Softwr

Machine Learning · head to head

Ray vs Stata

Ray logo

Ray

Machine Learning

Scale AI and Python applications

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Stata logo

Stata

Machine Learning

Data science software for research professionals

From
$48/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Ray has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Ray windows support is beta and multi node Ray clusters are untested on Windows; Stata the entry Stata/BE edition is capped at 2,048 variables and 798 independent variables in a model
  • They diverge on capability: Ray covers Distributed computing, Stata covers Statistical analysis.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Ray and Stata actually diverge.

Attributes where Ray and Stata differ
AttributeRayStata
Starting priceFree$48/year
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
Founded20191985

Identical on both: platforms (Linux, Mac, Windows), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Machine Learning).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Ray

  • Distributed computing
  • Ray Train
  • Ray Tune
  • RLlib
  • Ray Serve
  • PyTorch
  • TensorFlow
  • Hugging Face

Only in Stata

  • Statistical analysis
  • Data management
  • Graphics
  • Econometrics
  • Survey analysis
  • Python
  • ODBC
  • Excel

Both cover

  • Linux support
  • Mac support
  • Windows support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Ray

  • Distributed AI model training and servingnot Stata
  • Large-scale data processingnot Stata
  • Reinforcement learning workloadsnot Stata
  • ML inference servingnot Stata

Stata

  • Statistical analysis and data analysisnot Ray
  • Econometric modelingnot Ray
  • Biostatistics and epidemiologynot Ray
  • Academic and research data analysisnot Ray

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Ray

  • Windows support is beta and multi node Ray clusters are untested on Windows
  • Windows lacks copy on write forking, which raises memory requirements, and Ray code assumes UNIX filenames
  • Multi node clusters are untested on Apple Silicon Macs
  • The Java API is experimental and community supported only, and requires matching Java and Python versions
  • Python 3.13 support is beta

Stata

  • The entry Stata/BE edition is capped at 2,048 variables and 798 independent variables in a model
  • Raising the variable limit to 32,767 requires Stata/SE and 120,000 requires Stata/MP
  • Stata/MP is licensed by core count, so 2 core and 4 core licences are priced separately
  • Student licences require proof of enrolment at a degree granting institution
  • Stata/MP is not sold on a 6 month student term
  • Perpetual student licences cost several times the annual price, for example $298 against $94 for Stata/BE

Pricing, plan by plan

Ray

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Full Ray framework
    • All libraries
    • Community support
  • Anyscale PlatformFree
    • Managed infrastructure
    • Enterprise support
    • SLAs

Stata

$48/year
  • Stata/BE$48/year
    • Basic edition
    • Core features
  • Stata/SE$295/year
    • Standard edition
    • Larger datasets

Which should you pick?

Choose Ray if

  • You need distributed computing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Mac, Windows.
  • You also want ray train.
Ray review

Choose Stata if

  • You need statistical analysis.
  • You work on Linux, Mac, Windows.
  • You also want data management.
Stata review

Questions people ask

Is Ray or Stata better?
Neither clearly leads. Ray starts at Free and Stata at $48/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Ray or Stata?
Ray has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Ray and $48/year for Stata.
Does Ray or Stata run on more platforms?
Both run on Linux, Mac, Windows, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Ray for free?
Yes. Ray has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Stata starts at $48/year.
What is Ray best used for?
Ray is most often used for distributed ai model training and serving, large-scale data processing, reinforcement learning workloads, ml inference serving. Of those, distributed ai model training and serving and large-scale data processing are not what Stata is typically brought in for.
What can Ray do that Stata cannot?
Ray covers Distributed computing, Ray Train, Ray Tune, RLlib. Stata covers Statistical analysis, Data management, Graphics, Econometrics. Both handle Linux support, Mac support, Windows support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Ray: Is Ray free?

Yes. Ray is free and open source software with over 34,800 GitHub stars and 1,000+ contributors. Users can download and use the Ray framework at no cost.

Source
Stata: How much does Stata cost?

Stata does not publish specific pricing on its website. Customers must use the 'Order Stata' or 'Request a quote' functions to obtain pricing. StataNow is available as a subscription option, but specific monthly or annual costs are not displayed publicly.

Source
Ray: Is there a paid option for Ray?

Yes. Anyscale, the managed platform built by Ray's creators, offers paid tiers with enterprise features like governance and advanced tooling. Specific Anyscale pricing details are not listed on the Ray website.

Source
Stata: What are the differences between Stata editions?

Stata offers multiple editions including Stata/BE and Stata/MP, with different capabilities and performance characteristics. Edition selection affects pricing, but specific comparisons and costs require requesting a quote.

Source
Ray: Can I try Ray with credits?

Yes. New users can try Ray with $100 credit on Anyscale's managed platform to explore the service.

Source
Stata: Does Stata offer a subscription model?

Yes, StataNow is offered as a subscription option that delivers new features immediately upon release. However, specific pricing for StataNow subscriptions is not published on the website.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Ray

More on Stata

Keep looking

Other head to heads