My honest view is that SharePoint works well for small Power Apps, but it starts to struggle when the app needs complex security, data relationships, or larger backend structures.
By complexity, I mean role-based security, confidential data handling, relationships between tables, large data volumes, or controlled access across different teams and sites.
SharePoint can work well when the data is low risk and the app logic is simple. The problem starts when teams try to use SharePoint as a secure enterprise backend for sensitive or complex apps.
App-level filters, hidden screens, hidden columns, and SharePoint views do not protect the data properly. The app still connects to the underlying list, and the connector can access the data source based on permissions. If a user has access to the SharePoint list, the app experience may hide records, but the data is still available outside that experience.
This is where the risk becomes serious. One knowledgeable maker with access to the environment can create their own app, connect to the same SharePoint list, and extract data outside the intended process. One missed permission setting, one exposed list, or one poorly controlled site can create a data leak.
The challenge is cost.
SharePoint uses standard connectors, so in many cases the app is covered by existing Microsoft 365 E3 or E5 licensing. The main additional consideration is usually SharePoint storage. Dataverse moves you into premium licensing, which is more expensive, but it gives you a stronger platform for enterprise-grade applications.
With Dataverse, you get proper security through security roles, business units, teams, row-level access patterns, and field-level security. You do not need to rely on hiding lists, app filters, or hoping users only access data through the intended app.
You also gain stronger platform capabilities:
- Better relational data modelling
- Stronger governance and ALM
- Fewer delegation issues
- Dataverse offline capability
- Cleaner admin and audit controls
- Model-driven apps for admin and complex data management
- Canvas apps focused on user experience
- Better support for scalable backend structures
- Access to premium connectors when users and flows are licensed correctly
This is where Dataverse becomes powerful. You can move complex admin screens and data management scenarios into model-driven apps, then keep the canvas app focused on the frontline user experience. In the future, the same backend can also support code apps or more advanced app patterns without rebuilding everything from scratch.
Once you get approval for the first strong cost case and enable Dataverse properly, future development becomes much easier. The cost can look high at the start, but when you reach four or more apps for the same user group, the model can become far more attractive. At that point, moving from per-app licensing to per-user licensing can unlock more development without adding a new licence cost for every single app.
Premium licensing also opens up better automation options. Dataverse connectors, Word templates, PDF generation patterns, DocuSign, and other enterprise connectors become available when the app and flows are designed within the correct licensing model. The key is to design it properly and make sure the flows are in context of the app, with users licensed correctly.
For me, Dataverse is a solid investment when the use case needs scale, security, governance, auditability, or long-term support. The important part is selling it properly to Finance with a clear ROI, risk reduction, lower support effort, better control, and a roadmap showing how the same investment can support future applications.
