No. 10of 106 ·Statistical Analysis Software

SPM

Windows · Mac · Linux

Freedom report

Three barsScore 7.4

Free tierA free tier is on its own pricing page
Runs widely3 of 6 device platforms
DocumentedPlans, terms and facts published

SPM is ranked #10 of 106 in statistical analysis software on Freedom251, made by SPM (UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK). It runs on Linux, macOS, Windows. There is a free plan.

SPM plans and pricing

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SPM Free Free and open-source neuroimaging software fil.ion.ucl.ac.uk · 10 Oct 2026

Compared on statistical analysis software

Free plan: Yes
Deployment: desktop
Statistical tests: Yes
Regression models: Yes
Scripting support: Yes
Bayesian analysis: Yes
Data import formats: NIfTI (.nii), Analyze (.hdr/.img), DICOM (converted to NIfTI), OPM binary/TSV/JSON, FIF and LVM

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The record

Purpose: SPM analyzes brain imaging data sequences, including images from different cohorts and time series from the same subject.
Supported modalities: The current release is designed for fMRI, PET, SPECT, EEG and MEG analysis.
Statistical methods: SPM implements methods for constructing and assessing spatially extended statistical processes to test hypotheses about functional imaging data.
License: SPM is open-source software available under the GPL-2.0 license.
Current release: The software page lists SPM 25.01 as the latest version.
Implementation: SPM is written in MATLAB and C.
Installation: The recommended installation is within MATLAB; alternatives include GNU Octave and precompiled Standalone SPM without a MATLAB license.
Platforms: SPM works on Windows, macOS and Linux.
Standalone runtime: Standalone SPM includes the MATLAB Runtime, which the documentation says requires about 2.5 GB.
Extensions: Community-created extensions are listed as toolboxes, utilities, batch systems and templates, and the SPM developers disclaim responsibility for their usability and warn that some may be incompatible.
Support: The SPM discussion list offers community discussion and help, but a response from an SPM author is not guaranteed because of resource limitations.
Learning resources: SPM provides online tutorials and datasets with instructions for analyzing them, and offers courses online and in person.
Development: SPM development takes place on GitHub, where users can access development versions, report issues, request features and propose code changes.
Maker: The SPM site identifies the Functional Imaging Laboratory at UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology in London, UK, and says the software is made by its members and collaborators.
Price from: Free

Where it ranks on Freedom251

Best Statistical Analysis Software in 2026#10 of 106

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Sources

fil.ion.ucl.ac.uk/spm/· checked 10 Oct 2026
fil.ion.ucl.ac.uk/spm/docs/· checked 10 Oct 2026
fil.ion.ucl.ac.uk/spm/software/· checked 10 Oct 2026
fil.ion.ucl.ac.uk/spm/docs/installation/· checked 10 Oct 2026
fil.ion.ucl.ac.uk/spm/docs/installation/standalone/· checked 10 Oct 2026
fil.ion.ucl.ac.uk/spm/ext/· checked 10 Oct 2026
fil.ion.ucl.ac.uk/spm/support/· checked 10 Oct 2026