SPSS Alternatives for Mac: Native, Browser and Apple Silicon Options
SPSS Statistics does run on a Mac, but you pay the same subscription as on Windows, and on Apple silicon it has relied on Rosetta 2 translation. If you want something free, the usual Mac choices are jamovi and JASP (native apps, open source, different interface from SPSS), PSPP (closest to SPSS, but awkward to install on macOS) and browser tools such as TRTT, which keep SPSS menus and syntax with nothing to install.
Short answer
| You want | Best fit on a Mac |
|---|---|
| The real SPSS, licence paid by your university | SPSS Statistics for macOS (check your university's software portal first) |
| A free, polished Mac app and you don't mind a new interface | jamovi or JASP |
| Free, SPSS-style syntax on the desktop | PSPP, if you're comfortable with a third-party installer |
| SPSS menus, .sav files and syntax with nothing to install | TRTT in your browser |
SPSS on a Mac: what it costs
IBM ships SPSS Statistics for Windows and macOS from the same download page, and its pricing page doesn't distinguish between the two. In October 2026 the US pricing page lists the Base subscription from $99 per authorized user, with add-ons (Custom Tables and Advanced Statistics, Forecasting and Decision Trees, Complex Sampling and Testing) from $79 each, on monthly, quarterly or annual terms. Prices vary by country; academic licences are sold through authorized resellers. Before paying, check whether your university already licenses SPSS for students. Many do.
Apple silicon. IBM states that SPSS for macOS has been supported on Apple silicon since version 27.0.1.0, through Apple's Rosetta 2 translation layer. In March 2026 an IBM SPSS architect wrote on IBM's community forum that a native Apple silicon build would arrive with release 32.0.1, planned for September 2026, and noted that Apple is removing Rosetta 2 in macOS 28 (fall 2027). When we checked IBM's version 32 download page in early October 2026, it still listed 32.0.0 only, so look there for the current status before you upgrade macOS.
jamovi and JASP
Both are free, open source and built for teaching. Both open .sav files, and both have native Mac versions.
jamovi is a statistical spreadsheet: you change an option and the results update immediately. It's built on R, and it can show the R code behind each analysis. jamovi has offered a native Apple silicon version since release 2.5, and installs from a normal .dmg. There is also jamovi Cloud, which runs in the browser with a free Guest plan that has session limits; there, the calculations happen on jamovi's servers.
JASP offers separate downloads for Apple silicon and Intel Macs (version 0.98.1 in July 2026), runs offline, and is licensed under the AGPL. It offers standard analyses in both classical and Bayesian form, and supports APA-format tables you can copy into Word. JASP opens .sav, .zsav and .por files.
What you give up with both: the SPSS menu structure and SPSS syntax. If your course hands out SPSS syntax files or step-by-step instructions written for SPSS menus, you'll be translating as you go. When you're free to choose your own tool, that matters much less, and both are excellent.
PSPP on macOS
PSPP is the free GNU program that most closely imitates SPSS: similar Data and Variable views, SPSS-compatible syntax and .sav files, and no limits on cases or variables. The current GNU release is 2.1.2. The catch on a Mac is installation. The GNU project names GNU/Linux as its preferred platform and doesn't publish an official Mac installer. Your options:
- Community .dmg bundles. A maintainer at Technische Hochschule Augsburg publishes Mac bundles built from MacPorts. In October 2026 the stable bundle was PSPP 2.0.1 for Intel Macs, and an Apple silicon build was offered as a development (unreleased) version. Since September 2025 the bundles are signed and notarized, so macOS no longer blocks them as coming from an unidentified developer.
- MacPorts.
sudo port install psppinstalls PSPP through MacPorts, which listed version 1.6.2 when we checked. MacPorts itself needs Xcode's command-line tools.
Either way, the Mac version lags the Linux one. If you mainly need SPSS syntax compatibility, compare what PSPP covers with what your scripts use.
In the browser: TRTT
TRTT is a free statistics app that runs in a desktop browser and copies the SPSS way of working: Data View and Variable View, Analyze menus laid out like SPSS 32, dialogs with Paste, and a syntax window that runs procedures, transformations and labels from .sps files. It opens .sav files with their labels and missing values, and everything is computed on your Mac. Nothing is installed and nothing is uploaded. (The web app sends anonymous feature-usage counters, switched off when your browser sends Global Privacy Control or Do Not Track.)
On a Mac, the browser you use changes how saving works:
- Chrome or Edge: File ▸ Save writes your changes back to the .sav file you opened, like a desktop app.
- Safari or Firefox: File ▸ Save downloads a new copy of the .sav file to your Downloads folder.
In every browser, TRTT also autosaves the current session in the browser's own storage, so you can pick up where you left off after closing the tab.
Limits worth knowing: there's no PDF export on the web (export the Output as an SPSS Viewer .spv file, copy tables into Word or Excel, or save charts as images), and some SPSS commands and procedures aren't there yet, including logistic regression, Custom Tables, DO IF and AGGREGATE. The full list is in SPSS syntax online. TRTT is tested against PSPP and published SPSS algorithms; it is not SPSS.
Comparison table
Checked October 2026.
| SPSS Statistics | jamovi | JASP | PSPP | TRTT (web) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Paid subscription | Free | Free | Free | Free |
| Runs on Mac as | Native app (Rosetta 2 on Apple silicon until a native build ships) | Native app, Apple silicon build | Native app, Apple silicon and Intel builds | Third-party bundle or MacPorts | Browser tab |
| Opens .sav | Yes | Yes | Yes (also .zsav, .por) | Yes | Yes |
| SPSS-style menus | Yes | No | No | Similar | Yes (SPSS 32 layout) |
| SPSS syntax | Yes | No (R syntax view) | No | Yes | Subset |
| Where data is processed | Your Mac | Your Mac (Cloud: jamovi servers) | Your Mac | Your Mac | Your Mac, in the browser |
| Install needed | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
FAQ
Is there a free version of SPSS for Mac?
No. IBM offers a free trial and paid subscriptions, and many universities provide licences to students. Free alternatives that open .sav files on a Mac include jamovi, JASP, PSPP and browser tools like TRTT.
Does SPSS run natively on Apple silicon?
Up to version 32.0.0, SPSS for macOS runs on M-series Macs through Rosetta 2. IBM has said a native Apple silicon build is planned for release 32.0.1. Check IBM's download page for the current version.
What is the easiest free SPSS alternative to install on a Mac?
jamovi and JASP: download the .dmg, drag the app to Applications. A browser tool such as TRTT needs no install at all. PSPP takes the most effort on macOS.
Which Mac alternative is closest to SPSS?
For menus and syntax, PSPP and TRTT. PSPP is a desktop program with SPSS-compatible syntax and data files; TRTT runs in the browser, follows the SPSS 32 menu layout and runs a subset of SPSS syntax.
Can I save back to my .sav file from the browser on a Mac?
In Chrome or Edge, yes: TRTT's File ▸ Save writes to the file you opened. In Safari and Firefox, Save downloads a new copy instead.
Open TRTT in your browser – free
Related: SPSS alternatives compared · SPSS alternative online · TRTT vs PSPP · SPSS for iPad
TRTT is an independent product. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by IBM. IBM and SPSS are trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation.