Software Comparison Table

Overview

  Quantum XL Minitab

Quality Companion

(No longer avaialble)

 Crystal Ball SPC XL DOE Pro
Single license price $649 $1,780.00 Per Year $995 $1,100 w/o Optimization
$2,200 with Optimization		 $299 $299
Design of Experiments Check       Check
General Statistical Tools Check Check     Check  
Companion Tools Check   Check      
Monte Carlo Simulation Check     Check    

Design of Experiments (DOE)

Unique Features

  Quantum XL Minitab Quality Companion Crystal Ball SPC XL DOE Pro
Regression Advisor Check          
Automatic S-hat Modeling Check         Check
Mixed Response Modeling Check          

Regression Type

  Quantum XL Minitab Quality Companion Crystal Ball SPC XL DOE Pro
Ordinary Least Squares Check  Check       Check
Weighted Regression Check  Check        
Binary Logistic Regression Check Check        
Nominal Logistic Regression Check Check        
Ordinal Logistic Regression   Check        

Independent Variable Types

  Quantum XL Minitab Quality Companion Crystal Ball SPC XL DOE Pro
Optimize Least Squares Models Check Check       Check
Optimize Binary Logistic Models Check  Check        
Optimize Nominal Logistic Models Check  Check        
Optimize Mixed (Least Squares, Binary, and Nominal) Models Check          
Optimize with constraints Check          

Prediction

  Quantum XL Minitab Quality Companion Crystal Ball SPC XL DOE Pro
Predict Least Squares Models Check Check       Check
Predict Binary Logistic Models Check Check        
Predict Nominal Logistic Models Check Check        
Predict Mixed (Least Squares, Binary, and Nominal) Models Check          
Quality Measures (Cp, Cpk, dpm, etc.) Check          

Charts

  Quantum XL Minitab Quality Companion Crystal Ball SPC XL DOE Pro
Pareto of Regression Coefficients Check Check       Check
Interaction Plot Check Check       Check
Main Effect Plot Check Check       Check
Thumbnail Plot Check Check       Check
Surface and Contour Plot Check Check       Check
Residual Plots Check Check       Check

Design Types

  Quantum XL Minitab Quality Companion Crystal Ball SPC XL DOE Pro
Design Wizard Check  Check       Check
2-Level Full/Fractional Factorial Check Check       Check
3-Level Full Factorial Check       Check
N-Level (mixed) Factorial Check Check        
Central Composite (CCD) Check Check       Check
Box-Behnken Check Check       Check
Plackett-Burman Check Check       Check
Taguchi Check Check       Check
Custom Check  Check       Check
D-Optimal Check Check        
Mixture   Check        

Design Features

  Quantum XL Minitab Quality Companion Crystal Ball SPC XL DOE Pro
Blocking Check Check        
Folding Check Check        
Automatic S-hat model Check         Check
Table Format Check         Check
Stacked Format Check Check        
Randomization Check Check       Random string only
Add Center Points Check Check        

General Statistics Tools

Data template

  Quantum XL Minitab Quality Companion Crystal Ball SPC XL DOE Pro
One factor Check          
Two factors Check          
Specification limits Check          
X-Axis column Check          
Random data Check          
Select multiple analysis on sheet Check          
Analyze template Check          

Control Charts

  Quantum XL Minitab Quality Companion Crystal Ball SPC XL DOE Pro
XbarR Chart Check Check     Check  
XbarS Chart Check Check     Check  
IMR Chart Check Check     Check  
p Chart Check Check     Check  
c Chart Check Check     Check  
np Chart Check Check     Check  
u Chart Check Check     Check  
Ability to add points to existing charts Check Check     Check  
Assign labels to X Axis of control chart Check Check     Check  
Custom out-of-control checking Check Check     Check  
Custom Control Limits Check Check     Check  
On-sheet scrolling controls Check          
StDev estimate options Check Check        
Scroll control charts Check Check     Check  
Split limits Check Check     Check  
Outliers Check Check     Check  

Cpk

  Quantum XL Minitab Quality Companion Crystal Ball SPC XL DOE Pro
Spec limits Check Check     Check  
Spec limits linked to cell Check          
Spec limits are boundaries Check Check        
Plot target value Check Check        
Ppk curve Check Check     Check  
Cpk curve Check Check        
Both curves Check Check        
Multiple charts Check Check        
Overlaid charts Check Check        
StDev estimate options Check Check        
Cp Check Check        
Lower CI bound for Cp Check Check        
Upper CI bound for Cp Check Check        
Cpl Check Check        
Cpu Check Check        
Cpk Check Check        
Lower CI bound for Cpk Check Check        
Upper CI bound for Cpk Check Check        
Pp Check Check     Check  
Ppl Check Check        
Ppu Check Check        
Ppk Check Check     Check  
Observed Defects ( < LSL) Check Check        
Observed Defects ( > LSL) Check Check        
Observed Defects ( Total ) Check Check        
Short Term Defects ( < LSL) Check Check        
Short Term Defects ( > LSL) Check Check        
Short Term Defects ( Total ) Check Check        
Long Term Defects ( < LSL) Check Check        
Long Term Defects ( > LSL) Check Check        
Long Term Defects ( Total ) Check Check     Check  
Sample size Check Check     Check  
Mean Overall Check Check     Check  
Stdev Overall Check Check     Check  
Stdev Within Check Check        
Min Check Check        
Max Check Check        
Updatable Check Check        

Histogram

  Quantum XL Minitab Quality Companion Crystal Ball SPC XL DOE Pro
Distributions fit: Normal Check Check     Check  
Distributions fit: Exponential Check Check        
Distributions fit: 2-Parameter Weibull Check Check     Check  
Distributions fit: 2-Parameter Exponential Check Check     Check  
Distributions fit: 2-Parameter Gamma Check Check        
Distributions fit: 2-Parameter Logistic Check Check        
Distributions fit: 2-Parameter LogLogistic Check Check        
Distributions fit: 2-Parameter LogNormal Check Check        
Distributions fit: 3-Parameter Gamma Check Check        
Distributions fit: 3-Parameter LogNormal Check Check        
Distributions fit: 3-Parameter Weibull Check Check        
Overlaid charts Check          
Spec limits Check Check        
Spec limits linked to cell Check          
Updatable Check Check        

Scatter Plot

  Quantum XL Minitab Quality Companion Crystal Ball SPC XL DOE Pro
Overlaid charts Check Check        
Selectable X and Y columns Check Check        
Linear regression line Check Check     Check  
Logarithmic regression line Check Check     Check  
Polynomial regression line Check Check     Check  
Power regression line Check Check     Check  
Exponential regression line Check Check     Check  
Extrapolate Model Check Check     Check  
Regression analysis Check Check        
On-sheet prediction Check          
Updatable Check Check        

Pareto

  Quantum XL Minitab Quality Companion Crystal Ball SPC XL DOE Pro
2D columns Check Check     Check  
2D columns with cum. line Check Check     Check  
3D columns Check Check     Check  
Pareto report Check Check     Check  
Maximum number of bars Check Check     Check  
‘Others’ group Check Check     Check  
‘Custom ‘Others’ group caption Check Check     Check  
Sort bars Check Check     Check  
Sort datasets Check Check        
Multiple pareto charts Check  Check        
Grid of pareto charts Check Check        
Updatable Check Check        

Dot Plot

  Quantum XL Minitab Quality Companion Crystal Ball SPC XL DOE Pro
Multiple datasets Check Check     Check  
Two dimensional plot Check Check        
Summary stats   Check     Check  
Updatable Check Check        

Box Plots

  Quantum XL Minitab Quality Companion Crystal Ball SPC XL DOE Pro
Minimum Check Check     Check  
Maximum Check Check     Check  
Mean Check       Check  
Outliers Check Check        
Suspected Outliers Check Check        
Gap between bars Check Check        
Box height: Interquartile range Check Check     Check  
Box height: Custom Check Check        
Custom Whiskers type Check Check        
Updatable Check Check        

Distribution Fit

  Quantum XL Minitab Quality Companion Crystal Ball SPC XL DOE Pro
Normal Check Check        
Exponential Check Check        
2-Parameter Weibull Check Check        
2-Parameter Exponential Check Check        
2-Parameter Gamma Check Check        
2-Parameter Logistic Check Check        
2-Parameter LogLogistic Check Check        
2-Parameter LogNormal Check Check        
3-Parameter Gamma Check Check        
3-Parameter LogNormal Check Check        
Updatable Check Check        

Multi-Vari Charts

  Quantum XL Minitab Quality Companion Crystal Ball SPC XL DOE Pro
Mean Check Check        
Median Check Check        
Minimum Check Check        
Maximum Check Check        
Show range line Check Check        
Connect means Check Check        
Group mean Check Check        
Grand mean Check Check        
Standard deviation Check Check        
Updatable Check Check        

