• Certificate: Yes; optional exam vouchers available.
• Reviews: Mixed experiences – some praising instructors, some complaints about administrative delays.
• Highlights: Large-scale provider with enterprise experience.

3. Media Training Ltd

• Format: Live instructor-led.
• Price: From £499
• Certificate: Yes.
• Reviews: Client testimonials emphasise trainer knowledge and pacing.
• Highlights: Strong emphasis on engagement with experts.

4. WeAreExcel

• Format: Live, public classroom or private-group training.
• Price: From £499
• Certificate: Yes, with post-course homework and 8 weeks support.
• Reviews: Trainers bring lots of experience.
• Highlights: Excel-focused provider expanding into BI.

5. STL Training

• Format: Live in London or online; half-day to multi-day options.
• Price: From £495
• Certificate: Yes.
• Reviews: Trustpilot shows 98% satisfaction.
• Highlights: Wide portfolio; Power BI offered within general Microsoft suite training.

6. Data Bear

• Format: Live instructor-led (online or on-site).
• Price: From £670
• Certificate: Completion certificate as part of Gold Partner status.
• Reviews: Gold Partner for Data Analytics. Very few external reviews however.
• Highlights: Tailored training & expert instructors.

October 2025 Update!

Databear has stopped running scheduled Power BI courses in London during 2025.

Because of this, we have moved them down in our rankings.

Quick Comparison & Recommendations

#	Best For…	Strengths	Consider If…
1 Acuity Training	All levels of Power BI users	Microsoft-certified, post-course support	You want experience from seasoned professionals
2 Knowledge Academy	Budget-conscious certification seekers	Microsoft-accredited, flexible	You prefer short, structured courses
3 Data Bear	Deep corporate learners	Gold Microsoft partner, tailored training	You need enterprise-level depth
4 Media Training	Engaging, interactive sessions	Strong live trainer feedback	You value pace and knowledge in live sessions
5 WeAreExcel	Blended BI & Excel users	Post-training support included	You want knowledge from an Excel perspective
6 STL Training	Corporate groups & generalists	Excellent satisfaction rates	You seek reliability across Microsoft topics

Is Acuity Training Right For Your Power BI Needs?

At Acuity Training, our Power BI courses consistently get great feedback. Part of our process involves reviewing all feedback – positive and negative – including insights from industry comparisons and pre-sale conversations with potential customers. Instead of treating bad feedback as a one-off issue, we use it to refine our booking process, course structure and learning experience.

Rather than treating this feedback as one-off complaints, we use it to refine our business.

Booking and Course Logistics

Some of our reviews showed just how important clarity is, especially around course format and joining details – mainly around our live-online sessions. Since the courses are run online, giving just that extra bit of effort and information is all the more important. As a result, we have focused on:

• Making our confirmation emails very clear and concise.
• Improving final checks with clients to minimize confusion.
• Ensuring complete consistency with a comprehensive schedule.

We made all these changes with real delegates in mind, and designed them with the goal of making the booking process as smooth as can be. Our number one priority is making sure learning with us is easy to follow from start to finish.

Course Pace and Learning Experience

Power Bi is naturally pretty intensive, since our courses take you from complete beginner to confident user in just one day. Many of our delegates value this efficiency, but we understand that pace varies from person to person, that’s why we:

• Made Power BI course outlines more explicit about what is covered.
• Briefed trainers to discuss the outline at the start of every session.
• Kept our class sizes small so that trainers can adjust based on the group and their needs.

This approach helps each delegate understand what to expect, and feel comfortable asking questions or requesting changes – leading to a bespoke course that works every time.

Certification vs Practical Power BI Skills

A common misconception across the industry is that any Power BI course automatically prepares learners for Microsoft certification exams – namely the PL-300. As always, our approach is clear:

• Our standard power BI courses focus on practical, real world skills.
• While you don’t get a PL300 certification, our course content is mapped directly against it so you learn all the same skills.
• We prepare people to use Power BI the very next day, and they are prepared to easily get more certifications if they like.

We never want people to be confused by this, we are honest and upfront with what we offer and award – and why we think this is the best way.

How We Compared These Courses

When putting this guide together, we used a structured review process to make sure our recommendations are balanced and practical:

1. Desk Research – We started with over 20 training providers offering Power BI courses in the UK. We cross-checked their websites, training outlines, and pricing structures.

2. Accreditation & Credentials Check – We verified whether each provider held Microsoft Partner status, delivered Microsoft-accredited training, or offered certificates of completion.

3. Independent Reviews – We scanned platforms like Feefo, Trustpilot, and client testimonials to weigh genuine learner feedback. Where reviews were mixed, we made this clear.

4. Breadth of Offering – Providers that catered only to a single skill level were noted, while those with tiered courses (introductory, intermediate, DAX, etc.) scored higher.

5. Value-Add Factors – Post-course support, homework, or consultation services were considered in highlighting standout benefits.

From there, we narrowed down to the six providers we felt offered the strongest balance of credibility, choice, and student experience.