PAST vs Stata

PAST is free desktop software for statistical analysis, available on Windows and macOS. It provides spreadsheet-style data entry, univariate and multivariate statistics, and graphical analysis. The software includes statistical tests, regression models, and scripting support. Data import covers Excel, NEXUS, TPS, NTSYS, FASTA, PHYLIP, Arlequin, BioGraph, RASC, CONOP, and tab-separated text, giving users several ways to bring existing datasets into the application. PAST is offered under a Free plan listed at free, with no separate paid plan listed. Its deployment is desktop rather than web-based. The maker is PAST, associated with Oslo, Norway, and the software was founded in 1999. The combination of spreadsheet entry, statistical methods, scripting, and broad import-format support makes it suited to users who need local analysis of data from varied sources.

Stata is a locally installed desktop platform for data management, exploration, visualization, statistical analysis, reporting, and reproducible research. Its methods include regression, time-series, panel-data, survival, causal inference, Bayesian analysis, and machine learning. Data import options include Excel, CSV and delimited text, SAS, SPSS, Parquet, dBase, SQL databases via JDBC or ODBC, FRED, and Haver. Stata also supports Python, Jupyter Notebook, Java, and other integrations. Reports can be exported to Word, Excel, PDF, HTML, and Markdown, while graphs can be exported to EPS, PNG, PDF, SVG, or TIFF. It runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows; it is not SaaS. Prof+ annual license prices start at $175 a year and require eligibility as faculty or staff at an accredited, degree-granting university, with proof of affiliation. Instructors can request a free one-week license, and eligible instructors can request a free six-month Stata/BE license for undergraduate classes. The platform states it has no extra modules or hidden costs.