SPSS Alternatives for Linux: PSPP, jamovi, JASP and Browser Tools

Q: How do I open a .sav file on Linux?

Install PSPP ( sudo apt install pspp on Debian or Ubuntu) and open it from the File menu, use haven::read_sav() in R or pyreadstat.read_sav() in Python, or drag it into a browser tool like TRTT.

IBM doesn't support the SPSS Statistics desktop app on Linux; only the server edition runs there. On a Linux desktop, the closest match to SPSS is PSPP, which is in the package repositories of most distributions. jamovi and JASP install through Flatpak, R and Python read .sav files directly, and browser tools such as TRTT give you SPSS-style menus with nothing to install.

Short answer

You need	Use on Linux
SPSS syntax and an SPSS-like desktop app	PSPP (from your distribution or Flathub)
A friendly point-and-click app for coursework	jamovi or JASP (Flathub)
Scripts, reproducibility, large datasets	R with haven, or Python with pyreadstat
SPSS menus and dialogs, no install	TRTT in Chrome, Edge or Firefox
The real SPSS	A Windows or Mac machine, or your university's virtual desktop

SPSS on Linux: official support

IBM's download pages for SPSS Statistics 31 and 32 list desktop clients for Windows and macOS and server editions for Linux (x86-64, System z and Power). Both pages say plainly that the SPSS Statistics desktop software is not supported on Linux (checked October 2026). Running the Windows version under Wine is sometimes suggested on forums; it isn't supported by IBM, so any problem with installation, licensing or updates is yours to solve. If your course requires SPSS itself, a university virtual desktop or a lab machine is the dependable route.

PSPP

PSPP is the GNU project's free replacement for SPSS, and Linux is its home platform. It has a graphical interface with Data and Variable views as well as a command-line mode, reads and writes SPSS .sav files, runs SPSS-compatible syntax, and has no limits on the number of cases or variables. The current GNU release is 2.1.2 (checked October 2026).

How to install it:

Debian and Ubuntu (and Mint): sudo apt install pspp. Check which version you get: Ubuntu 24.04 LTS packages 2.0.0, Ubuntu 25.10 and 26.04 package 2.0.1, and Debian 13 (trixie) packages 2.0.1.
Fedora: sudo dnf install pspp.
Flathub: flatpak install flathub org.gnu.pspp gives version 2.1.2, the newest release. Note that the Flathub listing isn't verified by the GNU project, so it's a community package.

Who it suits: anyone whose course or job hands out SPSS syntax files, and anyone who wants an SPSS-like desktop program without a licence. Where it falls short: it doesn't cover every SPSS procedure, and its output is laid out differently from SPSS's, so check the PSPP manual for the analyses you need. For a detailed comparison, see PSPP vs SPSS and TRTT vs PSPP.

jamovi and JASP

Both are free, open source and available on Linux through Flathub.

jamovi: flatpak install flathub org.jamovi.jamovi. It's a statistical spreadsheet where results update as you change options, built on R, with an option to see the R code behind each analysis. It opens .sav files with labels and missing values. jamovi Cloud also runs in the browser with a free Guest plan (session limits apply, and the calculations run on jamovi's servers).

JASP: install it from Flathub (the JASP download page links there; version 0.98.1 in July 2026). It offers standard analyses in classical and Bayesian form and opens .sav, .zsav and .por files.

Neither keeps SPSS menus or syntax. If you learned SPSS and want to keep your muscle memory, PSPP or a browser tool will feel more familiar; if you're starting fresh, both are excellent choices.

Browser tools

A browser tool avoids packaging questions entirely: it works the same on any distribution.

TRTT is a free web app that follows SPSS's own layout: Data View and Variable View, Analyze menus arranged like SPSS 32, dialogs with OK and Paste, and a syntax window that runs procedures, transformations and labels from .sps files. It opens .sav files with variable labels, value labels and missing values, and computes everything locally in the browser tab. The file isn't uploaded and there's no account. (The web app sends anonymous feature-usage counters, which are switched off if your browser sends Global Privacy Control or Do Not Track.)

