Statistical software · StataCorp LLC

Stata

Command-driven statistical software for regression, panel-data, and survey analysis, widely used in economics, epidemiology, and political science.

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Stata combines a command language, do-file scripting, and menu-driven equivalents in one desktop package, making it popular for reproducible econometric and epidemiological research. It ships with a large built-in library of estimators (linear and nonlinear regression, panel data, survival analysis, survey design) and is extensible through community-written commands distributed via the SSC archive. Mata, its embedded matrix language, supports custom estimators and simulations. Stata is sold as a single-user desktop license (annual or perpetual) or as a network license for labs and departments, with discounted pricing for students and researchers in developing countries. Unlike R or Python, Stata's syntax and output are standardized across versions, which many economics and public-health journals rely on for replication.

At a glance

Vendor StataCorp LLC
Pricing model Subscription
Free tier No
Deployment Self-hosted
Open source No
Best for Economists, epidemiologists, and social scientists who need reproducible, command-driven statistical analysis.

Pricing

Single-user annual or perpetual license by edition (BE/SE/MP); multi-user network and volume licenses priced by quote.

Plan Price Notes
Stata/MP (annual, download) $995.00/year single-user annual download license, includes updates during term; perpetual and multi-user network options priced separately by quote

Prices read from the vendor's own page on September 21, 2026. Vendors change prices; check the source before you budget.

Features

  • Built-in library of regression and panel-data estimators
  • Survival and time-series analysis
  • Complex survey design and weighting
  • Do-file scripting for reproducible analysis
  • Mata matrix programming language
  • Publication-quality graphics
  • Extensible via user-written commands (SSC archive)

Integrations

Profile last reviewed September 21, 2026

Alternatives

R Open-source programming language and environment for statistical computing and graphics, the default language of applied statistics education. SAS Enterprise statistical analysis and advanced-analytics platform used for validated statistics, data mining, and reporting in regulated industries. EViews Econometric software for time-series modeling, forecasting, and panel-data analysis, widely used by economists and financial analysts.

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Terms to know

Regression analysis A statistical method for estimating the relationship between one outcome variable and one or more predictor variables. P-value The probability of observing data at least as extreme as the result, if the null hypothesis were actually true. Confidence interval A range calculated from sample data that, under repeated sampling, would contain the true value a stated percentage of the time. Causal inference The set of methods used to determine whether one variable actually causes a change in another, not merely correlates with it. Time series forecasting Predicting future values of a metric using patterns found in its own historical sequence over time.

Related guides

How to choose statistical software The decisions that matter are code vs menus, general-purpose vs domain specialist, and whether your field already has a de facto standard you can't ignore.