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Free alternatives to IBM SPSS Statistics

Top pick: jamovi. Switching saves about $1,188 USD a year.

IBM SPSS Statistics, Base subscription, per authorized user

$1,188 USDa year

$1,872 CAD

Every pick below has a free version.

Runs on
  • Windows
  • macOS
  • Linux
Key file formats
.sav.sps.csv.xlsx.dta

Filter alternatives

4 alternatives

Top pick

1 tool

The editor’s first choice for most people switching.

  1. Rank 1: jamovi

    Best for an SPSS-like spreadsheet app that is free

    License: Open source
    • Windows
    • macOS
    • Linux
    • Web
    Status: Unknown
    • SAV: opens only, partial fidelity. Opens SPSS files directly; saves in its own .omv format
    • CSV: opens and saves, full fidelity
    • XLSX: opens only, partial fidelity. Opens Excel files; results are not saved back to xlsx
    • DTA: opens only, partial fidelity. Opens Stata files; saves in .omv

    Desktop is free and open source for Windows, Mac and Linux. jamovi Cloud has a free Guest plan and a paid Priority plan. Free version: Desktop is free forever. jamovi Cloud has a free Guest plan; the Priority plan for students and researchers is $8.90 a month.

Strong

2 tools

Covers most of the same work, with trade-offs noted on each card.

  1. Rank 2: JASP

    Best for Bayesian and classical stats with a simple GUI

    License: Open source
    • Windows
    • macOS
    • Linux
    Status: Unknown
    • SAV: opens only, partial fidelity. Opens SPSS .sav and .zsav files; saves in its own .jasp format
    • CSV: opens only, partial fidelity. Opens text files; saves analyses in .jasp
    • XLSX: opens only, partial fidelity. Opens Excel files; saves analyses in .jasp
    • DTA: opens only, partial fidelity. Opens Stata files; saves analyses in .jasp

    Free and open source (AGPL) for Windows, Mac, Linux and ChromeOS. Opens SPSS .sav files but saves in its own .jasp format.

  2. Rank 3: GNU PSPP

    Best for running SPSS syntax and .sav files for free

    License: Open source
    • Windows
    • macOS
    • Linux
    Status: Verified
    • SAV: opens and saves, full fidelity
    • SPS: opens and saves, full fidelity. Syntax files are compatible with SPSS
    • CSV: opens and saves, full fidelity

    A GNU project and the closest SPSS clone. It covers the basics and misses many advanced procedures.

Situational

1 tool

Right for specific needs, or not yet mature enough to recommend widely.

  1. Rank 4: RStudio Desktop

    Best for code-based statistics with R

    License: Open source
    • Windows
    • macOS
    • Linux
    Status: Unknown
    • SAV: opens and saves, partial fidelity. Through the haven package; value labels become labelled columns
    • CSV: opens and saves, full fidelity
    • XLSX: opens and saves, partial fidelity. Through packages such as readxl and writexl
    • DTA: opens and saves, partial fidelity. Through the haven package

    You must install R separately and learn to write code. Reads and writes .sav files through the haven package.

Sponsor this page: $149 for 30 days. Sponsors appear above the ranking, labeled; the ranking itself is not for sale.

Feature parity

How each alternative covers what people use IBM SPSS Statistics for. Numbers link to editor notes.

