SAP Crystal Report runtime is free for internal use, and as for what version you run, we strongly suggest using the latest version to ensure compatibility.
The latest version released is Crystal Reports 2020 (14.3.
Crystal is currently in active development. It is released as free and open-source software under the Apache License version 2.0.
JasperReports if you're writing Java.
The java standard answer is often:
Report Manager has been around for quite a few years. It's written in Delphi (at least it was originally) and has components that can be used in Delphi, but is usable via ActiveX or dll from just about any language. Now has a native .NET library too. Has a nifty report-serving webserver you can set up too. The designer gui looks and feels a little rough around the edges but it works. http://reportman.sourceforge.net/
BIRT works pretty well.
How about i-net Clear Reports (used to be i-net Crystal-Clear).
Though not free, you should also consider this low-cost, non-free, non-open-source reporting solution that can fully compete with Crystal Reports - and is Java-based.
I think it's even more cost efficient than "free ones". A small company may have to think closely about free things, but will then have to invest into manpower to find out how everything works and so on. Large companies will for sure subscribe to premium support services that cost a lot. See this article for reference
i-net Clear Reports has a very low price tag with great support for free and even better premium support via yearly subscriptions.
Disclosure: Yeah, I work for the company who built this, so I'm biased. But I honestly believe in what I just wrote.
So far based on my research JasperSoft has turned out promising open source reporting tool… Matter of fact I am currently working on a huge project wherein I have started converting and building reports using JasperReports/iReports…
Every reporting tool has its own learning curve. The support group from and for Jasper and the quality of response that I have gotten so far is good.
Again at the end of the day it all comes down to what your business / organization needs.
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