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Machine Learning · head to head

Stata vs Vitess

Stata logo

Stata

Machine Learning

Data science software for research professionals

From
$48/year
Free plan
No
Visit StataFull review
Vitess logo

Vitess

Databases

Scalable database clustering system for horizontal scaling of MySQL

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit VitessFull review

The short version

  • Stata is a complete, integrated statistical software package.
  • Vitess is free; Stata starts at $48/yr.
  • Only Stata lists statistical analysis; only Vitess lists horizontal Sharding.
  • Where Stata falls short: the entry Stata/BE edition is capped at 2,048 variables and 798 independent variables in a model.
  • Where Vitess falls short: VTGate scatter queries without sharding key incur significant performance penalties.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 13 November 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Stata and Vitess actually diverge.

Attributes where Stata and Vitess differ
AttributeStataVitess
Starting price$48/yearFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsLinux, macOS, WindowsLinux, macOS, Self-hosted
CategoryMachine LearningDatabases
Founded19852010

Not yet recorded: pricing model for Vitess.

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 Stata

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

Only in Vitess

  • Horizontal Sharding
  • Connection Pooling
  • Query Routing
  • Online Schema Changes
  • Shard Management
  • Replication Management
  • Automated Failover
  • MySQL

Both cover

  • Linux support

What people use each for

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

Stata

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

Vitess

  • Transaction processingnot Stata
  • Data storagenot Stata
  • Application backendnot Stata
  • Reportingnot Stata
  • Data analyticsnot Stata

Where each one falls short

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

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

Vitess

  • VTGate scatter queries without sharding key incur significant performance penalties
  • Foreign key constraints not enforced across shards, requiring application-level integrity handling
  • Single primary per keyspace limits multi-region write capabilities
  • Distributed transactions without proper sharding key routing suffer performance degradation

Pricing, plan by plan

Stata

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

Vitess

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Vitess review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Stata if

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

Choose Vitess if

  • You need horizontal sharding.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Self-hosted.
  • You also want connection pooling.
Vitess review

Questions people ask

Is Stata or Vitess better?
Neither clearly leads. Stata starts at $48/year and Vitess at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Stata or Vitess?
Vitess has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $48/year for Stata and Free for Vitess.
Does Stata or Vitess run on more platforms?
Stata runs on Linux, macOS, Windows. Vitess runs on Linux, macOS, Self-hosted.
Can I use Vitess for free?
Yes. Vitess has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Stata starts at $48/year.
What is Stata best used for?
Stata is most often used for statistical analysis and data analysis, econometric modeling, biostatistics and epidemiology, academic and research data analysis. Of those, statistical analysis and data analysis and econometric modeling are not what Vitess is typically brought in for.
What can Stata do that Vitess cannot?
Stata covers Statistical analysis, Data management, Graphics, Econometrics. Vitess covers Horizontal Sharding, Connection Pooling, Query Routing, Online Schema Changes. Both handle Linux support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Vitess: Is Vitess free to use?

Yes. Vitess is completely free and open source under the Apache 2.0 license. It is a graduated CNCF project with no licensing costs or pricing tiers.

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
Vitess: What databases does Vitess support?

Vitess supports MySQL and MariaDB as backend databases. It acts as a middleware layer that adds sharding and orchestration capabilities on top of these databases.

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
Vitess: Does Vitess require Kubernetes to run?

No. Vitess can run on Kubernetes using the Vitess Operator, but it can also be deployed on traditional infrastructure. Kubernetes integration is optional and provides additional automation benefits.

Source
Vitess: How does Vitess handle cross-shard transactions?

Vitess supports distributed transactions across shards, but they require queries to be routed through the sharding key. Transactions without a proper sharding key can result in slower performance.

Source
Vitess: Does Vitess enforce foreign key constraints?

Vitess does not enforce foreign key constraints across shards by default. Referential integrity must be managed at the application layer, though per-database support can be enabled with limitations.

Source
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