If you'd like to try out our RATS software, you can download a free trial version using the instructions given below. This is a complete, unlimited version of the program; this will run for 21 days from the date of first use. The trial period can be extended, but you will need to provide a good explanation of why we should permit that.
Please note that RATS is a commercial product. We offer the trial to allow potential customers to see if the software meets their needs. The trial requires activation, and we reserve the right to refuse an activation request for someone who is abusing the trial version, such as repeatedly downloading it or entering clearly false information in the activation form.
The trial should not be used for doing class work. If you want to use RATS for a class, please check out Educational Licenses or contact us at sales@estima.com.
Download the file WinRATSProTrial.msi. If you open it (or double-click on it), the operating system should launch the installer, which will ask you a few questions and then install the program. Once installed, the program should automatically start.
Download the file MacRATSProTrial.zip to your hard drive, double-click on the file to unzip it (Safari will do this automatically), and then click on the extracted installer package. You might have to shift-click if you have tight security settings. This will launch the Installer, which will ask you a few questions and then install the program (into your Applications folder). Once you've installed the program, double-click on the "RATS" icon to start the program.
When the program starts up initially, you will see a dialog box with a link asking you to "Click here to submit your activation request code". Click on this and fill out and submit the form. This will send your request to us. Please make sure that you put in the correct e-mail address since that is what we use to send you the key code. If you don't get a confirmation email from sales@estima.com within a few minutes, you probably gave us an incorrect e-mail.
Within one business day, we will email you back an activation code that will unlock the software for the trial period. Until you get this e-mail, you will not be able to actually run the program. However, you can read the documentation or look at the examples. When you receive the e-mail with the activation code, you will restart the program which will bring up that same activation dialog. You will paste the code that we send into the blank in the dialog and click on "Activate Now". This second e-mail will remind you of the required steps.
The trial version of RATS comes with all the documentation, examples and procedures included with a paid license. Besides the manuals, the textbook and paper replication examples are probably your best guide for seeing what RATS can do. The quickest way to find something is generally on our web site—use the link Procedures. The two browsers there let you find examples on particular topics or subjects. Note that these examples will already be loaded onto your computer, so once you've found an example that you would like to study further, you don't have to download it from the web site; just locate it in your RATS examples. There are three separate major folders of examples: the Examples that are discussed in the RATS manuals, the Textbook examples (which are further divided by the book names) and the Paper replication examples (which are further divided by paper).
We can provide a limited amount of technical support for trial users, mainly to point you in the direction of helpful examples. If you contact technical support, please be sure to identify that you're using a trial license. The description of our tech support procedures is provided at Support Policy.
Because RATS has a wide range of capabilities, the documentation can't go into depth in each area. If you have a focused research agenda, you may benefit from one or more of our "e-courses". See RATS e-courses. These provide much greater coverage on a topic than we can include in the general documentation, and typically work through important published works in considerable detail. If you purchase a course during your trial period, you can take a $50 credit off the cost of the RATS software.
If you have questions about purchasing or pricing, you can contact sales@estima.com. If you would prefer to place an order through a local reseller, you can check the list at Resellers List to see if there's one serving your area.