Comparison
VizForge vs Draft BI
The free VizForge Design Studio and Draft BI, compared for Power BI report design. Every fact about Draft BI links to its source, checked 5 Nov 2026, and we say where Draft BI is the better choice.
By Nawaf Sharaf · Founder & Reliability Engineer · Updated
Draft BI is a browser tool for planning a Power BI report before it is built. You lay out native visual types on a grid, generate a theme from brand colours with WCAG 2.2 AA checks, ask an AI assistant for DAX against a pasted TMDL schema, and export a PBIR project that opens in Power BI Desktop with every visual already positioned. Shared links let stakeholders comment on the wireframe without creating an account, which makes it a genuine sign-off tool for teams that argue about layouts before anyone touches the data.
The VizForge Design Studio starts from a different question: what should the finished page look like? It produces the designed page itself (a background with your brand, KPI card art, icons and visual slots on a grid) and exports a background image, a Power BI theme JSON and a PBIP project. It needs no account, and an export does not cost anything or count against a monthly allowance.
So the two overlap at the PBIP export and the theme, and differ everywhere else. Draft BI is stronger at the conversation around a report: model assessment and DAX generation from your real schema, with comments on every plan. VizForge review links (free account) also take pinned comments without the reviewer signing in, but there is no live co-editing. The Design Studio is stronger at the look of the page: decorated backgrounds, galleries of ready layouts and themes, and an unlimited free export. Many teams would use Draft BI to agree the content and VizForge to make it look finished.
Draft BI pricing model
Draft BI publishes three plans: Free (3 PBIR exports and 5 AI Actions a month), Pro at $12 a month (20 exports, 50 AI Actions, 14-day trial) and Team from $25 per seat a month with a three-seat minimum. The VizForge Design Studio is free with no account; anonymous exports carry a small VizForge mark that a free account removes. AI custom visuals for a slot use VizForge credits.
Visit Draft BI’s official site →
Draft BI: the facts, checked 5 Nov 2026
Read on Draft BI’s own pages on 5 Nov 2026. Prices and terms change, so check the source before you buy. We re-read these pages every quarter.
| Fact | What the source says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | 3 PBIR exports and 5 AI Actions per month, unlimited projects, commercial use included. | draftbi.com/pricingchecked 5 Nov 2026 |
| Pro plan | $12 per month: 20 PBIR exports and 50 AI Actions per month, 14-day free trial. | draftbi.com/pricingchecked 5 Nov 2026 |
| Team plan | From $25 per seat per month, three-seat minimum; shared themes, projects and TMDL models. | draftbi.com/pricingchecked 5 Nov 2026 |
| Stakeholder review | Viewers comment on shared projects; on the Free plan too. | draftbi.com/pricingchecked 5 Nov 2026 |
| Model input | Wireframe suggestions and DAX generated from a pasted TMDL schema; schema only, no data rows. | draftbi.comchecked 5 Nov 2026 |
| Accessibility | WCAG 2.2 AA contrast checks with a one-click fix that keeps the hue. | draftbi.comchecked 5 Nov 2026 |
| Templates | 8 layout templates across 5 categories. | draftbi.com/templateschecked 5 Nov 2026 |
| Latest release | Changelog version 4.0.0, dated 19 May 2026 (Team plan). | draftbi.com/changelogchecked 5 Nov 2026 |
Side-by-side comparison
| Dimension | Draft BI | VizForge Design Studio |
|---|---|---|
| What you design | A wireframe: native visual types placed on a grid | The finished page: background art, KPI cards, icons and slots |
| Account | Account required to save and export | None; designs save in your browser |
| Export allowance | 3 PBIR exports a month on Free, 20 on Pro | No monthly cap on any export format |
| Export formats | PBIR project, theme JSON, PNG and PDF of the wireframe | PBIP project, theme JSON, PNG background (1× or 2×), SVG background |
| Stakeholder comments | Yes, viewers comment without an account | Yes, on review links (free account): reviewers pin comments to elements without signing in; no live co-editing |
| Works from your model | Yes, paste TMDL for layout and DAX suggestions | The PBIP export (Beta) builds its model from a sample or your CSV or TMDL; no layout or DAX suggestions |
| Galleries | 8 layout templates | Free galleries of templates, themes, backgrounds, icons and KPI cards |
| Custom visuals | Native visual types only | Native slots, plus an optional AI custom visual for any slot (credits) |
Choose Draft BI if…
- You want sign-off comments, model assessment and DAX help in one tool built around planning the report.
- You want layout and DAX suggestions generated from your real semantic model (TMDL).
- You want model and design assessments with suggested fixes in the same tool.
- Your team wants shared themes and projects under one seat-based bill.
Choose the VizForge Design Studio if…
- You want the page to look finished: a branded background, KPI card art and icons, not only the visual layout.
- You export often and don't want a monthly export allowance.
- You don't want to create an account just to try a layout.
- One slot needs a visual Power BI doesn't ship; you can hand it to the AI custom visual generator.
Can you use both?
They fit together. Agree the content and the visual list in a Draft BI wireframe, then rebuild the page in the Design Studio for the background, theme and KPI cards, and export the PBIP. Both write folder-based Power BI projects, so you can also open each in Desktop and copy visuals between them.
Runs in your browser. No account needed; a free account removes the small VizForge mark on exports.
FAQ
Is the VizForge Design Studio free like Draft BI's Free plan?
It is free without a plan: no account, no monthly export count. Exports made without an account carry a small 'Made with VizForge' mark; a free account removes it. Credits are only used if you ask the AI to build a custom visual for a slot.
Does VizForge read my TMDL like Draft BI?
Partly. The PBIP export (Beta) can build its semantic model from your CSV files or a pasted TMDL model and binds every built-in visual to it, but it does not suggest layouts or write DAX from the model. If generating a layout from your own model is the main job, Draft BI does that now.
Can stakeholders comment on a VizForge design?
Yes, on a review link (free account): reviewers pin comments to elements on any page, reply and resolve threads without signing in, and you approve and export from the link. There is no live co-editing.
Start from a design
Free starting points you can open in the Design Studio, re-brand and export.
Gallery
Power BI dashboard templatesPage layouts with KPI lists and a PBIP download; many with sample data (Beta).
Gallery
Power BI themesTheme JSON files with a preview of each palette on a report page.
Gallery
Report backgroundsPNG and SVG page backgrounds with visual slots on a grid.
Tool
Theme LabBuild or import a theme JSON and check its contrast.
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