Microsoft is not exactly “stopping” SSRS immediately, but they are retiring it as a standalone component going forward, and shifting on-premises reporting to Power BI Report Server (PBIRS) instead.
What’s actually happening
SQL Server 2025 will not include SSRS anymore.
- Microsoft confirmed that SSRS will not be released as a new version in SQL Server 2025; instead Power BI Report Server becomes the default on-premises reporting solution.
SSRS 2022 is effectively the final standalone release.
- SSRS 2022 remains available and supported, but no new versions beyond that will be created.
SSRS 2022 will continue to be supported until 2033.
- According to Microsoft’s support lifecycle, SSRS 2022’s support runs until January 11, 2033 , so organizations can continue using it and receive security updates until then.
Why the change
Microsoft’s strategic focus is shifting toward Power BI and modern analytics, and consolidating traditional paginated reporting under Power BI Report Server (which supports both RDL paginated reports and Power BI interactive reports).
What it means in practice
- Existing SSRS deployments (especially SSRS 2022) will continue to work and be supported for years.
- New SQL Server 2025 installs won’t include SSRS , you’ll use PBIRS instead for on-premises reporting.
- Power BI Report Server can run most SSRS reports (RDL) with compatibility, often with additional features.
Migration and planning
If you’re still on SSRS and planning to upgrade to SQL Server 2025:
- You’ll likely need to transition to Power BI Report Server.
- Most SSRS reports (RDL) are compatible with PBIRS, but there may be work to adapt or validate them depending on your environment.
Bottom line: Microsoft is phasing SSRS out as a standalone included product in future SQL Server releases.
It’s not being immediately turned off or unsupported, but no new standalone SSRS versions will be released and customers are being steered to Power BI Report Server instead.
How does PBIRS compare to SSRS?
Here is a clear, side-by-side comparison of Power BI Report Server (PBIRS) vs Power BI Service, focused on when and why you’d choose one over the other.
Power BI Report Server (PBIRS) vs Power BI Service
- Deployment & Architecture
| Area | PBIRS | Power BI Service |
| Deployment | Fully on-premises | Cloud (Microsoft SaaS) |
| Data location | Your servers | Microsoft Azure |
| Internet required | No | Yes |
| Best for | Regulated, air-gapped, on-prem orgs | Modern, cloud-first analytics |
- Report Types Supported
| Report Type | PBIRS | Power BI Service |
| Paginated reports (RDL) | Yes | Yes |
| Power BI reports (.pbix) | Yes (subset) | Yes (full) |
| Dashboards (tiles) | No | Yes |
| Dataflows | No | Yes |
| Streaming / real-time | No | Yes |
PBIRS = traditional reporting + basic Power BI visuals
Service = full modern BI platform
3. Features & Capabilities
| Feature | PBIRS | Power BI Service |
| AI visuals (Q&A, Copilot) | No | Yes |
| Natural language queries | No | Yes |
| App workspaces | No | Yes |
| Automatic updates | No | Yes |
| Excel integration | Limited | Full |
| Mobile apps | Limited | Full |
| Custom visuals | Limited | Full marketplace |
4. Security & Governance
| Area | PBIRS | Power BI Service |
| Authentication | Windows / AD | Entra ID (Azure AD) |
| Row-level security | Yes | Yes |
| Data residency | Fully controlled by you | Region-based |
| Compliance | Your responsibility | Microsoft-managed (SOC, ISO, HIPAA, etc.) |
PBIRS is often chosen for strict data sovereignty requirements.
