JASP vs jamovi vs PSPP: Free Statistics Software Compared
Pick JASP if you want Bayesian statistics and APA-ready tables; pick jamovi if you want the friendliest all-rounder with live results, a browser option and a large module library; pick PSPP if you need to run SPSS syntax or want the closest thing to classic SPSS on Linux. All three are free, open source and open SPSS .sav files.
Below: one decision table, then the details. Facts were checked on each project's official site and manual in October 2026. This comparison is published by the team behind TRTT, which isn't one of the three; we mention it once, where all three share a gap.
Five-minute verdict
| If you… | Choose |
|---|---|
| want Bayesian versions of standard tests | JASP |
| need APA-formatted tables to paste into a report | JASP (jamovi is close behind) |
| are new to statistics and want results that update as you click | jamovi or JASP |
| need to use a browser instead of installing software | jamovi (jamovi Cloud) |
| need repeated-measures ANOVA, mixed models or CFA | jamovi or JASP |
| have SPSS syntax (.sps) to run | PSPP |
| need to save data back as .sav | PSPP, or jamovi via export |
| work with weighted survey data | PSPP or jamovi |
| use Linux and like a classic SPSS-style layout | PSPP |
Feature table
| JASP | jamovi | PSPP | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Licence | AGPLv3 (engine GPLv2) | AGPL3 (parts GPL2+) | GPLv3 |
| Engine | R | R | Own engine (GNU project) |
| Interface | Live results, APA tables | Spreadsheet plus live results | SPSS-like data editor, dialogs, syntax window |
| Bayesian | Built in, most modules | Via modules | No |
| Repeated-measures ANOVA | Yes | Yes | No |
| Logistic regression | Yes | Yes | Yes (binary) |
| Confirmatory factor analysis | Yes | Yes | No |
| Mixed models | Yes (module) | Via modules | No |
| Runs SPSS syntax | No (R syntax mode) | No (shows R code) | Yes, broad |
| Opens .sav | Yes (.sav, .zsav, .por) | Yes | Yes (.sav, .zsav, .por) |
| Saves .sav | No (CSV/text export) | Via export | Yes |
| Case weights | Only in some analyses | Yes (since 2.4) | Yes |
| Browser version | No | jamovi Cloud | No |
Interface
JASP and jamovi share an idea: you pick an analysis, drag variables into place, and the results update immediately as you change options. There's no OK button and no separate output log. They look similar at first glance, partly because they share history (jamovi was started by people who had worked on JASP), but they've grown in different directions: JASP towards Bayesian methods and report-ready output, jamovi towards a spreadsheet you can also edit and compute in.
PSPP follows the classic SPSS model: a data editor with data and variable views, an Analyze menu with dialogs (Analyze ▸ Descriptive Statistics ▸ Crosstabs, as in SPSS), a syntax window and an output window. If your course materials show SPSS menus, PSPP's layout will feel familiar; if they don't, jamovi and JASP are easier to explore.
Analyses
For the core of most courses (descriptives, t tests, one-way ANOVA, correlation, linear regression, chi-square, reliability, exploratory factor analysis), all three are fine.
The differences show up beyond that:
- JASP has the widest built-in range of the three, in 30-plus modules: Bayesian versions of most tests, mixed models, SEM, meta-analysis, machine learning, network analysis, survival, time series, power analysis and more.
- jamovi covers repeated-measures ANOVA, ANCOVA, logistic regression and CFA out of the box, and its library (the project says more than 70 modules) adds mixed models, meta-analysis, Bayesian methods and much else.
- PSPP covers the classic procedures plus logistic regression, custom tables (CTABLES), ROC curves and K-means clustering. Its manual lists what's missing, including repeated-measures and mixed models, hierarchical and TwoStep clustering, discriminant analysis and ordinal regression. Factor analysis offers principal components and principal axis extraction only.
Files and syntax
All three open .sav files with their labels. The difference is what comes back out:
- PSPP reads and writes .sav, .zsav and .por, and runs SPSS syntax, including DO IF, LOOP, DO REPEAT, macros, AGGREGATE and MATCH FILES. For spreadsheets, its GET DATA reads Gnumeric and OpenDocument files rather than .xlsx.
- jamovi opens .sav, SAS, Stata, CSV, Excel and R files, saves its own .omv (data, analyses and results in one file) and can export data to .sav. Its syntax mode shows the R code for each analysis.
- JASP opens the widest range of formats (SPSS, SAS, Stata, Excel, OpenDocument, R, Minitab and text files), but exports data only as CSV or text. Its R syntax mode (since 0.17) works inside JASP.
If you exchange .sav files with SPSS users, PSPP and jamovi make that easier than JASP.
Platforms
| Windows | macOS | Linux | ChromeOS | Browser | iPad / iPhone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JASP | Yes | Yes | Yes (Flatpak) | Yes | No | No |
| jamovi | Yes | Yes | Yes | Via jamovi Cloud | jamovi Cloud | Via jamovi Cloud in the browser |
| PSPP | Yes | Yes (bundle, MacPorts, Homebrew) | Yes (distribution packages, Flathub) | No | No | No |
JASP needs about 4 GB of RAM. jamovi Cloud's free Guest plan has queued, time-limited sessions, and your data are processed on jamovi's servers during the session. On a Mac, PSPP takes a little more effort to install than the other two.
The shared gap: none of the three has a native app for iPad or iPhone. If that's where you work, TRTT is a native iPhone and iPad app that opens .sav files and follows SPSS menus; it's free for data sets up to 100 cases, with an optional Pro upgrade for larger files (prices are shown in the app). See SPSS for iPad. There is no TRTT app for Android.
Community and documentation
- jamovi has its own forum, user documentation including "From SPSS to jamovi" guides, and a free textbook, learning statistics with jamovi.
- JASP publishes free guides on its site (including a student guide updated in 2025), a blog announcing new features, a discussion forum and a public issue tracker on GitHub.
- PSPP has a detailed reference manual, mailing lists and the GNU project's issue tracker. Its manual is frank about what isn't implemented, which saves time.
For a head-to-head with SPSS, see JASP vs SPSS, jamovi vs SPSS and PSPP vs SPSS. For all free options, including browser tools and R, see free SPSS alternatives.
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FAQ
Is JASP or jamovi better?
Both are excellent and free. JASP is stronger on Bayesian analysis and APA-formatted output; jamovi is stronger as an all-rounder with a spreadsheet you can edit, case weights, a browser version and a large module library. Try both on your own data; they install in minutes.
Is jamovi or PSPP closer to SPSS?
PSPP. It uses an SPSS-style layout and runs SPSS syntax. jamovi has its own interface and doesn't run SPSS syntax, though it opens and exports .sav files.
Which of the three is best for a beginner?
jamovi or JASP. Results update as you click, which makes it easy to see what each option does. PSPP suits people who already know SPSS or have syntax to run.
Can JASP, jamovi and PSPP open SPSS .sav files?
Yes, all three. Only PSPP saves .sav directly; jamovi exports to .sav; JASP exports data as CSV or text.
Do JASP, jamovi or PSPP work on iPad?
None of them has a native iPad app. jamovi Cloud runs in a tablet browser. TRTT has a native iPad and iPhone app that opens .sav files, free for data sets up to 100 cases.
TRTT is an independent product. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by IBM. IBM and SPSS are trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation.