---
title: "Eclipse vs. Case CATalyst: Price, Platform, and Fit in 2026"
description: "Eclipse and Case CATalyst compared for 2026, from primary sources: license prices, operating-system requirements, interchange, support, and workflow fit."
url: "https://depostack.com/blog/eclipse-vs-case-catalyst/"
published: "2026-06-20"
updated: "2026-10-11"
author: "Andrew Mayes"
topic: "CAT software"
---

# Eclipse vs. Case CATalyst: Price, Platform, and Fit in 2026

Eclipse and Case CATalyst compared for 2026, from primary sources: license prices, operating-system requirements, interchange, support, and workflow fit.

Published June 20, 2026 · Updated October 11, 2026 · By Andrew Mayes · Topic: CAT software

Canonical URL: https://depostack.com/blog/eclipse-vs-case-catalyst/

## Key takeaways

- Compare multi-year cost rather than only the first license price.
- Test writer, dictionary, formatting, realtime, and collaborator workflows with your own files.
- Both core applications remain Windows-centered, with different support and ecosystem tradeoffs.
- Preserve native backups and verify RTF/CRE interchange before moving deadline work.

Eclipse, from Advantage Software, and Case CATalyst, from Stenograph, are established professional
CAT applications for realtime translation, editing, dictionary management, and transcript production.
The right choice depends less on broad reputation and more on your writer, computer, dictionary,
collaborators, support needs, and total cost over several years. If you are new to the category,
start with [what CAT software does](https://depostack.com/blog/what-is-cat-software/).

## At a glance

Each row summarizes what the vendor's own pages said on October 9, 2026. The sections below give the
detail and the sources.

*Eclipse Steno vs. Case CATalyst Pro at a glance*

| Detail | Eclipse Steno | Case CATalyst Pro |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Vendor | Advantage Software | Stenograph |
| Listed license price | $4,499 | $4,299 |
| Included with a new license | One year of updates and support | One year of technical support and updates |
| Published support renewal | $799 a year, or $72.95 a month on a 12-month plan | Not stated on the product page |
| Windows | Windows 10 Professional or above recommended | Windows 11 required |
| Mac | Windows 10 on a Mac through Boot Camp (Parallels possible but not recommended); Apple M1 Macs not compatible | Not compatible with Mac computers |
| RTF/CRE interchange | Not described on the public product page | Import and export documented for jobs, notes, and dictionaries |
| Support hours | 24 hours a day, 365 days a year | Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Central Time |
| Ecosystem | Customization, team editing, and Bridge viewing | Sells its own writer family alongside the software |

## Current license prices

Both vendors publish professional license prices on their official stores. On October 9, 2026,
[Eclipse Steno](https://www.eclipsecat.com/Eclipse) was listed at **$4,499**, and
[Case CATalyst Pro](https://www.stenograph.com/catalyst-pro-39441) was listed at **$4,299**, before
taxes or optional products and services. Each listing includes one year of updates and technical
support with a new professional license.[1][2]

The first-year price is not the whole cost. Advantage publishes its
[Anytime Support](https://www.eclipsecat.com/content/software-support-prices) renewal for
Eclipse Steno at **$799 for one year** or **$72.95 per month under a 12-month plan**, its 2026 rates,
effective January 1, 2026.[3] Stenograph's
[downloads policy](https://www.stenograph.com/downloads) says integer-version updates are available
to licensed users with an active warranty or support agreement,[4]
but its public CATalyst Pro product page does not state a later renewal price.[2] Ask each vendor for a
written multi-year total that covers the license, updates, support, required add-ons, and any computer
or writer changes.

> **Figure.** Cost by year at the listed prices. Each license includes a first year of support; Eclipse publishes its renewal, CATalyst Pro’s page does not. Drawing: Two cost bars drawn to scale: Eclipse Steno’s $4,499 license followed by $799 support renewals, and Case CATalyst Pro’s $4,299 license followed by renewals its product page does not price.

## Operating system and hardware

Both core applications run on Windows. Advantage's official Eclipse page recommends Windows 10
Professional or above. It says Eclipse runs on a Mac with Windows 10, through Boot Camp or Parallels,
recommends Boot Camp, and does not recommend running Eclipse with Parallels. It also
says Apple M1 Macs are not compatible.[1] Stenograph's
[CATalyst system requirements](https://solutioncenter.stenograph.com/catalyst/systemrequirements),
updated April 15, 2026, require Windows 11 and state that CATalyst is not compatible with Mac computers.[5]

Do not treat a browser-based realtime viewer as proof that the CAT application itself runs on that
device. Verify the reporter workstation, writer drivers, ports, audio setup, and any remote-viewing
workflow separately.

## Dictionary and transcript interchange

Interchange is possible, but it deserves a real migration test. Stenograph documents both
[RTF/CRE import](https://solutioncenter.stenograph.com/en_US/import/importrtf) and
[RTF/CRE export](https://solutioncenter.stenograph.com/en_US/export/exportrtf) for jobs, notes, and
dictionaries. Advantage's official [Eclipse Basics](https://www.eclipsecat.com/Eclipse-Basics-Free)
materials cover dictionary work and job production to RTF, TXT, and PDF.[6] Its public Eclipse product
page does not describe RTF/CRE or dictionary conversion from another system,[1] so ask Advantage how it
handles your files.

RTF/CRE can carry substantial content between CAT systems, but formatting and system-specific behavior
may not transfer perfectly.[7][8] Export representative dictionaries and completed jobs, then compare
translation, conflicts, page layout, indexes, exhibits, ASCII, PDF, and realtime output before moving
deadline work.

## Workflow and ecosystem

Stenograph sells both Case CATalyst and its current writer family, which can simplify a single-vendor
hardware and software setup.[2] Advantage emphasizes Eclipse customization, realtime features, team
editing, and web-based Bridge viewing.[1] Those are different ecosystems, not a universal ranking.

Test the workflow that actually earns your income. Include the writer connection, scopist or
proofreader handoff, audio, realtime viewers, signatures, backups, and every client deliverable.
An agency's ability to accept a PDF or ASCII is not the same as a collaborator being able to edit your
native job files.

## Support models

The published support schedules differ. Advantage describes Anytime Support as available 24 hours a
day, 365 days a year.[3] Stenograph's
[Case CATalyst warranty support](https://www.stenograph.com/software-warranties) lists business-hour
coverage Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Central Time.[9] Confirm the support tier included with
your purchase, renewal terms, remote assistance, and after-hours coverage before relying on either
model for deadline work.

> **Figure.** Published support coverage across one week: Advantage around the clock, Stenograph on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Central Time. Drawing: Two week strips: Advantage’s Anytime Support covering every hour of every day, and Stenograph’s business-hour support covering 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Central on weekdays.

## A practical decision checklist

1. Run both tools with your writer and a copy of your working dictionary.
2. Reproduce a completed transcript and every required delivery format.
3. Test realtime locally and with the exact viewers your clients use.
4. Include support, updates, add-ons, and hardware in a three-year cost comparison.
5. Keep verified native and interchange backups before changing production systems.

## Official sources

Reviewed October 11, 2026.

1. [Eclipse Steno](https://www.eclipsecat.com/Eclipse) (eclipsecat.com)
2. [Case CATalyst Pro](https://www.stenograph.com/catalyst-pro-39441) (stenograph.com)
3. [Advantage Software Anytime Support pricing](https://www.eclipsecat.com/content/software-support-prices) (eclipsecat.com; 2026 rates, effective January 1, 2026)
4. [Stenograph downloads policy](https://www.stenograph.com/downloads) (stenograph.com)
5. [Stenograph system requirements](https://solutioncenter.stenograph.com/catalyst/systemrequirements) (solutioncenter.stenograph.com; updated April 15, 2026)
6. [Advantage Software Eclipse Basics](https://www.eclipsecat.com/Eclipse-Basics-Free) (eclipsecat.com)
7. [Stenograph RTF/CRE import](https://solutioncenter.stenograph.com/en_US/import/importrtf) (solutioncenter.stenograph.com)
8. [Stenograph RTF/CRE export](https://solutioncenter.stenograph.com/en_US/export/exportrtf) (solutioncenter.stenograph.com)
9. [Stenograph warranty support](https://www.stenograph.com/software-warranties) (stenograph.com; business-hour support, Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Central)

Prices and policies can change, so verify them before purchase.

## Related Field Notes

- [Why CAT Software Changes Slowly: Continuity, Cost, and Tradeoffs](https://depostack.com/blog/why-court-reporting-software-hasnt-changed/)
- [Switching CAT Software: A Reporter's Migration Checklist](https://depostack.com/blog/switching-cat-software/)