# Stats software insights, which one and why? **URL:** \ **Category:** Analyzing and Reusing Data\ **Tags:** python, r, statistics, stata, data-analysis\ **Created:** [October 3, 2025, 7:45pm UTC](https://rcop.michaeljfox.org/t/stats-software-insights-which-one-and-why/1280 "2025-10-03T19:45:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ecebayram](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/michaeljfox/user_avatar/rcop.michaeljfox.org/ecebayram/32/504_2.png) [@ecebayram](https://rcop.michaeljfox.org/u/ecebayram)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2025, 7:45pm UTC](https://rcop.michaeljfox.org/t/stats-software-insights-which-one-and-why/1280/1 "2025-10-03T19:45:48Z")
I have a randolorian question everyone. What stats software do you typically use? I’m an R lover and used to SPSS thanks to the clinical realm. Worked with peeps who use stata or python, but I personally don’t have experience… I started seeing GraphPad prism with some students, does anyone have any insight on that? ---
**Author:** ![gginnan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/michaeljfox/user_avatar/rcop.michaeljfox.org/gginnan/32/282_2.png) [@gginnan](https://rcop.michaeljfox.org/u/gginnan)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2025, 4:47pm UTC](https://rcop.michaeljfox.org/t/stats-software-insights-which-one-and-why/1280/2 "2025-10-07T16:47:11Z")
Hi @ecebayram! I always used Python paired with data viz packages, felt like it gave me a lot of control over both the analyses and downstream figures (and is open source). I like R, as well, but am not as familiar (also had a brief stint with Stata during my PhD, but not for long). Haven’t heard of GraphPad Prism but looks intriguing! I’m pretty sure @fbbriggs and @ekaamewu have experience with Stata, wonder if they would recommend? Also tagging some community members who have interest in Python and R, curious your thoughts! @ViniciusCrr @lucasf @tiago.azevedo @felipe_duartez @SidKarthik @rafaela.ravazio @ara8 @SyedMuzammilShah @namburin ---
**Author:** ![tiago.azevedo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/michaeljfox/user_avatar/rcop.michaeljfox.org/tiago.azevedo/32/598_2.png) [@tiago.azevedo](https://rcop.michaeljfox.org/u/tiago.azevedo)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2025, 5:25pm UTC](https://rcop.michaeljfox.org/t/stats-software-insights-which-one-and-why/1280/3 "2025-10-07T17:25:32Z")
Hi, even though it’s not my favourite language, I only use Python because I mostly work on machine learning and there’s just a lot of support and good packages. The few times I need to run some t-test or other statistical analysis, so far statsmodels has been enough to me. ---
**Author:** ![ekaamewu](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/michaeljfox/user_avatar/rcop.michaeljfox.org/ekaamewu/32/229_2.png) [@ekaamewu](https://rcop.michaeljfox.org/u/ekaamewu)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2025, 9:34pm UTC](https://rcop.michaeljfox.org/t/stats-software-insights-which-one-and-why/1280/4 "2025-10-07T21:34:28Z")
Hello @ecebayram, I have been an SPSS and GraphPad Prism person for long until I revived my R, mainly for data viz. I know a little STATA but I’d rather use R. I am pretty familiar with GraphPad Prism. It’s great for beautiful publication quality graphics by pointing and clicking rather than writing fancy codes. Feel free to hit me up if there is anything. ---
**Author:** ![danieltds](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/michaeljfox/user_avatar/rcop.michaeljfox.org/danieltds/32/62_2.png) [@danieltds](https://rcop.michaeljfox.org/u/danieltds)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2025, 9:09pm UTC](https://rcop.michaeljfox.org/t/stats-software-insights-which-one-and-why/1280/5 "2025-10-09T21:09:41Z")
What a nice post and topic to bring up, @ecebayram! I mostly use Python because I’m more used to it and I think it is pretty good at cleaning data. However, I also dabble in R and sometimes even have to use it because Python lacks some packages that R posses such as the ones used in epidemiological research to account for analysis on weighted samples. ---
