SPSS Alternative Online (Free): Analyze .sav Files in Your Browser
TRTT is a free statistics program that runs in your desktop browser, opens real SPSS .sav files with their labels, and uses the same Analyze menu layout as SPSS. The calculations happen on your own computer, so you don't need an account and your data set isn't uploaded anywhere.
That is the short version. Below: what "online" can mean for a statistics tool, what happens to your file, a step-by-step walkthrough, and the limits of the browser version, including when another online tool is a better fit. This page is published by the TRTT team.
Three kinds of online statistics tools
Search for an online SPSS alternative and you'll find three quite different things under the same label.
| Type | How it works | Good for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calculators | Paste a column or two of numbers, pick one test | A single quick t test or chi-square | No data file, no labels, no saved project |
| Cloud platforms | Your file is uploaded and computed on the provider's server | Collaboration, heavy computation, any device | Your data leaves your computer; free tiers often have session limits |
| Local browser apps | The program downloads into your browser and computes on your machine | Full data files, private data, no install | Speed depends on your computer; the browser tab has to stay open |
TRTT belongs to the third group. IBM SPSS Statistics itself is a desktop application for Windows and macOS; there is no free web version of it.
What happens to your data
When you open a file in TRTT, the browser reads it from your disk and passes it to TRTT's statistics engine, which is written in Rust and compiled to WebAssembly. The engine runs in a Web Worker, a background thread inside your browser. The file is not sent to a server and you don't sign in. Your current session is autosaved in the browser's own storage (IndexedDB), so a closed tab doesn't mean lost work, and nothing about it is stored on our side.
One thing we want to be clear about: the web version sends anonymous counters of which features are used, so we know which dialogs matter. These counters contain no data from your file, and they are switched off automatically if your browser sends a Global Privacy Control or Do Not Track signal. The iOS app sends no telemetry at all.
Opening a .sav in TRTT, step by step
- Open trtt.app on a computer. Any current desktop browser works. On a Chromebook, TRTT runs in Chrome, which ChromeOS uses; see SPSS on a Chromebook.
- Choose a file. The welcome screen offers Open Data File…, Import Data… (CSV, TSV or Excel) and Sample Dataset. Pick a .sav file, or drag one anywhere into the window. If you just want to try things out, the sample data set (400 cases) loads with one click.
- Check your variables. The Data View and Variable View tabs work as in SPSS: names, labels, value labels, missing values, measurement levels. View ▸ Value Labels switches the grid between codes and labels.
- Run an analysis. For example Analyze ▸ Descriptive Statistics ▸ Crosstabs…, move one variable to Rows and another to Columns, open Statistics… to tick Chi-square, and click OK. The result appears in the Output window as SPSS-style pivot tables.
- Save your data. File ▸ Save writes a .sav file. In Chrome and Edge it saves back into the original file; in Safari and Firefox it downloads a new copy.
- Take your results with you. File ▸ Export Output as SPSS Viewer (.spv)… saves the whole output, charts included. Tables can be copied and pasted into Word or Excel with formatting, and charts can be saved as images. File ▸ Export… writes the data to CSV or XLSX, with either codes or value labels.
The file picker and drag-and-drop on the web accept .sav files. If you also have older SPSS portable files (.por), TRTT doesn't open those. For other ways to open a .sav, see how to open a .sav file without SPSS.
Analyses you can run
The menus follow SPSS 32, so a tutorial written for SPSS usually maps click for click. What's in them today:
- Descriptive Statistics: Frequencies, Descriptives, Explore, Crosstabs, Ratio
- Compare Means and Proportions: Means, one-sample, independent-samples and paired-samples t tests, One-Way ANOVA
- General Linear Model: Univariate
- Correlate: Bivariate
- Regression: Linear, Ordinal
- Classify: TwoStep Cluster, K-Means Cluster, Hierarchical Cluster, Discriminant, Nearest Neighbor
- Dimension Reduction: Factor
- Scale: Reliability Analysis
- Nonparametric Tests (legacy dialogs): chi-square, binomial, runs, one-sample K-S, two and K independent samples, two and K related samples
- Graphs: Chart Builder plus legacy bar, line, pie, histogram and scatter charts
- Transform and Data: Compute, Count, Shift Values, Recode, Automatic Recode, Rank Cases, Replace Missing Values, Sort Cases, Split File, Select Cases, Weight Cases
Results are tested against PSPP and against the algorithms IBM publishes for SPSS. That is not the same as being identical to SPSS in every detail, and we don't claim it is.
