Stata
Stata · College Station, Texas, USA · founded 1983
What it is
Stata is a desktop platform for data science and statistical inference, combining data management, exploration, visualization, analysis, reporting, and reproducibility tools. It runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows and supports methods such as regression, time-series, panel-data, survival, causal inference, Bayesian analysis, and machine learning. Stata 19 adds methods including H2O ensemble decision trees, conditional average treatment effects, and high-dimensional fixed effects. Data can be imported from formats and sources including Excel, CSV, SAS, SPSS, Parquet, dBase, databases, FRED, and Haver. JDBC, ODBC, and SQL support database connections, while integrations include Python, Jupyter Notebook, Java, and C/C++ plugins. Reports can be exported to Word, Excel, PDF, HTML, or Markdown, and graphs to EPS, PNG, PDF, SVG, or TIFF. Stata is installed locally rather than delivered as SaaS. Prof+ annual licenses start at $175 a year for eligible faculty and staff at accredited degree-granting universities, with proof of affiliation required. Free instructor licenses are available by request under stated conditions.
For and against
For
- Includes statistical, visualization, data, and reporting tools.
- Supports many statistical methods, including Bayesian analysis.
- Imports data from spreadsheets, databases, and other sources.
- Reports and graphs export to multiple formats.
- Runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows.
Against
- Desktop software is installed locally, not SaaS.
- Prof+ annual pricing requires qualifying university affiliation.
- Free instructor licenses are limited to stated conditions.
The verdict
Stata brings analysis, data handling, visualization, and reporting into one locally installed platform. Its range of methods and integrations is broad, while Prof+ pricing is restricted to eligible university faculty and staff.
Who it suits
Stata is designed for researchers in fields including economics, public health, education, finance, and social sciences. Its local desktop workflow and broad statistical methods may also suit teams that need reproducible analysis and reporting.
Plans and prices
Stata/BE Prof+
Full-featured Stata/BE license
Read 20 Sep 2026 · stata.com
Stata/SE Prof+
Full-featured Stata/SE license
Read 20 Sep 2026 · stata.com
Stata/MP 2-core Prof+
Multiprocessor edition with 2 cores
Read 20 Sep 2026 · stata.com
Stata/MP 4-core Prof+
Multiprocessor edition with 4 cores
Read 20 Sep 2026 · stata.com
Stata/MP 6-core Prof+
Multiprocessor edition with 6 cores
Read 20 Sep 2026 · stata.com
Stata/MP 8-core Prof+
Multiprocessor edition with 8 cores
Read 20 Sep 2026 · stata.com
Stata/BE (Prof+ Plan)
faculty/staff at accredited degree-granting universities · single-user · full-featured Stata
Read 28 Sep 2026 · stata.com
Stata/SE (Prof+ Plan)
faculty/staff at accredited degree-granting universities · single-user · full-featured Stata
Read 28 Sep 2026 · stata.com
Stata/MP 2-core (Prof+ Plan)
faculty/staff at accredited degree-granting universities · single-user · full-featured Stata
Read 28 Sep 2026 · stata.com
On the record
- Accessibility
- Stata states that it is Section 508 compliant for accessibility for persons with disabilities.stata.com · read 28 Sep 2026
- Backward compatibility
- Modern Stata can understand old code and datasets from the past.stata.com · read 27 Sep 2026
- Bayesian analysis
- Yesstata.com · read 20 Sep 2026
- Community extensions
- Users can search and download thousands of free community-contributed additions, share commands through SSC, and discuss features on Statalist.stata.com · read 28 Sep 2026
- Community support
- Users can access Statalist, conferences, technical support, FAQs, and customer service.stata.com · read 27 Sep 2026
- Company history
- StataCorp says Stata 1.0 was released in January 1985 and Stata 19 in April 2025.stata.com · read 28 Sep 2026
- Complete platform
- Provides statistics, visualization, data management, and automated reporting in one platform.stata.com · read 27 Sep 2026
- Compliance
- Stata lists Installation Qualification and FDA compliance features, including adherence to FDA regulatory requirements for statistical software.stata.com · read 28 Sep 2026
- Database connectivity
- JDBC support can import from and export to Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL, Amazon Redshift, Snowflake, and other databases, and can execute SQL statements.stata.com · read 28 Sep 2026
- Data import formats
- Excel XLS/XLSX, CSV and delimited text, SAS, SPSS, Parquet, dBase, SQL databases via JDBC/ODBC, FRED, and Haverstata.com · read 20 Sep 2026
- Data management
- Its data-management features include frames, import and export, JDBC, ODBC, SQL, Unicode, match-merge, append, sorting, labeling, and saved results.stata.com · read 28 Sep 2026
- Delivery model
- Stata is an off-the-shelf desktop application, is not SaaS, and is installed locally by the customer or software administrator.stata.com · read 28 Sep 2026
- Deployment
- desktopstata.com · read 20 Sep 2026
- Documentation
- Every copy includes more than 19,000 pages of documentation, and Stata lists 36 manuals with thousands of worked examples.stata.com · read 28 Sep 2026
- Documentation size
- Documentation consists of 19,000 pages covering features, formulas, and worked examples.stata.com · read 27 Sep 2026
- Free access conditions
- Instructors can request a free one-week license, and accredited degree-granting instructors can request a free six-month Stata/BE license for their undergraduate classes.stata.com · read 28 Sep 2026
- Graph export
- Graphs can be exported to EPS, PNG, PDF, SVG, or TIFF.stata.com · read 27 Sep 2026
- Integrations
- Stata supports Python, PyStata, Jupyter Notebook, Java, Java plugins, H2O, C/C++ plugins, JDBC, ODBC, SQL, and OLE Automation.stata.com · read 28 Sep 2026