**Author:** ![fbbriggs](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/michaeljfox/user_avatar/rcop.michaeljfox.org/fbbriggs/32/54_2.png) [@fbbriggs](https://rcop.michaeljfox.org/u/fbbriggs)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2025, 4:36pm UTC](https://rcop.michaeljfox.org/t/stats-software-insights-which-one-and-why/1280/6 "2025-10-15T16:36:44Z")
I am a diehard STATA user - it was the first language I learnt. The downside is that it has price-tag. I encourage all trainees to pick up R, which they do within 4-6 weeks. Another trainee loves GraphPad for figures. ---
**Author:** ![ecebayram](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/michaeljfox/user_avatar/rcop.michaeljfox.org/ecebayram/32/504_2.png) [@ecebayram](https://rcop.michaeljfox.org/u/ecebayram)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2025, 7:25pm UTC](https://rcop.michaeljfox.org/t/stats-software-insights-which-one-and-why/1280/7 "2025-10-20T19:25:08Z")
do you feel like graphpad prism is a bit limited compared to r or would it still compare the same? i wasn’t sure if graphpad is like spss in terms of capabilities with clicking options. i guess you can technically use the syntax with spss but at that point why not switch to r anyways 🤭 ---
**Author:** ![ecebayram](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/michaeljfox/user_avatar/rcop.michaeljfox.org/ecebayram/32/504_2.png) [@ecebayram](https://rcop.michaeljfox.org/u/ecebayram)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2025, 7:26pm UTC](https://rcop.michaeljfox.org/t/stats-software-insights-which-one-and-why/1280/8 "2025-10-20T19:26:02Z")
do you have any tutorials/guidelines you give to trainees for R? ---
**Author:** ![ekaamewu](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/michaeljfox/user_avatar/rcop.michaeljfox.org/ekaamewu/32/229_2.png) [@ekaamewu](https://rcop.michaeljfox.org/u/ekaamewu)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2025, 9:43am UTC](https://rcop.michaeljfox.org/t/stats-software-insights-which-one-and-why/1280/9 "2025-10-21T09:43:43Z")
GraphPad is similar to SPSS except with more powerful graphics ability. I’ll say it’s more of a graphing statistical software. Compared to R? GraphPad is limited and I love the freedom R brings. I use SPSS or GraphPad for small data biostatistics and R when I am working with genomic data: more of downstream biostatistic after bioinformatics. ---
**Author:** ![ecebayram](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/michaeljfox/user_avatar/rcop.michaeljfox.org/ecebayram/32/504_2.png) [@ecebayram](https://rcop.michaeljfox.org/u/ecebayram)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2025, 4:28pm UTC](https://rcop.michaeljfox.org/t/stats-software-insights-which-one-and-why/1280/10 "2025-10-21T16:28:54Z")
uber helpful!!! i was going through someone’s grant application and they have stats as one of their training goals, but proposed to use graphpad for all the analyses so i was curious about graphpad’s abilities. ---
**Author:** ![fbbriggs](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/michaeljfox/user_avatar/rcop.michaeljfox.org/fbbriggs/32/54_2.png) [@fbbriggs](https://rcop.michaeljfox.org/u/fbbriggs)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2025, 11:09pm UTC](https://rcop.michaeljfox.org/t/stats-software-insights-which-one-and-why/1280/12 "2025-10-22T23:09:35Z")
The trainees like the Coursera courses! ---
**Author:** ![ecebayram](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/michaeljfox/user_avatar/rcop.michaeljfox.org/ecebayram/32/504_2.png) [@ecebayram](https://rcop.michaeljfox.org/u/ecebayram)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2025, 5:15pm UTC](https://rcop.michaeljfox.org/t/stats-software-insights-which-one-and-why/1280/13 "2025-10-23T17:15:26Z")
ooo that’s good to know. i’m taking notes! ![200w](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/michaeljfox/original/1X/d15062df880e422607832e9e23ba37c25e4ed56c.gif)