Direct comparison
R vs. SAS for Research Analysis
R vs. SAS for research analysis: licensing, free academic access, and what the FDA says about choosing statistical software. Also covers sas vs r.
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How do R, SAS compare side by side?
The table below compares R, SAS across 10 procurement-relevant dimensions, from what it is through source.
Side-by-side comparison
| Dimension | R | SAS |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A language and environment for statistical computing and graphics. | A platform; SAS Viya covers data preparation, visualization, statistical analysis and machine learning. |
| License | Free Software under the Free Software Foundation's GNU General Public License, distributed as source code. | SAS publishes a separate free academic offer (SAS Viya for Learners); use outside that offer is not covered by it. |
| Academic access | Download from CRAN, the family of Internet sites that distribute R and its packages. | SAS Viya for Learners gives free access for academic, noncommercial use to students and educators, who sign in with a university email. |
| Platforms | UNIX-like systems, Windows and macOS. | SAS Viya for Learners is reached by signing in with a university email. |
| Extending it | Extensible through packages distributed via CRAN. | Within SAS Viya, work is possible in SAS, Python and R. |
| FDA position | FDA does not require any specific software for statistical analyses; statistical software is not explicitly discussed in Title 21 of the CFR. | The same statement applies: FDA does not require any specific software, SAS included. |
| What must be documented | The software package used should be fully documented in the submission, including version and build identification. | The same: package, version and build identification should be documented in the submission. |
| After you leave the institution | The GPL license does not depend on being a student or educator. | The Viya for Learners offer is described for students and educators for academic, noncommercial use. |
| When to pick it | You want a license and tooling that stay yours across employers, or you want to extend the analysis with CRAN packages. | Your course, lab or sponsor already works in SAS, or you want SAS and R in one Viya environment under the academic offer. |
| Source | r-project.org/about.html (read 2026-10-29); FDA Statistical Software Clarifying Statement, fda.gov/media/161196/download (read 2026-10-29). | sas.com/en_us/software/viya-for-learners.html (read 2026-10-29); FDA Statistical Software Clarifying Statement, fda.gov/media/161196/download (read 2026-10-29). |
Common questions
Common questions about R vs SAS
Does the FDA require SAS?
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FDA does not require use of any specific software for statistical analyses, and statistical software is not explicitly discussed in Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations (for example, in 21 CFR part 11). The software package or packages used for statistical analyses should be fully documented in the submission, including version and build identification. Source: FDA Statistical Software Clarifying Statement, read 2026-10-29.
Is R free?
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R is Free Software under the Free Software Foundation's GNU General Public License and is distributed as source code. Source: r-project.org/about.html, read 2026-10-29.
Can I use R inside SAS Viya?
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According to the SAS Viya for Learners page, work is possible in SAS, Python and R. Source: sas.com/en_us/software/viya-for-learners.html, read 2026-10-29.
Should I use R or SAS for a clinical trial?
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The FDA statement does not name a preferred package: it does not require any specific software, and asks that the package(s), version and build be fully documented in the submission. It also cites ICH E9, Statistical Principles for Clinical Trials. Choose on your sponsor's requirements and your team's skills, then document the software as the FDA statement describes.
Is SAS free for students?
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SAS Viya for Learners offers free access to SAS Viya for academic, noncommercial use to students and educators, who sign in with a university email. Source: sas.com/en_us/software/viya-for-learners.html, read 2026-10-29.
Going deeper
