Replace SSRS Without Rebuilding Your Reports
Bold Reports is a reporting platform for teams that already use SSRS: it opens existing RDL and RDLC reports natively. Design in the browser, embed reports into your applications, and deploy on cloud or on-premises infrastructure.
Import and reuse your SSRS RDL files.
Rebrand reports to match your brand look.
Deploy on cloud or on-premises.
No credit card required.
Why Do Teams Look for an SSRS Alternative?
Teams look for an SSRS alternative because Microsoft will release no new SSRS versions after SSRS 2022, which it supports until January 11, 2033, and because SSRS 2022 installs as a Windows service on Windows Server 2016 or later.
SQL Server 2025 transition impact
SSRS excluded from SQL Server 2025; teams may shift to PBIRS or RDL-compatible alternatives.
Unpredictable cost models
Migrating toward PBIRS or premium licensing can add infrastructure overhead and licensing complexity.
Embedding friction
SSRS has limited embedding support for React, Blazor, and SaaS apps, making integration complex.
Vendor and infrastructure lock-in
Rigid deployment requirements and reliance on specific technologies reduce flexibility and application control.
Desktop-first workflows
Dependence on Windows-based report designers slows iteration and increases reliance on IT teams.
Multitenancy is limited
Managing reports across multiple customers requires additional setup and planning effort.
What Should an SSRS Alternative Support?
An SSRS alternative should keep report layouts, expressions, parameters, data connections and reporting workflows intact. Bold Reports opens existing RDL and RDLC reports natively, so most reports need little to no rework.
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Native support for existing RDL and RDLC reports.
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Paginated, print-ready output for invoices and statements.
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Embedding in your own applications through SDKs and APIs.
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Built-in multi-tenant reporting for SaaS products.
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Deployment on cloud, on-premises, Linux or containers.
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Report editing by business users in a web designer.
Why Bold Reports is the Right Alternative
Bold Reports provides teams with RDL compatibility, embedding flexibility, and deployment control, enabling organizations to replace SSRS and modernize reporting without rebuilding from scratch.
Preserve your existing report
Bold Reports opens existing SSRS RDL/RDLC reports natively, so most reports need little to no redevelopment.
- Migrate SSRS RDL reports without redesigning.
- Parameters and expressions continue working.
- Keep pixel-perfect, print-ready report layouts.
Embed Reports Inside Your Application
Embed reports into your applications using SDKs, REST APIs, and framework support.
- Embed reports directly in SaaS, ISV, and internal applications.
- Multi-tenant platforms serving multiple clients or departments.
- Support .NET, ASP.NET Core, Angular, React, Blazor, and modern web stacks.
Deploy where your stack runs
Deploy reporting in environments that align with your infrastructure and scale requirements.
- Deploy in cloud or on-premises environments.
- Manage users, roles, and permissions centrally.
- Support multi-tenant use cases for SaaS and internal platforms
Deliver branded reporting experiences
Keep every report aligned with your brand identity without complex customization.
- Apply tenant‑specific branding across reports and applications.
- Match logos, colors, fonts, and domains for a consistent brand experience.
- Rebrand login screens, headers, and email templates effortlessly.
Pixel-Perfect Reporting
Preserve the exact layout and structure of your reports without rebuilding them from scratch.
- Preserve SSRS report layouts with high visual accuracy.
- Ensure consistency for invoices, statements, and compliance documents.
- Export to PDF, Excel, Word, CSV, and more without formatting loss.
Design Reports in the Browser
Remove dependency on desktop tools and simplify report creation in a browser.
- Make quick changes without switching tools or environments.
- Enable teams to collaborate on reports from anywhere.
- Access reports securely from any modern browser.
Built for SaaS and Multi-Tenant Products
Deliver reporting experiences for every customer from a single platform. Support tenant isolation, and scalable reporting without custom work.
- Manage multiple customers from a single reporting platform.
- Keep each tenant’s data secure with role-based access control.
- Scale reporting as your customer base and usage grow.
Bold Reports vs. SSRS: Side-by-Side Comparison
Check how Bold Reports compares with SSRS across key reporting features and modernization needs.
| Capability | SSRS 2022 | Bold Reports |
|---|---|---|
| Paginated reporting | Yes | Yes |
| RDL / RDLC support | Yes | Yes |
| Web-based report designer | Limited | Yes |
| Embedded reporting for React, Angular, and ASP.NET Core apps | Not compared; see Microsoft's SSRS documentation | SDKs, APIs, viewer/designer components |
| White-label reporting | Limited | Yes |
| Multi-tenant reporting | Not compared; see Microsoft's SSRS documentation | Native multitenant support |
| Deployment flexibility | Windows Server 2016 or later, or Windows 10/11 (SQL Server 2022 requirements) | Cloud, on-premises, Windows Server, Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Microsoft Azure, AWS |
| Security | Role-based security | Role, User & Group-based security |
Last updated October 2026. Based on publicly available information, which may change. Sources: Microsoft Reporting Services consolidation FAQ and SQL Server 2022 documentation.
Get started in minutes.
How to Get Started in 3 Simple Steps
Follow these steps to transition your SSRS reports to a more flexible and web‑ready reporting platform.
Upload your SSRS RDL files
Upload your existing SSRS (.rdl) reports into Bold Reports to reuse your current layouts, parameters, and datasets.
Configure data connections
Reconnect your databases or APIs and verify that report data and logic are working as expected.
Publish and distribute reports
Publish reports securely and share them across teams or embed them into business applications.
Keep your RDL reports working
Modernize SSRS Without Rebuilding Reports
Reuse existing RDL and RDLC reports while moving to an SSRS alternative built for modern applications. Deliver modern, web-based reporting experiences with greater flexibility, easier deployment, and enterprise scalability.
- Native RDL & RDLC Compatibility
- Little to No Rework for Most Reports
- Free Migration & Onboarding
Built for More
More Reasons to Choose Bold Reports
Bold Reports adds modern capabilities to SSRS reporting, helping teams modernize how reports are designed, managed, and delivered, without disrupting existing RDL investments.
RDL file compatibility
Reuse SSRS RDL files while preserving parameters, datasets, and expressions.
Web Report Designer
The Bold Reports Web Report Designer lets teams design and edit RDL reports directly in the browser, with no desktop install.
Flexible data integration
Connect to SQL databases, files and APIs through 25+ data connectors without changing existing systems.
Self-service reporting
Enable teams to update and enhance reports using an intuitive visual designer.
Enterprise-grade security
Protect reports with role-based access, encryption, and compliance controls.
Multi-format exporting
Bold Reports exports to 7 core formats: PDF, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, CSV, XML and HTML, with consistent layout and formatting.
Multitenant management
Manage multiple teams with data isolation and centralized access control.
Cost-effective at scale
Support expanding reporting needs with predictable enterprise-ready licensing.
Free for 30 days.
Cloud or On-Premises: Your Infrastructure, Your Rules
Run Bold Reports wherever your data and compliance requirements need it to live. All three deployment options share the same reporting engine and RDL compatibility; feature availability can differ by edition, so check the pricing page for each edition's inclusions. Only the hosting model changes.
Matrix Reports with Grouping and Drill-Down
Matrix (Tablix) reports work the same way as SSRS.
- Row groups and column groups
- Expand / collapse (drill-down)
- Same matrix layout and behavior
Cascading Parameters (Dependent Parameters)
Parameters behave exactly like SSRS cascading filters.
- Linked dropdown parameters
- Values loaded from data sources
- Selection changes based on input
Row Grouping with Totals and Summaries
Grouped reports and totals work without changes.
- Grouped rows
- Group-level totals
- Summary calculations
Sub-Reports with Parameter Passing
Sub-reports work the same with parent-child linking.
- Parent report → child report
- Parameters passed between reports
- Nested report structure
Expressions and Conditional Formatting
SSRS expressions and formatting rules continue working.
- Expression-based visibility
- Conditional formatting (colors, styles)
- Calculated fields
Aggregates and Calculations Inside Reports
All calculations inside reports continue working.
- Sum, Avg, Count, etc.
- Group totals
- Report-level calculations
No relearning is needed.
Reporting that Fits Every Team
Make reporting quick and dependable on cloud or on-premises deployments with a workflow built for ease.
For Developers
Integrate and manage reporting within applications.
- Embed reports using APIs and SDKs
- Work with existing RDL files
- Reduce dependency on desktop tools
For SaaS Products
Deliver reporting as part of your product experience.
- Embed reports into web applications
- Apply branding for customer-facing reports
- Support multi-tenant reporting
For Enterprise
Manage reporting across teams and environments.
- Deploy on cloud or on-premises
- Control access with roles and permissions
- Maintain consistent report delivery
See It Fit Your Team
Reports Powering Enterprise Growth
From tracking KPIs to improving daily operations, Bold Reports turns complex data into clear, useful insights for every team.
Sales
Measure lead pipelines, regional sales, and team performance with interactive visualizations.
Education
Track enrollment, completion rates, and student performance to improve outcomes.
Manufacturing
Spot production gaps, downtime issues, and supply‑chain trends quickly.
Retail
Understand sales patterns, customer behavior, and inventory movement.
Here's why our customers love us
See how Bold Reports is used in businesses, as shared by customers in published reviews.
Bold Reports is a user-friendly and powerful reporting tool. The desktop designer and writer for .NET Core make report creation easy, and connecting to databases is seamless. It’s a great solution for generating offers, invoices, and reports in our CRM app.
Muhammed Y
Co-Founder & Full-Stack Developer
We switched from SSRS with little effort. It works great in our WPF and Blazor applications, supports our old reports, and lets developers create new ones easily. The pricing is fair for ISVs, and the support team is fast and helpful. Onboarding was smooth and responsive.
Aaron S
CEO
Bold Reports was easy to integrate and works smoothly. It creates clean, professional-looking reports, and the documentation is clear with plenty of helpful examples. I had no issues during setup and it was a great experience overall.
Domenico D
Funzionario
Bold Reports is easy to use, enabling both teams and business users to modify reports confidently. Setup is quick and smooth. It integrates well with SQL Server, Microsoft Fabric, and other tools, reduces infrastructure complexity, and works reliably for recurring reports.
Brad M
Chief Information Officer
Bold Reports is a user-friendly and powerful reporting tool. The desktop designer and writer for .NET Core make report creation easy, and connecting to databases is seamless. It’s a great solution for generating offers, invoices, and reports in our CRM app.
Muhammed Y
Co-Founder & Full-Stack Developer
We switched from SSRS with little effort. It works great in our WPF and Blazor applications, supports our old reports, and lets developers create new ones easily. The pricing is fair for ISVs, and the support team is fast and helpful. Onboarding was smooth and responsive.
Aaron S
CEO
Bold Reports was easy to integrate and works smoothly. It creates clean, professional-looking reports, and the documentation is clear with plenty of helpful examples. I had no issues during setup and it was a great experience overall.
Domenico D
Funzionario
Bold Reports is easy to use, enabling both teams and business users to modify reports confidently. Setup is quick and smooth. It integrates well with SQL Server, Microsoft Fabric, and other tools, reduces infrastructure complexity, and works reliably for recurring reports.
Brad M
Chief Information Officer
Recognition
Enterprise-Ready Compliance
Bold Reports holds a SOC 2 Type 2 report from an annual independent audit; see the security page for the scope of its other compliance statements. All activity logs are safely stored, can’t be changed, and are easy to export when needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Bold Reports is a strong SSRS alternative for teams that need paginated reporting, RDL/RDLC compatibility, embedded reporting, flexible deployment, web-based design, multitenancy, and enterprise security.
Yes. Bold Reports offers a free trial with no credit card required.
Free SSRS migrations are available to all paid Bold Reports customers across all plans.
Automation approaches such as scripting can be used to move reports, data sources, and datasets, depending on the environment and setup.
Migration is often handled as an initial setup process, followed by validation and gradual rollout across additional reports.
Migration typically involves importing reports, reconnecting data sources, validating outputs, and publishing reports. Teams often start with a subset of reports before expanding.
Bold Reports provides onboarding with guided assistance and self-service options for SQL Server Reporting Services users; onboarding training is 4, 8 or 12+ hours depending on the support tier.
Microsoft's SSRS 2022 installation guide covers Windows: SSRS installs as a Windows service, and SQL Server 2022 requires Windows 10 1607 or later or Windows Server 2016 or later. Bold Reports runs RDL reports on Linux, Docker and Kubernetes as well as Windows Server, Microsoft Azure and AWS, in cloud or on-premises deployments.
With Bold Reports, publish your existing RDL reports to the Bold Reports Report Server and embed them in your application with the Web Report Viewer and Web Report Designer components, SDKs and REST APIs. The components support .NET, ASP.NET Core, Angular, React and Blazor. For multi-tenant SaaS products, Bold Reports applies tenant-specific branding and role-based access control per tenant.
For SSRS users in 2026, Microsoft names Power BI Report Server as the on-premises reporting solution from SQL Server 2025 onward, and SSRS 2022 remains supported until January 11, 2033. Third-party platforms that open RDL files, such as Bold Reports, are another option: Bold Reports runs existing RDL and RDLC reports in cloud, on-premises, Linux and Docker deployments and embeds them in web applications. Compare editions, deployment and licensing before choosing.
Yes. Bold Reports supports SSRS RDL files, helping teams reuse existing reports and reduce redevelopment effort.
Most standard SSRS reports need little to no rework because Bold Reports provides native RDL/RDLC compatibility and keeps the RDL file intact. Known limitations exist, so teams validate a sample of reports before moving the full library; free SSRS migration support is available to paid Bold Reports customers.
Yes. Bold Reports provides embeddable report viewer and designer components, SDKs, and APIs for modern web applications.
Bold Reports supports many commonly used reporting capabilities such as tables, matrices, charts, parameters, drill-down, sub-reports, expressions, and aggregations.
Bold Reports is designed to maintain report layouts with high accuracy. Teams typically validate outputs to ensure consistency.
Yes, parameter-based filtering, including dependent (cascading) parameters, is supported.
Yes. Bold Reports supports Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, cloud, and on-premises deployment options.
An RDL file is a report definition written in Report Definition Language, the XML format SQL Server Reporting Services uses to store a report's data retrieval and layout information. Files with the .rdlc extension are client report definitions in the same format. Bold Reports opens both .rdl and .rdlc files natively in its Web Report Designer and Web Report Viewer.
Yes. Bold Reports opens existing SSRS .rdl and .rdlc report files natively and runs them without SQL Server Reporting Services installed. Upload the RDL file, reconnect its data sources and publish it; parameters, expressions and datasets carry over, and most reports need little to no rework.
Bold Reports natively supports both RDL and RDLC files in its Web Report Designer, Web Report Viewer and Report Writer. Microsoft's Power BI Report Server also runs RDL reports; Microsoft states that existing RDL reports are fully compatible with it. Bold Reports has known RDL limitations, so validate a sample of reports before migrating a full library.
Ready to upgrade your SSRS reporting?
Keep your existing reports, embed them into applications, and manage them without rebuilding.
No credit card required.