Microsoft Power Apps portals vs Power Pages

What's the difference?

Power Apps portals

As an extension of Microsoft Power Platform, Power Apps portals has been a solid website-building app for developers and medium-large business owners. Its design relied on portals (‘portals’ being Microsoft’s terminology for creating new pages, forms, home pages etc.), and this required a bit of technical skill to create and publish from scratch.

‍

Power Pages

Now renamed to Power Pages, Microsoft has simplified the old Power Apps portals and made it easier to build in-depth websites for users with a less technical background. There are some cool new features pre-set for your specific website needs, including new prebuilt website templates and a low to no-code builder - more on that below.

‍

In summary - what's new?

• New low to no-code capabilities.
• 16 new prebuilt templates in Template Hub to pick from.
• New Tutorials section in Learn Hub.
• Advanced pro-developer tools: easier to edit page code.
• Enhanced security and governance.
• Power Pages licensing is available as prepaid or pay-as-you-go.

‍

What it means for new and existing users

New Customers

Power Pages works great for businesses looking to add specific customer relationship features to their websites, such as personalised logins, forms and booking confirmations. You pay a premium for these features, so it’s important to consider your website’s purpose. If you are only trying to serve website content, Power Pages may not be right for you.

‍

Existing PowerApps portals customers

If you’re an existing user, you can simply open your existing Power Apps portal in the new design studio. And if you already have an existing subscription to the Power Platform, Power Pages is included. That means you can test out the latest features without the hassle of switching to a new subscription.

‍

Cool things you can do

Here are a few new features:‍

1. Process forms with CRM‍

Power Pages is in the cloud and can be linked up with other cloud applications - like CRM - for easier handling of important data. Customers and leads can easily complete forms, and the data goes straight into your CRM for marketing and sales to follow up.

2. Site login for customers‍

Create personalised website logins for returning customers, where they can check in on important information like status, alerts, saved items etc. It makes checkouts easier and faster – so your customers come back!

3. Book; search; deliver

Power Pages scan sync your data and search for availability in your delivery system, helping you remove backups and confusion so your customers can book a delivery and receive their goods faster. ‍

4. New prebuilt templates‍

The new templates come in a handful of specific genres for your different needs. Here are some examples:

• ‍Visa applications template: Create a better process for users looking to book visa applications.‍
• After-school program registration template: Create digital registration forms for any type of after-school activity.‍
• Building permit applications: Submit permits and allow tracking.

‍

Real life use cases

Here are a couple of examples of how businesses have used Power Pages.

Suite Hub

By streamlining workflow and automating processes, Suite Hub increased its booking processes by more than 60 percent. The low code agility of Power Pages meant they could work on delivering top customer experiences rather than stressing about updating and managing developer tools. Read more.

‍

Bethesda Health Care

Healthcare has frequently dealt with a lot of paper-based solutions and programs; now, Bethesda Health Care has an electronic medical record connected to patient care plans. Read more.

‍

Unsure whether Power Pages is right for you? Explore your options with one of our specialists.

We’ll find the best route for you.