Head-to-head · Statistical Analysis Software
GNU PSPP vs XLSTAT
GNU PSPP leads on 0 checks, XLSTAT on 0, and 5 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 5 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.
Our verdict
- Highest scoreGNU PSPP · 7.9/10
- Free planboth
- Free trialonly XLSTAT
- Most featuresXLSTAT · 4 of 4
GNU PSPP scores higher on our rubric for statistical analysis software: 7.9 against 7.6 out of 10; our editors rank them #16 and #19.
On deployment, XLSTAT gives you Both where GNU PSPP offers Desktop.
GNU PSPP is the better fit for free SPSS-compatible desktop analysis. XLSTAT is the better fit for excel-based broad statistical analysis.
- GNU PSPP fits best
Free SPSS-compatible desktop analysis
- XLSTAT fits best
Excel-based broad statistical analysis
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Side by side
| Feature | GNU PSPP 7.9/10 Visit ↗ | XLSTAT 7.6/10 Visit ↗ |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Editor score | 7.9 | 7.6 |
| Ranking | #16 in Statistical Analysis Software | #19 in Statistical Analysis Software |
| Best for | Free SPSS-compatible desktop analysis | Excel-based broad statistical analysis |
| Pricing model | Free | Free plan + paid |
| Starting price | Free plan | — |
| Free plan | ✓ | ✓ |
| Free trial | — | 14 days |
| Deployment | Desktop | Desktop, Cloud |
| Platforms | Windows, Linux | Web, Windows, macOS, iOS |
| Support | Community, Docs | Docs |
| Integrations | 3 integrations | 4 integrations |
| Built for | Solo, Small business, Mid-market | Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise |
| Features GNU PSPP 3/4 · XLSTAT 4/4 | ||
| Statistical tests | ✓ | ✓ |
| Regression models | ✓ | ✓ |
| Scripting support | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bayesian analysis | Not checked yet | ✓ (best) |
| Specs | ||
| Deployment | Desktop | Both |
| Data import formats | PSPP system and portable files; Gnumeric; ODS; PostgreSQL; TXT/delimited text | CSV, TXT, and other files |
| Our review | ||
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| Our verdict | GNU PSPP is free, open-source desktop software for analyzing sampled data. It is aimed at students, researchers, and analysts who need a graphical workspace for data entry, preparation, transformations, visualization, and statistical… Read the review → |
XLSTAT is a statistical analysis add-in for Microsoft Excel, designed for researchers, analysts, educators, consultants, and businesses. Its scope covers data preparation, visualization, hypothesis testing, regression, ANOVA, multivariate… Read the review → |
Strengths and trade-offs
GNU PSPP — where it wins
- Free and open source with no license fees
- GUI and syntax workflows support repeatable analyses
- Supports SPSS, ODS, Gnumeric, PostgreSQL, and text data
Where it doesn't
- Desktop deployment is limited to Windows and Linux distributions
- Advanced workflows may require command-line syntax files
- Other operating systems may require building from source
XLSTAT — where it wins
- Broad coverage from hypothesis tests to machine learning and Bayesian analysis
- Integrates with Excel, R, Word, and PowerPoint
- Offers free access plus desktop and cloud deployment options
Where it doesn't
- XLSTAT-Cloud provides a smaller feature set than the desktop product
- Advanced capabilities are divided across multiple paid plans
- Support channels are limited to documentation
- GNU PSPP7.9/10 · Free plan
A free, SPSS-compatible desktop tool for repeatable statistical analysis.
Visit GNU PSPPFull verdict → - XLSTAT7.6/10 · Free plan · 14-day trial
A broad Excel-based statistics suite with free access, paid tiers, R integration, and AI assistance.
Visit XLSTATFull verdict →
All statistical analysis software comparisons → · Full ranking →
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update