Crystal Reports vs SQL Server Reporting Services

Question

I want to make a website. According to the requirements I have many simple as well as complex reports which may have more column to display sometimes. I haven't worked with the reporting in web. I want to know which is best from both of them according to my requirement.

Answer 1

Without actually knowing your requirements - my gut feeling would be to favor SQL Server Reporting Services .

Why?

• It comes with SQL Server, so it's basically free (if you have SQL Server anyway)
• it's quite capable in terms of rendering and exporting
• it's also extensible with .NET code, if you ever need to
• you can schedule reports at a given time etc.

Crystal Reports on the other hand

• is a separate add-on you have to buy (and it's quite expensive, too)
• it's a bit clunky and hard to use at times (in my opinion)
• it doesn't integrate nearly as well with SQL Server and ASP.NET