On Linux:

Chrome, Chromium-based browsers and Edge: File ▸ Save writes back to the .sav you opened.
Firefox: File ▸ Save downloads a new copy.

What TRTT doesn't do: there's no PDF export on the web (use the SPSS Viewer .spv export, copy tables, or save charts as images), and some commands and procedures aren't available yet, among them DO IF, AGGREGATE, file merging, logistic regression and Custom Tables. Check the list of supported syntax before you rely on a script. TRTT is tested against PSPP and published SPSS algorithms, and it is an independent product, not SPSS.

jamovi Cloud is the other browser option. It differs in where the work happens: your data is uploaded to jamovi's servers.

R and Python

If you write code, you don't need an SPSS clone to read SPSS data:

# R
install.packages("haven")
library(haven)
df <- read_sav("survey.sav")        # labels kept as labelled columns
write_sav(df, "survey_copy.sav")

# Python
import pyreadstat
df, meta = pyreadstat.read_sav("survey.sav")
print(meta.column_names_to_labels)  # variable labels
pyreadstat.write_sav(df, "survey_copy.sav", column_labels=meta.column_labels)

Both libraries turn user-defined missing values into NA/NaN by default; set user_na = TRUE (haven) or user_missing=True (pyreadstat) to keep the original codes. To learn R from SPSS dialogs, TRTT's Paste panel shows equivalent R and Python code next to the SPSS syntax; see R vs SPSS.

Comparison table

Checked October 2026.

	PSPP	jamovi	JASP	R / Python	TRTT (web)
Price	Free	Free	Free	Free	Free
Install on Linux	apt / dnf / Flathub	Flathub	Flathub	Package manager or pip/CRAN	None (browser)
Opens .sav	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
SPSS-style menus	Similar	No	No	No	Yes (SPSS 32 layout)
SPSS syntax	Yes	No	No	No	Subset
Where data is processed	Your machine	Your machine (Cloud: servers)	Your machine	Your machine	Your machine, in the browser

Which one to pick: three common situations

Your methods course teaches SPSS menus and gives you .sps files. Install PSPP for running the syntax, and use TRTT in the browser when you want to follow the SPSS menu paths from the course handouts click for click. Both read the same .sav files, so you can switch between them freely.
You're writing a thesis and nobody prescribes the software. jamovi or JASP will get you clean tables quickly. Keep your raw data as .sav so your supervisor can open it in SPSS if needed.
You analyse data regularly or need full reproducibility. Learn R or Python. Keep .sav as the exchange format with SPSS users, since both haven and pyreadstat write it back with labels.

FAQ

Can I install SPSS on Ubuntu or Linux Mint?

Not as a supported desktop app. IBM's download pages state that SPSS Statistics desktop software is not supported on Linux. Linux is supported only for SPSS Statistics Server.

What is the best free SPSS alternative on Linux?

For SPSS syntax and an SPSS-like interface, PSPP, which is packaged for Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora and Flathub. For coursework in a modern interface, jamovi or JASP. For no install at all, a browser tool such as TRTT.

How do I open a .sav file on Linux?

Install PSPP (sudo apt install pspp on Debian or Ubuntu) and open it from the File menu, use haven::read_sav() in R or pyreadstat.read_sav() in Python, or drag it into a browser tool like TRTT.

Does PSPP run SPSS syntax?

PSPP is designed to be compatible with SPSS syntax and data files. Coverage isn't complete, so test a script before you depend on it.

Is TRTT available as a Linux app?

There's no Linux package. TRTT runs in a desktop browser on Linux; in Chrome or Edge it can save back to the file you opened.

Open TRTT in your browser – free

TRTT is an independent product. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by IBM. IBM and SPSS are trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation.