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Microsoft Power Pages VS Power Apps - Similarities and Differences

January 30, 2024
5 min read
Microsoft Power Pages VS Power Apps - Similarities and Differences
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Did you know that one of the commonly searched queries around Power Pages is comparing it to Power Apps? If you know the difference, this might seem strange to you but when you take a step back, it actually makes a lot of sense. If you aren’t familiar with the Power Platform, you might just see two solutions that create interfaces that you can leverage for various objectives that use low-code/no-code.

That’s technically not wrong, but very far from what the solutions can actually do. Technically, a Microwave and Microwave Oven are both smaller appliances that save on space, energy and they can both get your meal to a desire temperature. But they definitely are not the same and you wouldn’t use them for the same types of meals.

That’s essentially the same when you compare Power Apps VS Power Pages.  

So, I would like to set the record straight for everyone searching for the difference!

Microsoft Power Platform Explained

Microsoft Fusion Team of Applications

The Microsoft Power Platform is a collection of software that connects with GitHub and Teams and offers solutions for:

  • App creation and customization
  • Business intelligence
  • App connectivity

Microsoft Power Platform is written in Power-fx, a free and open-source low-code programming language. Together, these software solutions allow businesses to scale and streamline their workflow, troubleshoot and develop solutions for common issues, and design high-quality web pages. The Power Platform is designed to be accessible and user-friendly, so it’s easy to get started with it, even if you don’t have much tech experience.  

Microsoft Power Pages and Power Apps are two of the most commonly used software applications in the Power Platform collection. Understanding the differences between the two can help you decide when to use them. Read this article to learn more about the main differences and similarities regarding power pages vs power apps and how to utilize them best.

What Is Power Pages?

Introduction to Microsoft Power Pages

Power Pages is a relatively new addition to the Microsoft Dataverse Family and was released in May of 2022. Microsoft Power Pages is typically used for building, customizing, and publishing customer-facing websites. It’s also often used to collect customer data that is synchronized with the Dataverse for holistic access to all your important business information.  

The main features of Microsoft Power Pages are:

  • A built-in design studio
  • Secure business data collection and storage
  • Data lists and tables
  • Role-based permissions and access

What Is Power Apps?

Create a canvas app to manage projects - Power Apps | Microsoft Learn

Power Apps is both a suite of applications and assets and a data platform. It was released in 2018 and is a low-code solution that allows for easy development of apps without requiring much upfront design experience. Until 2022, it was known as Power App Portals, which many sources still refer to it as.  

The key features of Microsoft Power Apps include:

  • AI copilot
  • Prebuilt templates
  • Drag-and-drop simplicity
  • Quick and simple deployment
A comparison of the differences between two power platform solutions.

Microsoft Power Pages vs Power Apps: Main Differences

While both Power Pages and Power Apps are both Microsoft applications and sync to the Dataverse, they are quite different in their offerings and uses. Here are the main differences below:

A Built-in Design Studio

Microsoft Power Pages comes with a built-in design studio, so it’s easy and quick to get started with one of their pre-existing templates. There are a wide variety of assets and tools to utilize, making it a good choice for beginner designers. Power Apps, however, does not come with a design studio.

Degree of Flexibility

While Power Pages does provide solid UI and UX design options, Power Apps allows for much more customization. For those who desire complete control over their design and are already experienced, Power Apps may be preferable in many scenarios.

The Level of Coding Knowledge Required

While there is generally no coding with Power Pages, Power Apps does require some basic coding and design knowledge.  

Typically, the coding languages used are:

  • TML
  • JavaScript
  • CSS
  • Liquid

You don’t need to be a coding master to use Power Apps, however. Most of Power Apps requires only very rudimentary coding skills, which can easily be learned via an online tutorial or course if needed.

What They’re Used For

Power Pages and Power Apps are also used for different tasks. While Power Apps is generally used for application building and workflow automation, Power Pages is geared more towards designing dynamic, customer-facing web pages and collecting business data.

A comparison between two power platform solutions.

Microsoft Power Pages vs Apps: Main Similarities

Despite their differences, Microsoft Power Pages and Power apps do also share some similarities. They include the following:

Both Are Relatively Beginner-Friendly

Power Apps does include some coding, but the entire Microsoft Power Platform is designed and built to be low-code. Thus, it’s perfect for beginners who are just getting started with designing and building business solutions, as well as experts who want an easy, consistent platform they can use to customize and build with.

Both Are Subscription-Based

Both Power Pages and Power Apps work on a monthly subscription basis. Power Apps is available for $20 per user per month.

Power Pages is available in two separate plans: authenticated users per website or anonymous users per website. The authenticated users per website plan is $200 for every 100 users per site per month. The anonymous users per plan website runs $75 for every 500 users per site per month.

Both Have Free Trials

If you’re unsure which one is right for you, you can try out one or both for free! All you need to do is fill out some basic information on Microsoft’s website, enter your email address, and you’ll be ready to start creating.

Both Sync to the Microsoft Dataverse

Both Power Apps and Power Pages sync to the Microsoft Dataverse, conveniently sorting and storing your data in one convenient and secure location. This makes it simple and quick to share and transfer data between applications as needed, streamlining your workflow.

When to Use Each of Them

Power Apps, as its name suggests, is best used for building apps, automating workflows, and embedding dashboards into existing applications. It can be connected with other programs within the Power Pages platform, helping you easily create solutions and centralize your data.  

Microsoft Power Pages focuses mainly on user experience and user interface design. It is used to create dynamic, engaging customer-facing websites, as well as collect and export customer data and other business information to the Dataverse.

Helping Your Organization with Collaboration and Innovation

As a company that is focused on collaboration and innovation, we know how important it is to get to know each one of our clients personally. Through the integration of our team with yours, we’ll work with you each step of the way to create powerful solutions that address your company's needs.  

We offer a variety of different services to help you elevate your business to the next level, including:  

  • Business strategization
  • Process automation
  • Digital business tools and solutions
  • Platform migration
  • User adoption
  • Analytics

Contact us today to get started building your business!

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