R vs Stata

R is a free software environment for statistical computing, with graphics, statistical tests, regression models, and scripting support. It runs on Windows and macOS, as well as a wide range of UNIX platforms. Its import options cover text, XML, spreadsheet-like files, Excel, SPSS, SAS, and Stata, along with databases, binary files, and image files. Downloads are provided through preferred CRAN mirrors, and the project offers FAQs about installation and licensing. Documentation resources include manuals, journals, books, and certification links; community resources include mailing lists and developer pages. Questions about the software are directed to the Getting Help section. The listed current release is R 4.6.1, named Happy Hop, released June 24, 2026; version 4.5.3 is described as a wrap-up release. R was founded in 1990, and its maker is listed as R, headquartered in Vienna, Austria.

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.