Crystal Reports vs Jaspersoft comparison

Data has become one of the most valuable assets for businesses today. With so much data available, businesses need reporting tools and platforms to turn raw data into actionable insights. Two such tools — Jaspersoft and Crystal Reports — emerge as contenders for organizations seeking enterprise reporting and business intelligence (BI). 

This guide will provide a detailed comparison of these two tools so you can choose what works best for your organization’s reporting and analytics needs. Let’s dive in!

Key takeaways

Due to their distinct features and capabilities, Crystal Reports and Jaspersoft’s usability will depend on your organization’s requirements. 

Organizations already using SAP may find Crystal Reports the better option because of its tight integration. Crystal Reports can easily pull data and generate reports seamlessly due to its compatibility and built-in features designed to work within the SAP ecosystem. However, its aging technology, limited scalability, and dwindling support may be a concern for forward-looking organizations looking to modernize their reporting technology stack.

For businesses that need precision and innovation as they look to grow, Jaspersoft offers a comprehensive suite of modern self-service reporting features, broader data connectivity, and greater deployment flexibility compared to Crystal Reports. 

Key similarities between Jaspersoft and Crystal Reports

Both Jaspersoft and Crystal Reports have established themselves over several decades as leaders in the enterprise reporting space. Jaspersoft has over 600,000 monthly downloads, while Crystal Reports has just over 1 million users worldwide. 

Other similarities include:

• Embedded reporting: Crystal Reports and Jaspersoft integrate well into host applications to provide reporting functionality for independent software vendors (ISV).

• Pixel-perfect reports: They both provide precise control over report layout and formatting for users who need highly customized reports.

Key differences between Jaspersoft and Crystal Reports

Technology

Crystal Reports is proprietary software that operates within a closed ecosystem tightly integrated with SAP.  While some organizations still find it reliable,  limited updates make its framework struggle to align with modern reporting needs. And because it’s no longer being actively developed, the future of this reporting tool is uncertain.

In contrast, Jaspersoft is built on an open-source foundation that allows for continuous improvement and updates. This approach is part of Jaspersoft's DNA, which reflects its adaptability to technological advancements. This enhances compatibility with the latest tools and platforms. Furthermore, it is written entirely in Java, runs anywhere, and can deliver beautifully rendered reports and other data visualizations from raw data with lightning speed.

Data source connectivity

Crystal Reports is particularly strong in environments relying on relational databases such as SQL Server, Oracle, and MySQL. It provides connectivity to data sources via ODBC, OLE DB, and direct SQL queries. However, Crystal Reports struggles to integrate with modern data sources such as XML, JSON, RESTful APIs, and big data platforms like Hadoop.

Jaspersoft supports modern and diverse data formats, such as Hadoop, XML, REST services, and JSON. It also connects to traditional relational databases through JDBC and SQL. This makes Jaspersoft a highly versatile solution for businesses operating in complex, hybrid environments that need to combine traditional and modern data architectures.

Reporting features

While Crystal Reports features great report layout and formatting capabilities, it doesn’t offer the same level of pixel-perfect customization that Jaspersoft does. Its drag-and-drop feature doesn’t provide the intuitive flexibility modern users expect for more complex or dynamic reporting needs.

In addition to highly formatted, pixel-perfect reporting, Jaspersoft offers more self-service reporting capabilities designed for end users to allow for easier report creation and manipulation by non-technical users. Even for developers, Jaspersoft is the better option for self-service because of its domains feature, which allows organizations to create tailored data views for specific user groups. This ensures that users can access and analyze the data they need while maintaining data governance and security. 

User experience

Crystal Reports provides a traditional desktop-based design that many users find outdated compared to more modern solutions. Many non-developers find it pretty straightforward to use due to its drag-and-drop user interface. 

On the other hand, Jaspersoft provides a modern, web-based design interface with Jaspersoft Web Studio. While more powerful, this feature may involve a steeper learning curve than Crystal Reports, especially for non-technical users. Because of the precise control and flexibility, many developers and users with technical expertise almost always prefer Jaspersoft over Crystal Reports. For non-technical users, Jaspersoft’s ad hoc features are specifically designed to simplify the creation and customization of reports.

Performance and scalability

Crystal Reports’ performance is relatively good, especially for smaller datasets and straightforward reporting queries and tasks. As data volumes grow, however, users may experience a decline in performance due to slower processing times. This may make Crystal Reports less reliable for real-time data analytics and reporting. Consequently, should the user need to scale up to handle enterprise-level workloads, they may require significant hardware resources and customization, which can be costly. 

Jaspersoft shines in both performance and scalability. Its architecture supports high-concurrency environments and large datasets with ease. The platform boasts distributed processing capabilities combined with support for in-memory analytics. This enables faster performance even as data volumes grow. Additionally, it integrates smoothly into cloud environments, making it ideal for businesses planning to scale.

Deployment and integration

Crystal Reports is well suited for on-premise deployments and works well with established legacy systems. This can make it a good fit for businesses maintaining the status quo. As for integration, its limited deployment options can hinder usability in cloud or hybrid environments and data architectures that rely on real-time data streams and big data. 

Jaspersoft provides flexible deployment options supporting on-premises, cloud, and hybrid models. Its open-source framework allows seamless integration with Java applications, REST APIs, and popular frameworks like Spring. This extensibility makes it a better fit for organizations seeking customizable solutions and makes it possible to adapt Jaspersoft over time due to the inevitable changes in your architecture.

Security and compliance

Both Crystal Reports and Jaspersoft are on-premises deployment tools, so industries with strict data security requirements may find both useful. The organization’s data isn’t exposed to external threats because it remains within a controlled infrastructure. This makes it easier to attain compliance with data security regulations. 

While Crystal Reports does support security features, they may not be as extensive or modern as Jaspersoft. It provides basic security options like user authentication and integration with Windows Active Directory.

However, Jaspersoft stands out as the better choice. It ensures security through additional features like role-based permissions, data encryption, granular user access controls, and integration with external authentication services. Therefore, even for cloud-based or hybrid deployments, the organization’s data is still secure. 

Cost 

As a proprietary tool, Crystal Reports has a traditional pricing model that involves licensing fees and ongoing maintenance. This can be a significant cost for both small and large organizations. 

Jaspersoft provides more cost-effective options based on the details of your use case with annual subscriptions or ISV licensing models. 

Support and community 

For support, organizations rely on Crystal Reports professional support services, which include troubleshooting, updates, and knowledge base resources. However, as several of its platforms reach their end of life, this support will come to an end. The community surrounding Crystal Reports is also shrinking as more businesses move to more modern platforms. This decline in development activity, aging technology, and declining community may pose challenges for long-term users.

The Jaspersoft commercial edition provides professional support and guaranteed response times. Jaspersoft also has a vibrant community of users and developers, giving organizations access to free resources, forums, and detailed documentation.

Why is Jaspersoft a good replacement for Crystal Reports?

For organizations looking to transition to a more modern platform, Jaspersoft is a great alternative to Crystal Reports because of its pixel-perfect reporting capabilities, modern reporting features, and seamless embeddability. Jaspersoft stands out for its connectivity to diverse data sources and formats, flexible deployment options, powerful performance and scalability, ease of use, and strong community. 

Ready to experience the power of Jaspersoft? Sign up for a free 30-day trial. 

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