SPSS vs R vs Stata vs JASP vs jamovi vs Excel vs Python: Compared

Reviewed by Prof. Dr. Alexander Holtermann · Updated 16 October 2026 · 6 min read

SPSS and Stata are menu- or command-based commercial packages, R and Python are free code, JASP and jamovi are free point-and-click. Choose by field and task.

Key takeaways

All of these programs run t-tests, ANOVA, correlation and regression correctly. The choice is about cost, learning curve, reproducibility and what your department uses.
SPSS (point-and-click with optional syntax) dominates in psychology, nursing, education and business teaching; Stata is common in economics, political science and public health; R is the standard of open, reproducible statistics.
JASP and jamovi are free, open-source point-and-click programs built on R. They produce APA-style tables and are an easy alternative to SPSS for student projects.
Excel is fine for data entry and descriptive statistics, but limited and error-prone for inferential analysis; Python is strong for data science and automation.
Licence terms change. Check your university’s software portal first: many institutions provide SPSS or Stata free for students.

Which statistics software should you learn?

Searches like “SPSS vs R” or “JASP vs SPSS” usually come from one of two situations: your course requires a specific program, or you are free to choose for your dissertation. In the first case, the decision is made: learn what your module teaches, because exams, worksheets and support are built around it. In the second, consider four questions:

1. What does your department and supervisor use? Help is easier to get in the same program. 2. Do you need it after graduation? Free software (R, Python, JASP, jamovi) stays available; commercial licences usually end with your enrolment. 3. Do you prefer menus or code? Code is reproducible and powerful; menus are faster to start with. 4. What kind of analysis? Standard tests run everywhere; multilevel models, structural equation modelling, Bayesian analysis or large data sets narrow the field.

The statistics themselves do not change with the software. A correctly specified t-test gives the same t, df and p in SPSS, R, Stata, JASP and jamovi (Howell, 2013). Small differences arise only from defaults, for example whether Welch’s correction is applied automatically.

Comparison table

The table gives a general overview as of late 2026. Licence models and features change; check details with the vendor or project website.

Program	Interface	Cost (general)	Typical fields	Learning curve	Reproducibility
SPSS	Menus, optional syntax	Commercial; often via university licence; student options exist	Psychology, nursing, education, business, social sciences	Low to start	Good if you save syntax
R (with RStudio or Positron)	Code	Free, open source	Statistics, ecology, psychology, biostatistics, research methods	High at first	Excellent (scripts, R Markdown, Quarto)
Stata	Commands, also menus	Commercial; student and campus licences	Economics, political science, epidemiology, public health	Medium	Very good (do-files)
JASP	Menus	Free, open source	Psychology teaching, Bayesian statistics	Low	Good (analysis saved in file)
jamovi	Menus, spreadsheet view, optional R syntax	Free, open source	Teaching in psychology and social sciences	Low	Good (shows R code on request)
Excel	Spreadsheet, formulas, Analysis ToolPak	Part of office licences	Business, data entry, quick descriptives	Low	Weak (manual steps)
Python (pandas, SciPy, statsmodels)	Code	Free, open source	Data science, computer science, engineering	High at first	Excellent (scripts, notebooks)

SPSS, Stata and R: the established options

SPSS (IBM SPSS Statistics) is the classic point-and-click package. You load a data file, choose an analysis from the Analyze menu and receive output tables. Every dialog also has a Paste button that writes the matching syntax, so you can document and repeat your analysis. SPSS is easy to start with and taught in many introductory courses, which is why textbooks such as Field’s “Discovering Statistics Using IBM SPSS Statistics” are widely used. Its weaknesses are cost outside university and less flexibility for advanced or custom analyses.

Stata is command-driven, with menus as an alternative. Its strength is consistent syntax, excellent documentation and econometric and survey methods (panel data, survey weights, causal inference). Do-files make every step reproducible. It is common in economics and health research.

R is a free programming language for statistics with thousands of packages, usually used in RStudio or another editor. It can do almost anything, from a t-test (t.test()) to multilevel models, structural equation models and publication-quality graphics. The learning curve is steeper, but scripts make your analysis fully reproducible, and the skill remains free after graduation.

JASP and jamovi: free point-and-click alternatives

JASP (developed at the University of Amsterdam) and jamovi are free, open-source programs that run R in the background but offer menus similar to SPSS. Both update results live when you change options, produce tables in APA style and read common file formats including SPSS .sav files.

- JASP offers classical and Bayesian versions of most tests side by side, which is useful if your course covers Bayes factors. - jamovi looks like a spreadsheet and can show the R syntax for each analysis; add-on modules extend it, for example for mediation or meta-analysis.

For most bachelor and master projects with t-tests, ANOVA, correlation, regression, reliability analysis and chi-square tests, both are fully sufficient. Check whether your supervisor accepts output from them (usually yes; the statistics are what count).

Excel and Python: when they make sense

Excel is excellent for entering and cleaning data, simple calculations and charts. With the Analysis ToolPak add-in or functions such as T.TEST it can run basic tests. But it lacks many assumption checks, effect sizes and diagnostics, and manual copy-paste steps are a known source of errors. Use Excel to prepare data, then analyse in a statistics program.

Python with pandas, SciPy, statsmodels and pingouin is the natural choice if you already program or study computer science or data science. scipy.stats.ttest_ind(a, b) runs a t-test, statsmodels fits regression models with full output. For classic social science reporting, R or a menu program often produces APA-ready output with less effort.

Same test, different software: an example

Here is an independent-samples t-test comparing exam scores between two groups, done in five programs. All give the same result if the same variant (Student or Welch) is chosen.

Program	How you run it
SPSS	Analyze → Compare Means → Independent-Samples T Test; grouping variable with Define Groups
R	`t.test(score ~ group, data = df)` (Welch by default; `var.equal = TRUE` for Student)
Stata	`ttest score, by(group)` (add `unequal` for Welch)
JASP / jamovi	T-Tests → Independent Samples T-Test; tick Welch, effect size and assumption checks
Python	`scipy.stats.ttest_ind(a, b, equal_var=False)` for Welch

Recommendations by situation

There is no single best program, but there are sensible defaults.

Your module teaches SPSS or Stata → use it; ask whether your university provides a licence or remote desktop access.
You want something free and easy for your dissertation → JASP or jamovi.
You plan a research career, a PhD or data-heavy work → invest in R (or Python if you already code).
You only need descriptive statistics and charts → a spreadsheet or our descriptive statistics tool can be enough.
You collaborate with co-authors → use the program they use and share scripts or syntax, not just output.

Frequently asked questions

Is R better than SPSS?

Not better in results, but different. R is free, more flexible and fully reproducible through scripts; SPSS is easier for beginners and widely taught. Correct analyses give the same numbers in both.

What statistics software do psychology students use?

SPSS is still very common in psychology teaching, but JASP, jamovi and R are increasingly used, especially in the UK and the Netherlands. Your module handbook tells you which one is expected.

Is Stata or R better for economics?

Both are widely used. Stata is traditional in applied econometrics and many courses; R is free and increasingly common in research. Learn the one your programme teaches first.

Can I use Excel for my dissertation statistics?

For descriptive statistics and simple charts, yes. For inferential tests you lose assumption checks, effect sizes and diagnostics, so a statistics program (free options: JASP, jamovi, R) is safer.

Is SPSS free for students?

Often through the university: many institutions provide SPSS via a campus licence or virtual desktop. Otherwise there are paid student options. Conditions change, so check your university’s software portal and the vendor’s website.

Do JASP and jamovi give the same results as SPSS?

Yes, for the same test with the same settings. Differences usually come from defaults, for example Welch’s correction or the type of sums of squares in ANOVA.

Sources and further reading

Howell, D. C. (2013). Statistical Methods for Psychology (8th ed.). Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
Field, A. (2024). Discovering Statistics Using IBM SPSS Statistics (6th ed.). Sage.
Official documentation of SPSS Statistics, R, Stata, JASP, jamovi and SciPy (consulted 2026).

Your university’s examination regulations and style guide always take precedence.