Syntax window and Paste
If your course or your old project uses syntax, open Window ▸ Syntax, or load an existing file with File ▸ Open Syntax…, then press ▶ Run. Supported commands include FREQUENCIES, DESCRIPTIVES, EXAMINE, CROSSTABS, MEANS, T-TEST, ONEWAY, UNIANOVA, CORRELATIONS, REGRESSION, FACTOR, RELIABILITY, NPAR TESTS, COMPUTE, RECODE, SELECT IF, SPLIT FILE, WEIGHT and the data dictionary commands such as VALUE LABELS and MISSING VALUES. File ▸ Save Syntax As… saves your .sps.
Every dialog also has a Paste button. It writes the SPSS syntax for what you clicked, plus equivalent R and Python code. "Equivalent" means the code computes the same statistics; the printout won't always look the same. The full list of supported and unsupported commands is on run SPSS syntax online.
Limits of the browser version
A browser tool is not a full copy of SPSS. Before you rely on TRTT for an assignment, check these:
- Desktop browsers only. The web version isn't designed for phone screens. On iPhone and iPad, use the TRTT app instead (free for data sets up to 100 cases, with an optional Pro upgrade for larger files; prices are shown in the app). There is no Android app.
- No PDF export on the web. You can export .spv, copy tables to Word or Excel, and save charts as images. PDF export exists only in the iOS app.
- Save in place only in Chrome and Edge. In Safari and Firefox, saving downloads a new file each time.
- Missing commands. DO IF, LOOP, DO REPEAT, AGGREGATE, MATCH FILES, ADD FILES, LOGISTIC REGRESSION, CTABLES, MIXED, multivariate and repeated-measures GLM, macros (DEFINE) and BEGIN PROGRAM are not supported. If your syntax depends on them, PSPP or SPSS itself will serve you better.
- Your computer does the work. Large files and heavy procedures run at the speed of your own machine.
Other online options
TRTT is not the only way to do statistics in a browser. Depending on what you need, one of these may suit you better (all checked October 2026):
- jamovi Cloud. The full jamovi interface in a browser, including on Chromebooks and tablets. Your file is processed on jamovi's servers during the session and removed when it ends. The free Guest plan has queued, time-limited sessions; the paid Priority plan removes the session limit and allows larger data sets. A good choice if you like jamovi's live-updating results and don't need SPSS menus.
- numiqo. A browser-based statistics tool that says its calculations run locally. You can paste data or import Excel, CSV and .sav files. It has free use and paid licences, and a strong focus on quality management (SPC, design of experiments) alongside standard tests.
- Statisty. Paste data into a table and run t tests, ANOVA, correlation, regression, chi-square and non-parametric tests, with optional AI explanations of results. It has a free tier and a pricing page; check its privacy information for where calculations run.
- Single-purpose .sav viewers. Several small sites open a .sav file in the browser so you can look at it or convert it to CSV. Fine for a quick look, but they don't run analyses.
For the wider picture, including desktop tools like jamovi, JASP and PSPP, see our comparison of SPSS alternatives. If you mainly want to know whether IBM offers SPSS online, read is there an online version of SPSS?.
Open TRTT in your browser – free
FAQ
Is there a free online alternative to SPSS?
Yes. TRTT runs in your desktop browser for free, without an account, and opens .sav files with their labels. jamovi Cloud also has a free Guest plan, with time-limited sessions and server-side processing.
Is my data uploaded when I use TRTT online?
No. The statistics engine runs inside your browser and the file stays on your computer. The web version does send anonymous feature-usage counters, which contain no data from your file and are turned off by Global Privacy Control or Do Not Track.
Can I run SPSS syntax online?
In TRTT, yes, for the supported commands: open the Syntax window, paste or load a .sps file and press Run. Commands such as DO IF, LOOP, AGGREGATE and macros are not supported yet.
Does the online version work on a phone?
The web version isn't designed for phone screens. On iPhone and iPad, use the TRTT app. There is no TRTT app for Android.
Can I export my results to PDF?
Not from the web version. Export the output as .spv, copy tables into Word or Excel, or save charts as images. PDF export is available in the iOS app.
TRTT is an independent product. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by IBM. IBM and SPSS are trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation.