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Head-to-head · Statistical Analysis Software

Stata vs XLSTAT

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 5 checks side by side
Higher score Stata #2 in Statistical Analysis Software 9.3/10 Paid ✓ 4 of 4 features Visit Stata
XLSTAT #19 in Statistical Analysis Software 7.6/10 Free plan · 14-day trial Free planFree trial✓ 4 of 4 features Visit XLSTAT

Stata leads on 0 checks, XLSTAT on 1, and 4 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 5 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreStata · 9.3/10
  • Free planonly XLSTAT
  • Free trialonly XLSTAT

Stata scores higher on our rubric for statistical analysis software: 9.3 against 7.6 out of 10; our editors rank them #2 and #19.

XLSTAT offers free plan; Stata doesn't. On deployment, XLSTAT gives you Both where Stata offers Desktop.

Stata is the better fit for professional, reproducible applied analysis. XLSTAT is the better fit for excel-based broad statistical analysis.

  • Stata fits best

    Professional, reproducible applied analysis

  • XLSTAT fits best

    Excel-based broad statistical analysis

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Side by side

Feature Stata 9.3/10 Visit ↗ XLSTAT 7.6/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.3 7.6
Ranking #2 in Statistical Analysis Software #19 in Statistical Analysis Software
Best for Professional, reproducible applied analysis Excel-based broad statistical analysis
Pricing model Paid Free plan + paid
Starting price $175/user/yr —
Free plan — ✓ (best)
Free trial — 14 days
Deployment Desktop Desktop, Cloud
Platforms Windows, macOS, Linux Web, Windows, macOS, iOS
Support Email, Live chat, Phone, Community, Docs Docs
Integrations 7 integrations 4 integrations
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Stata 4/4 · XLSTAT 4/4
Statistical tests ✓ ✓
Regression models ✓ ✓
Scripting support ✓ ✓
Bayesian analysis ✓ ✓
Specs
Deployment Desktop Both
Data import formats Excel XLS/XLSX, CSV and delimited text, SAS, SPSS, Parquet, dBase, SQL databases via JDBC/ODBC, FRED, and Haver CSV, TXT, and other files
Our review
Pros
  • Broad modeling across Bayesian, time-series, panel, survival, and multilevel methods
  • Command scripting, Mata programming, and reproducible reporting
  • Python, Jupyter, database, and common statistical-format integration
  • Broad coverage from hypothesis tests to machine learning and Bayesian analysis
  • Integrates with Excel, R, Word, and PowerPoint
  • Offers free access plus desktop and cloud deployment options
Cons
  • No free plan; published academic pricing requires university affiliation proof
  • Desktop deployment may not suit browser-first or cloud-only workflows
  • Higher-tier MP editions cost more as core counts increase
  • XLSTAT-Cloud provides a smaller feature set than the desktop product
  • Advanced capabilities are divided across multiple paid plans
  • Support channels are limited to documentation
Our verdict

Stata is an integrated desktop application for data management, statistical modeling, visualization, reporting, and reproducible workflows. It is designed for researchers, analysts, educators, and organizations that need applied analysis…

Read the review →

XLSTAT is a statistical analysis add-in for Microsoft Excel, designed for researchers, analysts, educators, consultants, and businesses. Its scope covers data preparation, visualization, hypothesis testing, regression, ANOVA, multivariate…

Read the review →
  1. StataStatistical Analysis Software 9.3Paid
  2. XLSTATStatistical Analysis Software 7.6Free plan · 14-day trial

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Stata — where it wins

    • Broad modeling across Bayesian, time-series, panel, survival, and multilevel methods
    • Command scripting, Mata programming, and reproducible reporting
    • Python, Jupyter, database, and common statistical-format integration

    Where it doesn't

    • No free plan; published academic pricing requires university affiliation proof
    • Desktop deployment may not suit browser-first or cloud-only workflows
    • Higher-tier MP editions cost more as core counts increase

  • XLSTAT — where it wins

    • Broad coverage from hypothesis tests to machine learning and Bayesian analysis
    • Integrates with Excel, R, Word, and PowerPoint
    • Offers free access plus desktop and cloud deployment options

    Where it doesn't

    • XLSTAT-Cloud provides a smaller feature set than the desktop product
    • Advanced capabilities are divided across multiple paid plans
    • Support channels are limited to documentation
  • Stata9.3/10 · Paid

    A broad, scriptable desktop environment for professional and reproducible applied analysis.

    Visit StataFull verdict →
  • XLSTAT7.6/10 · Free plan · 14-day trial

    A broad Excel-based statistics suite with free access, paid tiers, R integration, and AI assistance.

    Visit XLSTATFull verdict →

More comparisons

All statistical analysis software comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update