Hypothesis tests

  Quantum XL Minitab Quality Companion Crystal Ball SPC XL DOE Pro
Advisor Wizard Check Check        
Auto Test Check          
One sample t-Test Check Check     Check  
Two samples t-test Check Check     Check  
Paired t-test Check Check     Check  
One-way ANOVA Check Check     Check  
Two-way ANOVA (Crossed) Check Check        
Two-way ANOVA (Nested) Check Check        
F-test Check Check     Check  
Levene’s test Check Check        
Bartlett’s test Check Check        
1-Sample Sign Check Check        
1-Sample Wilcoxon Check Check        
Friedman Check Check        
Mood’s Median Check Check        
Kruskal-Wallis Check Check        
Mann-Whitney Check Check        
One proportion test Check Check        
Two proportions test Check Check     Check  
Contingency Table Check Check     Check  
Multiple response regression   Check     Check  
Correlation matrix Check Check     Check  
Power test for one sample t-Test Check Check        
Power test for one sample t-test Check Check        
Power test for two samples t-test Check Check        
Power test for paired t-test Check Check        
Power test for one-way ANOVA Check Check        
Power test for variance Check Check        
Power test for one proportion test Check Check        
Power test for two proportions test Check Check        
Confidence Intervals Check Check     Check  
Custom alpha level Check Check        
Custom confidence level Check Check        
Show box plot Check Check        
Show dot plot Check Check        
Updatable Check Check        

Measurement System Analysis

  Quantum XL Minitab Quality Companion Crystal Ball SPC XL DOE Pro
ANOVA Check Check     Check  
XbarR Check Check     Check  
Nested ANOVA Check Check     Check  
Attribute: Crosstabulation Check Check     Check  
Attribute: Analytic method Check Check        
Gage Performance Curve Check Check        
Gage Linearity Check Check        
Bias Check Check     Check  
Stats Advisor Check          
Updatable Check Check        

Decision Trees

  Quantum XL Minitab Quality Companion Crystal Ball SPC XL DOE Pro
  Check          

DSM

  Quantum XL Minitab Quality Companion Crystal Ball SPC XL DOE Pro
Create matrix Check          
Edit matrix Check          
DSM Navigator Check          
Sequence Check          
ALAP and AEAP Check          

Component swapping

  Quantum XL Minitab Quality Companion Crystal Ball SPC XL DOE Pro
  Check          

Stack Columns

  Quantum XL Minitab Quality Companion Crystal Ball SPC XL DOE Pro
  Check Check     Check  

Unstack columns

  Quantum XL Minitab Quality Companion Crystal Ball SPC XL DOE Pro
  Check Check     Check  

Random Numbers

  Quantum XL Minitab Quality Companion Crystal Ball SPC XL DOE Pro
Normal Check Check     Check  
Exponential Check       Check  
Uniform Check Check     Check  
Triangular Check Check        
Log-Normal Check Check        
Weibull Check Check     Check  
Gamma Check Check        
Logistic Check Check        
Log-Logistic Check Check        
Uniform Discrete Check Check     Check  
Poisson Check Check        
Binomial Check Check        
Binary Check Check        
Table format Check Check        
Group By format Check Check        
Generator per column Check Check        
Chi-Square Check          
F Check          
t Check          
Geometric Check          
Hypergeometric Check          
Integer Check          
Beta Check          
Cauchy Check          
Laplace Check          
Largest Extreme Value Check          
Smallest Extreme Value Check          

Other features

  Quantum XL Minitab Quality Companion Crystal Ball SPC XL DOE Pro
Excel data source Check  Check     Check  
‘Group by’ data source Check Check        
SQL data source Check  Check        
SmartSelect Check       Check  
CNX Template and diagram         Check  
Discrete distribution calculator Binomial Check     Check  
Continuous distribution calculator Normal, Weibull Check     Check  
Main Effects Plot   Check     Check  
Run Chart   Check     Check  
Cumulative Sum Chart (CUSUM)   Check     Check  
Product Capability Report         Check  
Xbar +/- 3s Chart         Check  

Reliability Tools

  Quantum XL Minitab Quality Companion Crystal Ball SPC XL DOE Pro
Uncensored Parametric Analysis Check Check        
Exact, Left, Right, Interval Cencored Analysis Check Check        
Maximum Likelihood Estimation Check Check        
Goodness of Fit Measures Check Check        
Reliability Plots: hazard, survival, pdf Check Check        
MTBF and Percentile Analysis Check Check        

Companion Tools (FMEA, QFD, and Pugh Concept Selection)

QFD

  Quantum XL Minitab Quality Companion Crystal Ball SPC XL DOE Pro
QFD Wizard Check   Check      
Create PCM matrix Check          
Edit PCM matrix Check          
Sort PCM Check          
Pareto PCM Check          
Create House of Quality Check   Check      
Edit HOQ Check   Check      
Sort HOQ Check   Check      
Sort HOQ Check   Check      
Pareto HOQ Check   Check      

Pugh matrix

  Quantum XL Minitab Quality Companion Crystal Ball SPC XL DOE Pro
Create Check   Check      
Edit Check   Check      
Sort Check   Check      
Create chart Check   Check      

FMEA

  Quantum XL Minitab Quality Companion Crystal Ball SPC XL DOE Pro
Create matrix Check   Check   Check  
Current process controls Check   Check   Check  
Recommended actions Check   Check      
Action results Check   Check   Check  
Add/Remove group Check   Check      
Add/Remove failure mode Check   Check      
Add/Remove failure cause Check   Check      
Top 20 pareto Check   Check      
Custom pareto Check   Check        
Show/Hide columns Check   Check      

Monte Carlo Simulation

Model Building

  Quantum XL Minitab Quality Companion Crystal Ball SPC XL DOE Pro
IPO Sheets Check          
Import from DOE Pro Check          
Any cell can be input/output Check     Check    
Merge and Visual Merge Check          

Speed

  Quantum XL Minitab Quality Companion Crystal Ball SPC XL DOE Pro
Monte Carlo Simulations 1 Rocket Mode     Extreme Speed    
Benchmark 2

1.09 Seconds

(Quantum XL is up to 9X faster than Crystal Ball)

     9.73 Seconds    

1Both Quantum XL and Crystal Ball use external calculation engines to speed up simulations in Excel. Quantum XL’s is called “Rocket Mode” while Crystal Ball’s is called “Extreme Speed”.

2Test platform: Vista, Excel 2007 SP2, 1GB RAM, CPU Intel 3.00GHz

Tested Model: Crystal Ball Examples Guide > ‘Cell Phone’

Number of simulations run: 1,000,000

Monte Carlo Statistics

  Quantum XL Minitab Quality Companion Crystal Ball SPC XL DOE Pro
Normal Distribution Stats Check     Check    
Count out of spec Check     Check    
Percentile Stats Check     Check    
Export EVA Raw Data Check     Check    

Monte Carlo Features

  Quantum XL Minitab Quality Companion Crystal Ball SPC XL DOE Pro
N=10K to 1 Million Simulations Check     Check    
Tolerance Allocation Table Check          
Sensitivity Analysis Check     Check    
Latitude Plot Check          
Option for Embedded Histograms Check     Check    
Percent Contribution Check     Check    
Descriptive Sampling Support Check     Check    
Native Mode Monte Carlo Check     Check    
Input/Output Manager Check     Check    

Optimization

  Quantum XL Minitab Quality Companion Crystal Ball SPC XL DOE Pro
Optimize single output Check     Additional $1,000    
Reduce dpm across multiple outputs Check     Additional $1,000    
Optimize on Cp, Cpk, Median, dpm, etc. Check     Additional $1,000    
Optimize with constraints Check     Additional $1,000    
Advanced Optimization Technology Check     Additional $1,000    

Supported Distributions

  Quantum XL Minitab Quality Companion Crystal Ball SPC XL DOE Pro
Normal Check     Check    
Exponential Check     Check    
Uniform Continuous Check     Check    
Triangular Check     Check    
Log-Normal Check     Check    
Logistic Check     Check    
Log-Logistic Check     Check    
Weibull (3 Parameter) Check     Check    
Uniform Discrete Check     Check    
Poisson Check     Check    
Binary Check     Check    
Binomial Check     Check    
Empirical Distribution Check     Check    
Custom Continuous Distribution Check     Check    
Custom Discrete Distribution Check     Check    

Sampling Matrices

  Quantum XL Minitab Quality Companion Crystal Ball SPC XL DOE Pro
Latin Hypercube Sampling (LHS) Check          
Descriptive Sampling Check          

Note:

* Minitab version v19 used for comparison

* Quality Companion v3 used for comparison

* Quantum XL 2016 used for comparison