5. Licensing & Cost (Big Difference)
| Aspect | PBIRS | Power BI Service |
| Licensing model | Power BI Premium or SQL Ent + SA | Pro / Premium Per User / Premium |
| Per-user licenses | Not required | Usually required |
| Entry cost | High | Low |
| Scalability cost | Fixed | Flexible |
PBIRS makes sense when:
- You already own SQL Enterprise + SA
- You have many report consumers
Maintenance & Operations
| Area | PBIRS | Power BI Service |
| Server maintenance | You manage | Microsoft manages |
| Patching | Manual | Automatic |
| Upgrades | Manual | Continuous |
| Disaster recovery | You manage | Built-in |
When to Use Each Choose PBIRS if:
- Cloud is not allowed
- You rely heavily on SSRS / paginated reports
- You need on-prem only analytics
- You have existing SQL Enterprise licensing
Choose Power BI Service if:
- Cloud is allowed or preferred
- You want advanced analytics, AI, dashboards
- You want low admin overhead
- You need to scale quickly
Common Real-World Pattern
Many organizations use both:
- PBIRS
- Financial statements
- Invoices
- Regulatory reports
- Financial statements
- Power BI Service
- Executive dashboards
- Operational analytics
- Self-service BI
- Executive dashboards
Bottom Line
- PBIRS is the successor to SSRS (on-prem)
- Power BI Service is the future-facing BI platform
- PBIRS is not a replacement for the Service, it’s a compromise for on-prem needs.
Can you compare PBIRS with SSRS?
Here is a SSRS-focused comparison that answers the real question most teams ask:
If I only use SSRS today, what do I gain (or lose) by moving to Power BI Report Server (PBIRS)?
PBIRS vs SSRS (Paginated Reporting Only)
- Product Status & Roadmap
| Area | SSRS (Standalone) | PBIRS |
| Current status | Legacy | Strategic on-prem platform |
| Last version | SSRS 2022 | Actively updated |
| Included in SQL Server | Yes (up to SQL 2022) | No |
| SQL Server 2025 support | Not included | Supported |
| Long-term future | Frozen | Microsoft-backed |
PBIRS is the direct successor to SSRS
SSRS is supported, but no longer evolving
- Paginated (RDL) Reporting Capabilities
| Feature | SSRS | PBIRS |
| RDL reports | Yes | Yes |
| Report Builder | Yes | Yes |
| Subscriptions | Yes | Yes |
| Parameters | Yes | Yes |
| Export (PDF, Excel, Word) | Yes | Yes |
| Data-driven subscriptions | Yes | Yes |
| Shared datasets | Yes | Yes |
Core SSRS functionality = identical
3. Rendering & Performance
| Area | SSRS | PBIRS |
| Rendering engine | Older | Newer / improved |
| Excel export quality | Good | Better |
| Large reports | Can struggle | Generally better |
| Modern browsers | Basic support | Improved support |
PBIRS benefits from newer report rendering updates, even for RDLs.
4. User Experience (Web Portal)
| Area | SSRS Portal | PBIRS Portal |
| UI design | Dated | More modern |
| Navigation | Folder-based | Folder-based + enhancements |
| Search | Limited | Improved |
| Mobile experience | Poor | Better (still limited) |
Still not “Power BI Service-level,” but PBIRS is noticeably better.
5. Security & Administration
| Area | SSRS | PBIRS |
| Authentication | Windows / AD | Windows / AD |
| Role-based security | Yes | Yes |
| Row-level security | Yes | Yes |
| Encryption | Basic | Improved |
| Admin tools | Familiar | Familiar + enhanced |
Admins will feel right at home in PBIRS.
6. What PBIRS Adds (Even If You Don’t Use It Yet)
| Capability | SSRS | PBIRS |
| Power BI (.pbix) reports | No | Yes |
| Hybrid reporting | No | Yes |
| Gradual modernization path | No | Yes |
You can ignore Power BI features entirely and still benefit.
7. Licensing & Cost (Key Difference)
| Area | SSRS | PBIRS |
| License included | SQL Server | Separate |
| Requires Power BI Premium | No | Yes (or SQL Ent + SA) |
| Cost | Low | Higher |
| Best for | Budget-conscious | Enterprise scale |
Cost is the #1 reason teams delay PBIRS
Decision Guide (SSRS-Only Teams)
Stay on SSRS 2022 if:
- You’re stable and compliant
- You only need paginated reports
- You want minimal cost
- You’re fine through 2033 support
Move to PBIRS if:
- You’re upgrading to SQL Server 2025
- You want a future-proof on-prem platform
- You want better performance & UI
- You might adopt Power BI later
Bottom Line
If you only care about SSRS features:
- PBIRS is functionally equal or better
- No report rewrite required
- Licensing is the trade-off
Strategically:
- SSRS = end of the line
- PBIRS = safe landing zone