Promo Gantt vs xViz, PowerGantt and APEX Gantt charts for Power BI
Power BI has no built-in Gantt chart with dependencies, so you add one from Microsoft AppSource. Promo Gantt, xViz Gantt Chart, PowerGantt and APEX Gantt Chart are all paid or freemium Power BI visuals. Promo Gantt started in FMCG promotion planning; since version 2.2 (on AppSource from 20 October 2026) it is also a full project Gantt: task dependencies read from Microsoft Project, a critical path calculated in the visual, and a one-row-per-task plan view. xViz is strongest for resource planning, PowerGantt for programme overviews, and APEX for Primavera P6 schedules and baseline comparison.
| Feature | Promo Gantt Chart | xViz Gantt Chart | PowerGantt Chart by Nova Silva | APEX Gantt Chart |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free option | Free tier (up to 100 rows) plus an automatic 14-day Pro trial | Free in Power BI Desktop; every viewer in Power BI Service needs a licence | Free to try in Power BI Desktop via AppSource | One-month free trial |
| Licensing | EUR 199 per month or EUR 1,990 per year per country (excl. VAT), unlimited users: a fixed cost that does not grow with the number of viewers | $7.99 per user per month or $79.90 per user per year (2-600 users, first month free) | Per user, from $3.90 per month (under 5 users) down to $1.80 (over 400 users); Premium EUR 2,820 per year for unlimited users on one capacity (F32 or smaller) | Per user: $5.00 per month (1-9 users) down to $2.50 (250+ users), first month free |
| Dependency lines | From 2.2 (20 October 2026): all four types (FS, SS, FF, SF) with lag and lead, read from a Microsoft Project Predecessors column (5 languages); conflicting links highlighted | Connector lines for dependencies | Task dependencies mentioned in the product description | Not mentioned in sources |
| Critical path | From 2.2 (20 October 2026): calculated in the visual: critical and near-critical tasks, slack bars, total and free slack; matches Microsoft Project | Possible by preparing a critical-path column in Power Query (xViz documentation) | Not mentioned in sources | Not mentioned in sources |
| Microsoft Project import | Excel export directly; XML via a free Power Query script | No direct import; via Project Online and the OData connector | Not mentioned in sources | Imports from Primavera P6 and MS Project |
| Hierarchy and plan view | Expandable hierarchy with roll-up bars; one row per task (phase, sub-phase, task); milestone diamonds | Expandable hierarchy | Unlimited hierarchy levels | Unlimited hierarchy levels |
| Baseline and progress | Planned vs actual, % complete, milestones | Planned (baseline) bars, % progress, milestones | Milestones | Two baseline bars |
| Fiscal calendars | 4-4-5, 4-5-4, 13-period and own financial year start | Configurable fiscal year start per chart | Unknown | Unknown |
| Row or task capacity | Smooth with 10,000+ rows | Unknown | Unlimited tasks, hierarchy levels and milestones | Unlimited project tasks |
| Focus | One visual for many plans: project and PMO schedules, capacity and production planning, R&D programmes and FMCG promotions | Project and resource planning | Programme and project schedules | Project planning; Primavera P6 and MS Project |
| Data privacy | Microsoft-certified; no external connections, no telemetry, licences validated offline | Website data may be sent to servers abroad; visual data unknown | Certified visuals connect to no external services and send no telemetry | Unknown |
Which one to choose
Choose Promo Gantt if you want the critical path and dependencies of your Microsoft Project plan inside Power BI, with a fixed price per country instead of per viewer, if one visual must serve project, capacity and production planning, or if you plan FMCG promotions and need fiscal calendars, overlap spotting and last-year comparison. Choose xViz if you need resource planning and accept per-user licensing. Choose PowerGantt for programme overviews with low per-user prices or a capacity licence. Choose APEX if your schedules come from Primavera P6 and you need two baselines. For PowerGantt and APEX, fiscal calendars and a critical path are not confirmed in the sources.
Frequently asked questions
Does Promo Gantt support fiscal calendars?
Yes. Promo Gantt supports 4-4-5, 4-5-4 and 13-period calendars with your own financial year start. xViz offers a configurable fiscal year start. For PowerGantt and APEX this is not confirmed in the sources.
How do I compare this year's promotion plan with last year in Power BI?
Promo Gantt's ghost mode shows last year's activity next to this year's plan. The sources for the other three visuals do not describe a comparable feature.
Can I show the critical path of a Microsoft Project plan in Power BI?
Yes, from version 2.2 (on AppSource from 20 October 2026). Promo Gantt reads the dependencies from a Microsoft Project export and calculates the critical path inside the visual. It counts working days, as Project does, and shows critical and near-critical tasks and their slack. Tested on a real Project plan, the critical tasks and slack matched Microsoft Project. xViz documents a Power Query approach for a critical-path column.
How do I get a Microsoft Project XML file into Power BI?
Use the free Power Query script on the Promo Gantt support page. It turns the XML into one table with phases, sub-phases, Project’s row order and a ready Predecessors text.
Is per-user or per-country licensing cheaper?
It depends on how many people view the report. Promo Gantt Pro is EUR 199 per month per country for unlimited users, so the cost stays the same whether 10 or 500 people view the report. At about $1.15 per euro it is cheaper than xViz ($7.99 per user per month) from roughly 30 viewers and than APEX ($4.00 to $4.50 per user) from roughly 55. PowerGantt charges $1.80 to $3.90 per user, so its break-even lies around 60 to 125 viewers; its Premium licence (EUR 2,820 per year) also covers unlimited users on one capacity.
Sources
- https://marketplace.microsoft.com/en-us/product/power-bi-visuals/wa200000891
- https://tensix.com/selecting-the-right-gantt-chart-visual-for-power-bi/
- https://xviz.com/blogs/updates-for-xviz-gantt-chart/
- https://xviz.com/press-releases/xviz-pro-suite-completely-unlocked-for-power-bi-desktop-and-flexible-pricing-options-introduced/
- https://xviz.com/privacy-policy/
- https://docs.xviz.com/project-management/tips-and-tricks/critical-path-in-gantt-chart
- https://visuals.novasilva.com/shop/pbi-visuals/power-gantt-chart-for-power-bi/
- https://visuals.novasilva.com/shop/pbi_premium/power-gantt-for-power-bi-premium/
- https://visuals.novasilva.com/faq/
- https://visuals.novasilva.com/knowledge-base/kb-attribute-control-chart/nova-silva-power-bi-certified-visuals-ensuring-security-and-privacy/
- https://marketplace.microsoft.com/en-us/product/power-bi-visuals/apexpm1682473027105.apex-gantt
- https://apexpmapps.com/gantt-chart/
- https://www.vibecode-studio.nl/support-powerbivisuals
- https://marketplace.microsoft.com/en-us/product/power-bi-visuals/wa200000891?tab=PlansAndPrice
- https://xviz.com/faq/
- https://docs.xviz.com/project-management/hierarchy-and-additional-columns
- https://docs.xviz.com/project-management/planned-bars
- https://docs.xviz.com/project-management/progress/tracking-the-progress
- https://xviz.com/blogs/visualize-microsoft-project-data-in-power-bi-using-xviz-gantt-chart
- https://marketplace.microsoft.com/en-us/product/power-bi-visuals/novasilvagroupbv1626174611009.powerganttchart?tab=PlansAndPrice
- https://visuals.novasilva.com/shop/pgc
- https://marketplace.microsoft.com/en-us/product/power-bi-visuals/apexpm1682473027105.apex-gantt?tab=PlansAndPrice
Checked on 2026-10-10.