Feature parity with IBM SPSS Statistics
FeaturejamoviJASPGNU PSPPRStudio Desktop
Data
Spreadsheet-style data and variable editorYesNote 1PartialNote 2YesNote 3PartialNote 4
Analysis
Point-and-click statistical testsYesNote 5YesNote 6PartialNote 7NoNote 8
Regression, ANOVA and nonparametric testsYesYesPartialNote 9YesNote 10
Advanced modules (complex samples, forecasting)PartialNote 11PartialNote 12NoYesNote 13
Automation
Syntax language for repeatable analysesPartialNote 14PartialNote 15YesNote 16YesNote 17
Output
Chart builder and output viewerPartialNote 18YesNote 19PartialNote 20YesNote 21
Parity score75%75%58%75%
  1. jamovi, Spreadsheet-style data and variable editor: Spreadsheet interface with variable setup
  2. JASP, Spreadsheet-style data and variable editor: Basic data editing; no full variable view
  3. GNU PSPP, Spreadsheet-style data and variable editor: Data editor with a variable view like SPSS
  4. RStudio Desktop, Spreadsheet-style data and variable editor: Data viewer; edit data with code
  5. jamovi, Point-and-click statistical tests: Point-and-click analyses built on R
  6. JASP, Point-and-click statistical tests: Classical and Bayesian analyses by point and click
  7. GNU PSPP, Point-and-click statistical tests: Common tests only; fewer procedures than SPSS
  8. RStudio Desktop, Point-and-click statistical tests: Analyses are written as code
  9. GNU PSPP, Regression, ANOVA and nonparametric tests: Linear and logistic regression and ANOVA; fewer options
  10. RStudio Desktop, Regression, ANOVA and nonparametric tests: Base R and packages cover these tests
  11. jamovi, Advanced modules (complex samples, forecasting): Module library covers many methods; no complex samples
  12. JASP, Advanced modules (complex samples, forecasting): Modules for SEM, meta-analysis and machine learning; no complex samples
  13. RStudio Desktop, Advanced modules (complex samples, forecasting): Packages cover complex surveys and forecasting
  14. jamovi, Syntax language for repeatable analyses: An R syntax mode and the Rj editor module; no SPSS syntax
  15. JASP, Syntax language for repeatable analyses: No SPSS-style syntax; analyses are saved in .jasp files
  16. GNU PSPP, Syntax language for repeatable analyses: Syntax and data files are compatible with SPSS
  17. RStudio Desktop, Syntax language for repeatable analyses: R scripts and notebooks
  18. jamovi, Chart builder and output viewer: Plots come with each analysis; limited customization
  19. JASP, Chart builder and output viewer: Plots with options in every analysis
  20. GNU PSPP, Chart builder and output viewer: Basic charts
  21. RStudio Desktop, Chart builder and output viewer: ggplot2 and base graphics

File formats

Can each alternative open and save IBM SPSS Statistics files?

Opening and saving IBM SPSS Statistics files
FormatjamoviJASPGNU PSPPRStudio Desktop
.savOpens onlyNote 1Partial fidelityOpens onlyNote 2Partial fidelityOpens and savesFull fidelityOpens and savesNote 3Partial fidelity
.spsNoNote 4NoNote 5Opens and savesNote 6Full fidelityNoNote 7
.csvOpens and savesFull fidelityOpens onlyNote 8Partial fidelityOpens and savesFull fidelityOpens and savesFull fidelity
.xlsxOpens onlyNote 9Partial fidelityOpens onlyNote 10Partial fidelityNoNote 11Opens and savesNote 12Partial fidelity
.dtaOpens onlyNote 13Partial fidelityOpens onlyNote 14Partial fidelityNoNote 15Opens and savesNote 16Partial fidelity
  1. jamovi, .sav: Opens SPSS files directly; saves in its own .omv format
  2. JASP, .sav: Opens SPSS .sav and .zsav files; saves in its own .jasp format
  3. RStudio Desktop, .sav: Through the haven package; value labels become labelled columns
  4. jamovi, .sps: No SPSS syntax support
  5. JASP, .sps: No SPSS syntax support
  6. GNU PSPP, .sps: Syntax files are compatible with SPSS
  7. RStudio Desktop, .sps: R cannot run SPSS syntax
  8. JASP, .csv: Opens text files; saves analyses in .jasp
  9. jamovi, .xlsx: Opens Excel files; results are not saved back to xlsx
  10. JASP, .xlsx: Opens Excel files; saves analyses in .jasp
  11. GNU PSPP, .xlsx: Opens Gnumeric and OpenDocument spreadsheets; save as ods or csv first
  12. RStudio Desktop, .xlsx: Through packages such as readxl and writexl
  13. jamovi, .dta: Opens Stata files; saves in .omv
  14. JASP, .dta: Opens Stata files; saves analyses in .jasp
  15. GNU PSPP, .dta: No Stata file support
  16. RStudio Desktop, .dta: Through the haven package

What switching saves

Switching saves about $1,188 USD / $1,872 CAD a year. Prices checked .

Based on Base subscription, per authorized user. Price source.

About this page

Last verified . Ranking: tier first, then the published score.

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Related

IBM SPSS Statistics is a product of IBM, named here for comparison only. Platforms listed for IBM SPSS Statistics: Windows, macOS, Linux.