Start with the experience people need
Power Apps and Power Pages both help people interact with business information. The choice depends on who will use the solution, what they need to do, and how access should work.
Power Apps is often a strong starting point for an operational application: a place where people manage records and perform work. Power Pages is often a strong starting point for a business website or self-service portal. Some projects benefit from both.
When Power Apps is a good starting point
Consider Power Apps when people need a workspace for ongoing tasks such as recording activity, reviewing requests, updating records, or managing a queue of work. Apps can run in a browser or on supported mobile devices and connect to Dataverse or other supported data sources.
Illustrative example: A nonprofit’s staff use an application to record program activity, check required fields, and prepare records for review. Different roles can have different responsibilities and access.
The application should be designed around the tasks, devices, data, and permissions involved.
When Power Pages is a good starting point
Consider Power Pages when people need a website to submit information, view relevant records, or return for updates. It uses Dataverse for business data and supports public access or configured sign-in experiences.
Illustrative example: A partner signs in to submit a request and check its status. Staff can manage that request behind the scenes, while the partner sees only the records they are permitted to access.
Public information and private records need different access rules. A page being available on the web does not mean all its underlying data should be public.
It is more than “internal versus external”
Audience is a useful clue, but it is not an absolute rule. Power Apps can support external guest users with the appropriate identity setup, permissions, and licensing. Power Pages can serve employee audiences as well as customers or partners.
A small group of regular collaborators might be suited to an application. A changing audience that needs a web entry point may be better suited to a portal. We review the actual tasks and access arrangements before choosing.
A practical comparison
Use this comparison as a starting point, then test it against the project requirements.
| Consideration | Power Apps | Power Pages |
|---|---|---|
| Main experience | A workspace for performing and managing tasks | A website or portal for interacting with information |
| Typical example | Staff assign requests and update records | Customers submit requests and check updates |
| Audience and access | Signed-in users; guest access can be configured | Public visitors or signed-in users, as designed |
| Business data | Dataverse or other supported data sources | Dataverse, with other integrations as scoped |
| Design priority | Task flow, record handling, and usability | Web journeys, sign-in, and audience-specific access |
| Cost review | User rights, connections, and related services | Visitor usage, capacity, and related services |
When using both makes sense
Imagine a service request moving from a customer to an operations team:
1. The customer submits the request through a Power Pages portal.
2. Dataverse stores the request and related information.
3. Staff use a Power Apps application to assign work and update progress.
4. Power Automate routes an approval or sends a notification where needed.
5. The customer returns to the portal to see the updates they are allowed to see.
This is an illustrative design, not a completed client case study. Shared data does not mean shared permissions: staff and customers must each receive the appropriate access.
Plan permissions before the screens
For either approach, identify who can create, read, change, and approve information. Test access using representative users, including what each person must not be able to see.
In Power Pages, sign-in establishes identity; web roles, page permissions, and table permissions govern access. Hiding a link or screen element is not a substitute for securing the underlying records.
The same care applies to an application’s data connections and source-system permissions. Access control is part of the build and testing work.
Compare the complete cost
Software costs depend on the actual design and access pattern. Power Apps users need appropriate use rights. Power Pages licensing considers authenticated and anonymous website usage; these are visitor categories, not just the person editing the site.
Review the audience, expected usage, data capacity, connections, and any related services before comparing costs. Neither option is always cheaper, and having Microsoft 365 does not automatically cover every scenario.
Solvency Studio’s assessment, development, training, and support fees are separate from software and operating costs.
You may not need either
If you only need a public brochure website, a simple information page, or a basic intake form, a smaller solution may fit. The decision should start with the process and information involved.
A portal becomes more useful when people need ongoing, controlled interaction with business records. An operational application becomes more useful when people need a focused workspace to perform and manage tasks.
Five questions to bring to the conversation
Who will use it: staff, partners, customers, or a mixture?
What will they do: submit a request, manage work, review records, or approve decisions?
How often will they use it, and will the audience change over time?
Where does the information live, and who should be able to see or change it?
Which devices, existing systems, and support arrangements need to be considered?
You do not need all the answers before getting in touch. Tell us how the process works today and what you would like to make easier.