Understanding Microsoft Power Pages licensing can be challenging, particularly when planning a customer portal, supplier portal or public-facing website. Licensing is based on how external users access your site, with different options available for authenticated and anonymous users.
Discover more about the features of Microsoft Power Pages below:
What Is Microsoft Power Pages?
Microsoft Power Pages is a low-code platform for creating secure external-facing business websites. Built on Microsoft Power Platform and Dataverse, it enables organisations to share information and services with customers, suppliers, partners, citizens or members through a web portal.
Common use cases include:
- Customer self-service portals
- Supplier and contractor portals
- Membership portals
- Application and registration websites
- Public sector service portals
- Knowledge bases and support centres
Unlike Power Apps, which are typically designed for internal users, Power Pages is designed to securely engage external audiences.
Power Pages Licensing at a Glance
The most important licensing decision is whether visitors will sign into the website.
| User Type | Best For | Licensing Model |
|---|---|---|
| Authenticated Users | Customers, suppliers, members and partners who log in | Charged based on authenticated user capacity |
| Anonymous Users | Public websites where visitors do not log in | Charged based on anonymous user capacity |
| Trial Environments | Evaluation, testing and development | Available through Microsoft trial programmes |
For most organisations, licensing costs are determined by the expected volume of authenticated and anonymous users accessing the site.
How Power Pages Licensing Works
Power Pages uses a capacity-based licensing approach rather than requiring a licence for every individual external user.
This allows organisations to create scalable portal solutions without needing to purchase Microsoft licences for every customer or supplier that visits the website.
Licensing requirements are primarily influenced by:
- The number of users accessing the portal
- Whether users log in
- The amount of website traffic
- Dataverse storage requirements
- Development and testing environments
- Integration requirements across Microsoft Power Platform
Because licensing can vary significantly between deployments, it is important to assess expected usage before selecting a licensing model.
Authenticated User Licensing
Authenticated licensing applies when users sign into your Power Pages site using credentials.
Typical examples include:
- Customer account portals
- Supplier portals
- Membership sites
- Partner portals
- Employee-facing external portals
Authenticated users usually access personalised information such as:
- Orders
- Cases
- Service requests
- Documents
- Account information
- Self-service functions
If users need secure access to business data stored in Dataverse, authenticated licensing is generally required.
Anonymous User Licensing
Anonymous licensing applies when visitors can access your website without signing in.
Common examples include:
- Public information websites
- Marketing microsites
- Event registration pages
- Public knowledge bases
- Application landing pages
Anonymous users can browse content and interact with forms without maintaining a user account.
This licensing model is often suitable for organisations seeking to make information available to the public while maintaining a secure and manageable platform.
Which Power Pages Licence Do I Need?
Customer Portal
A business wants customers to view support requests, invoices and service history.
Recommended approach: Authenticated licensing.
Supplier Portal
Suppliers need access to purchase orders, documentation and delivery information.
Recommended approach: Authenticated licensing.
Membership Portal
Members access exclusive content, resources and account information.
Recommended approach: Authenticated licensing.
Public Information Website
Visitors browse services, resources and information without signing in.
Recommended approach: Anonymous licensing.
Mixed Access Portal
Some visitors browse publicly available information while registered users access personalised areas.
Recommended approach: Combination of authenticated and anonymous capacity.
Power Pages Licensing vs Power Apps Licensing
One of the most common areas of confusion is the difference between Power Pages and Power Apps licensing.
Power Apps is generally designed for internal business users who require access to applications and workflows.
Power Pages is designed for external audiences such as customers, suppliers and partners.
| Platform | Primary Audience |
|---|---|
| Power Apps | Internal users |
| Power Pages | External users |
| Dataverse | Shared data platform supporting both |
If your goal is to provide services or information to people outside your organisation, Power Pages will typically be the more appropriate solution.
Power Pages Trials and Development Environments
Microsoft provides options for evaluating and developing Power Pages solutions before production deployment.
Trial environments can help organisations:
- Explore Power Pages capabilities
- Build proof-of-concept solutions
- Test integrations
- Validate user experiences
- Assess licensing requirements before rollout
As projects mature and move into production, appropriate licensing should be selected based on expected usage.
Understanding Dataverse Considerations
Power Pages is closely integrated with Microsoft Dataverse.
Dataverse stores and manages the data accessed through your website, including:
- Customer records
- Support requests
- Applications
- Products
- Forms
- Portal content
When planning a Power Pages project, organisations should consider not only website licensing but also overall Dataverse usage and data management requirements.
Common Power Pages Licensing Questions
Is Power Pages included with Microsoft 365?
No. Power Pages uses separate licensing from standard Microsoft 365 subscriptions.
Is Power Pages included with Power Apps?
Power Pages has its own licensing model designed specifically for external-facing websites and portals.
What's the difference between authenticated and anonymous users?
Authenticated users sign in to access personalised data and services. Anonymous users browse without logging in.
Can I trial Power Pages before purchasing licences?
Microsoft provides trial options that enable organisations to evaluate the platform and explore potential use cases.
How are Power Pages costs calculated?
Costs are typically influenced by user access requirements, site usage levels and associated Power Platform services.
Do external users need Microsoft licences?
In most scenarios, external users access Power Pages through the portal licensing model rather than requiring individual Microsoft licences.
Why Work with Akita?
Choosing the correct licensing model at the start of a Power Pages project can help avoid unnecessary costs and ensure the platform remains scalable as usage grows.
Akita helps organisations design, implement and support Power Pages solutions that integrate with Microsoft Dynamics 365, Power Platform and Microsoft 365. Our consultants can help you assess anticipated usage, select the most appropriate licensing model and ensure your portal delivers long-term value.
Whether you're building a customer self-service portal, supplier portal, membership platform or public information website, we can help you plan a Power Pages solution that aligns with your operational and commercial objectives.
Find out more about our Microsoft Power Pages services and consultancy:
