Future-Ready Crystal Reports Viewer Alternative

Replace Crystal Reports Viewing with a Modern Web Viewer

Move from legacy Crystal Reports viewing workflows to browser-based report viewing with Bold Reports - no viewer runtime to deploy, no browser plugin, no per-viewer-seat license.

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No credit card required.

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Zero Plugins

Access reports directly through the browser

All-In-One Server License

No separate report viewer licensing required

Deploy Your Way

Choose cloud, on-premises, or dedicated cloud hosting

5+ Embedded Frameworks

Integrate reports into JavaScript, .NET, and more

Trusted by leading companies

J&J

Schneider

Bridgestone

Siemens

Verizon

Fidelity

Intel

Replace Legacy Crystal Reports Viewing Workflows

Modern report viewing - built for the browser

Same reports, same output - but delivered as a browser link instead of a desktop install. See the difference below.

Where You Are Today

Legacy Crystal Reports viewer workflow

Install Crystal runtime on each user's machine
Deploy the standalone .rpt viewer app to open reports
Manage runtime versions across the estate (32-bit runtime discontinued after Dec 2025)
Desktop-bound, no native browser access without additional web tooling

* Runtime deployment + per-seat licenses required

Where You Can Be Tomorrow

Bold Reports browser-based viewing

Deploy Bold Reports on your server
Users access reports through a simple browser link
Drill down, filter, export, and interact directly in the browser
No end-user install [VERIFY licensing wording before "included in server license"]

* Viewer included in server license · No end-user install

SAP and SAP Crystal Reports are trademarks or registered trademarks of SAP SE or its affiliates. Bold Reports is an independent product and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by SAP SE.

Online / Web Crystal Reports Viewer

View reports in any browser - nothing to install

Share a report link. Open it in Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge. Bold Reports renders paginated, pixel-perfect reports in the browser on desktop and mobile - with no software for your users to install.

Browser-based report viewing

Reports open directly in the browser with no viewer runtime or desktop software required.

Interactive viewing capabilities

Users can drill down into data, apply parameters, refresh reports, and export results directly from the viewer.

White-label viewer interface

Customise the toolbar, menus, and visual style to match your application. Users experience your brand throughout.

Export to PDF, Excel, Word, CSV

Users export reports directly from the viewer in multiple formats on demand, without additional server infrastructure.

Embedded Tools Setup · Developer & .NET

Embed report viewing in your App

Bold Reports runs inside your product instead of a separate reporting server. Embedded tools render reports using your authentication, branding, and navigation, so users never leave your app.

One setup for React, Angular, Vue, Blazor, and ASP.NET
Includes embedded report viewer and designer
Pass your JWT or OAuth token with no separate viewer login
Control viewer options with white-labeling

View JavaScript Integration

<div id="viewer"></div>

<script>
$(function () {
  $("#viewer").boldReportViewer({
    reportServiceUrl: "https://your-domain.com/reporting/reportservice/api/Viewer",
    reportServerUrl: "https://your-domain.com/reporting/api/site/site1",
    serviceAuthorizationToken: "Bearer YOUR_SERVER_TOKEN",
    reportPath: "/Sample Reports/Company Sales"
  });
});
</script>

<bold-reportviewer
  [reportServiceUrl]="reportServiceUrl"
  [reportServerUrl]="reportServerUrl"
  [serviceAuthorizationToken]="serviceAuthorizationToken"
  [reportPath]="reportPath">
</bold-reportviewer>

// component.ts
reportServiceUrl = 'https://your-domain.com/reporting/reportservice/api/Viewer';
reportServerUrl = 'https://your-domain.com/reporting/api/site/site1';
serviceAuthorizationToken = 'Bearer YOUR_SERVER_TOKEN';
reportPath = '/Sample Reports/Company Sales';

import { BoldReportViewerComponent } from '@boldreports/react-reporting-components';

function App() {
  return (
    <div style={{ width: "100%", height: "900px" }}>
      <BoldReportViewerComponent
        reportServiceUrl="https://your-domain.com/reporting/reportservice/api/Viewer"
        reportServerUrl="https://your-domain.com/reporting/api/site/site1"
        serviceAuthorizationToken="Bearer YOUR_SERVER_TOKEN"
        reportPath="/Sample Reports/Company Sales">
      </BoldReportViewerComponent>
    </div>
  );
}

<bold-report-viewer
  report-service-url="https://your-domain.com/reporting/reportservice/api/Viewer"
  report-server-url="https://your-domain.com/reporting/api/site/site1"
  report-path="/Sample Reports/Company Sales"
  service-authorization-token="Bearer YOUR_SERVER_TOKEN">
</bold-report-viewer>

// _ViewImports.cshtml
@addTagHelper *, BoldReports.AspNet.Core

@(Html.Bold().ReportViewer("viewer")
  .ServiceAuthorizationToken("Bearer YOUR_SERVER_TOKEN")
  .ReportServiceUrl("https://your-domain.com/reporting/reportservice/api/Viewer")
  .ReportServerUrl("https://your-domain.com/reporting/api/site/site1")
  .ReportPath("/Sample Reports/Company Sales")
)

<div style="height:600px;width:100%">
  <Bold:ReportViewer runat="server"
    ServiceAuthorizationToken="Bearer YOUR_SERVER_TOKEN"
    ReportServiceUrl="https://your-domain.com/reporting/reportservice/api/Viewer"
    ReportServerUrl="https://your-domain.com/reporting/api/site/site1"
    ReportPath="/Sample Reports/Company Sales">
  </Bold:ReportViewer>
</div>

// Blazor Component
public async void RenderReportViewer()
{
    viewerOptions.ReportPath = "/Sample Reports/Sales Order Detail";
    viewerOptions.ServiceURL = "https://on-premise-demo.boldreports.com/reporting/reportservice/api/Viewer";
    viewerOptions.ServerURL = "https://on-premise-demo.boldreports.com/reporting/api/site/site1";
    viewerOptions.AuthorizationToken = "Bearer YOUR_SERVER_TOKEN";
    await JSRuntime.InvokeVoidAsync("BoldReports.RenderViewer", "report-viewer", viewerOptions);
}

// JS Interop (wwwroot/js/site.js)
window.BoldReports = {
    RenderViewer: function (elementID, reportViewerOptions) {
        $("#" + elementID).boldReportViewer({
            reportPath: reportViewerOptions.reportPath,
            reportServiceUrl: reportViewerOptions.serviceURL,
            reportServerUrl: reportViewerOptions.serverURL,
            serviceAuthorizationToken: reportViewerOptions.authorizationToken
        });
    }
};

<div id="report-viewer" style="width:100%;height:900px"></div>

Comparing report viewer approaches

Bold Reports viewer vs Crystal Reports viewer

A factual look at how the two viewer approaches compare across the capabilities that matter most to teams evaluating alternatives.

Capability	Crystal Reports Viewer	Bold Reports Viewer
Modern browser viewer, no ActiveX or Java legacy path	Legacy .NET DHTML viewer only. ActiveX and Java viewers are deprecated.	Fully modern, no legacy dependencies
No browser plugins required	Modern viewer needs none, but legacy ActiveX and Java viewers require a plugin.	No plugins needed
Embedding in modern JS frameworks (Angular, React, Blazor)	Limited. Works with .NET and Web Forms only.	Supports modern frameworks
White-label or rebrandable viewer UI	Limited. Toolbar and CSS styling only, no full rebrand.	Fully white-label
First-party managed cloud and on-premises	On-premises only. No managed cloud or SaaS viewer.	Cloud SaaS and on-premises
Native .rpt support	Supports natively to .rpt	Converts to RDL

RPT Viewer - Migration Path

Migrating from Crystal Reports .rpt files

Bold Reports uses the open RDL report format. If your existing reports are in .rpt format, run them through the Bold Reports conversion utility - it automatically migrates your reports, carrying over the same data sources, parameters, grouping, and formatting you already use.

Convert .rpt files by paths

Point the conversion utility at one .rpt file or a whole folder. It reads them locally and outputs RDL to single or batch, nothing to upload.

Run the conversion utility

The tool automatically converts each report to RDL, carrying over data sources, parameters, grouping, and formatting.

Review in the designer

Open converted reports in the Bold Reports designer to fine-tune any layout or formatting that needs adjustment.

Embed and go live

Integrate Bold Reports components into your application and switch when you're ready. Run both environments in parallel throughout the migration.

Automated .rpt conversion, with designer refinement

Bold Reports uses the open RDL report format. If your existing reports are in .rpt format, run them through the Bold Reports conversion utility. It automatically migrates your reports, carrying over the same data sources, parameters, grouping, and formatting you already use. See the Crystal Reports to SSRS Converter User Guide for detailed conversion steps.

Crystal Reports to SSRS Converter

Flexible Deployment

Looking for a file viewer - or a full reporting platform?

Bold Reports is a complete reporting platform. Knowing which scenario fits your need helps you choose the right path.

NO NEW VERSIONS

I need to open .rpt files

If your goal is to open individual .rpt files without a platform migration, the SAP Crystal Reports free viewer is the appropriate tool for that specific need. No migration or embedding required.

CR 2020: EOL DEC 2026

I want to replace Crystal Reports

Bold Reports covers the full workflow: design pixel-perfect reports, embed the viewer in your application, schedule delivery, and control access - all from a single server license.

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Get the Details You Need

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions from teams evaluating Bold Reports as a Crystal Reports viewer alternative.

What is a Crystal Reports viewer alternative?

A Crystal Reports viewer alternative is a reporting tool that lets users view, interact with, and export business reports without the SAP Crystal Reports runtime. Bold Reports provides a browser-based viewer you embed directly in your application so users open reports in any browser with nothing to install, and the viewer is included in your Bold Reports server license.

Can I view Crystal Reports online using Bold Reports?

Bold Reports is a web-based reporting platform with a browser-native viewer. Reports built in Bold Reports can be accessed online in Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge - on desktop or mobile. If your existing reports are in Crystal's .rpt format, the migration path is to recreate them in the Bold Reports RDL designer, which then allows online viewing.

Can Bold Reports open .rpt files directly?

Bold Reports uses the open RDL report format, not SAP's proprietary .rpt format. The path to migrate from Crystal is to recreate your reports in the Bold Reports designer - which supports the same data sources, parameters, grouping, and formatting. Most standard reports are recreated within a day.

Is there a free Crystal report viewer download alternative?

Bold Reports offers a free 30-day trial with full access to the viewer, designer, and embedding capabilities - no credit card required. If your need is purely to open individual .rpt files without a platform migration, the SAP Crystal Reports free viewer is the appropriate tool for that specific task.

Does the Bold Reports viewer work inside a .NET application?

Yes. Bold Reports offers an embedded tools setup for ASP.NET Core, ASP.NET MVC, Blazor, Angular, React, Vue, and JavaScript, covering both viewer and designer access. You embed the viewer component, configure it with your report path and authentication token, and it renders the report in the browser as part of your application.

What are the deployment options for Bold Reports?

Bold Reports supports cloud hosting, on-premises installation on Windows or Linux, Docker containers, Kubernetes clusters, and Azure. Pricing is server-based - the viewer is included in the license with no additional per-user viewer fees. See https://www.boldreports.com/pricing/ for current rates.

What happens to our Crystal Reports licence when we migrate?

Once your reports are converted to Bold Reports and your team is on the new viewer, you no longer need to renew your Crystal Reports licensing or maintenance. Most organizations run both systems in parallel during the transition, then decommission the Crystal infrastructure once all reports are validated and users are comfortable. Your exact renewal terms depend on your SAP agreement.

Will my Crystal Reports users need retraining on the new viewer?

Minimal. The Bold Reports viewer covers the same core actions your Crystal Reports users already know paging, parameter prompts, drill-down, and export to PDF, Excel, or Word just in a browser toolbar instead of a separate desktop viewer. Most teams need no more than a short walkthrough before switching over.

Ready to Get Started?

See Bold Reports Viewer in action

Explore the embedded viewer in a live demo, or speak with a migration specialist about your Crystal Reports environment.

No credit card required.

Start Your Free Trial

Request a Demo