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IBM SPSS Statistics vs MathWorks Matlab comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 5, 2024

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Categories and Ranking

IBM SPSS Statistics
Ranking in Data Science Platforms
8th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.5
Number of Reviews
39
Ranking in other categories
Data Mining (2nd)
MathWorks Matlab
Ranking in Data Science Platforms
17th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
5.2
Number of Reviews
4
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2025, in the Data Science Platforms category, the mindshare of IBM SPSS Statistics is 2.8%, down from 2.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of MathWorks Matlab is 1.0%, up from 0.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Data Science Platforms
 

Featured Reviews

Laurence Moseley - PeerSpot reviewer
Delivers reliable results for academic research and keeps you close to your data.
SPSS is perfectly adequate if all you want are some results. If you only need the results, you do not require the trail of evidence on how you obtained those results. I mainly used it for cross tabs, correlation, regression, chi-squared tests, and similar analyses often seen in published papers; I used it for my papers as well. For wider uses I find Knime keeps me in touch with my data, however much I transform them.
Ioannis Kalathas - PeerSpot reviewer
Creating digital twins significantly reduces time for marine engine diagnostics
MathWorks Matlab has numerous libraries, making it challenging to have a holistic understanding of all of them. I can only speak about the libraries I have used. Additional GUIs and add-ons for MathWorks Matlab would help, especially for users who are not familiar with the software. The cost is a significant concern. While university pricing is reasonable, a cheaper version with fewer libraries would be beneficial. In Greece, we struggle to purchase licenses, and we also use Ansys. There are technical differences in simulation, but the price of MathWorks Matlab is too high for a Greek mechanic to use it. A license with fewer features would be more appropriate.

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"The most valuable features mainly include factor analysis, correlation analysis, and geographic analysis."
"They have many existing algorithms that we can use and use effectively to analyze and understand how to put our data to work to improve what we do."
"It has helped our analyst unit deliver work with more transparency and confidence, given that we can always view the dataset in totality, after each step of data transformation."
"The SPSS interface is very accessible and user-friendly. It's really easy to get information in it. I've shared it with experts and beginners, and everyone can navigate it."
"in terms of the simplicity, I think the SPSS basic can handle it."
"You can find a complete algorithm in the solution and use it. You don't need to write your own algorithms for predictive analytics. That's the most valuable feature and the main one we use."
"The most valuable features are the small learning curve and its ability to hold a lot of data."
"It is a modeling tool with helpful automation."
"Personally for me, because I do a lot of development, I like that it is easy to test mathematical algorithms with several matrix calculations. It's perfect for that."
"The platform's most valuable feature is its field-specific packages, which make it very easy to use."
"The tool's most valuable feature is the Simulink environment. This feature provides an incredible capability to visually represent the system behavior before creating the code. It allows you to see the flow and interactions of the system, which is extremely beneficial for software development. With this visual representation, you can better understand the system's behavior, make necessary adjustments, and ensure maintenance and updates. This capability is why I love working with the product."
 

Cons

"The solution needs more planning tools and capabilities."
"In some cases, the product takes time to load a large dataset. They could improve this particular area."
"IBM SPSS Statistics does not keep you close to your data like KNIME."
"Each algorithm could be more adaptable to some industry-specific areas, or, in some cases, adapted for maintenance."
"If there is any self-generation data collection plan (DCP), it would be helpful in gathering data. It would also be useful if there is a function to scale it up to, let's say, UiPath and have it consolidate and integrate into a UiPath solution."
"The design of the experience can be improved."
"It would be helpful if there was better documentation on how to properly use the solution. A beginner's guide on how to use the various programming functions within the product would be so useful to a lot of people. I found that everything was very confusing at first. Having clear documentation would help alleviate that."
"Most of the package will give you the fixed value, or the p-value, without an explanation as to whether it it significant or not. Some beginners might need not just the results, but also some explanation for them."
"To make use of the GPU, you have to have an Nvidia card. What I would want it to do is to run in Next Generation with Intel or AMD, and not just with Nvidia."
"In the area of improvement, sometimes there are issues with the speed of MathWorks Matlab, particularly in the Simulink environment. The tool's latest versions can be slow to open, taking significant time to load. Additionally, saving data and integrating models can also be time-consuming processes."
"One area where the product could improve is in the ease of learning."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"SPSS is an expensive piece of software because it's incredibly complex and has been refined over decades, but I would say it's fairly priced."
"We think that IBM SPSS is expensive for this function."
"Our licence is on a yearly renewal basis. While pricing is not the primary concern in our evaluation, as products are assessed by whether they can meet our user needs and expertise, the cost can be a limiting factor in the number of licences we procure."
"I rate the tool's pricing a five out of ten."
"The pricing of the modeler is high and can reduce the utility of the product for those who can not afford to adopt it."
"The price of IBM SPSS Statistics could improve."
"The price of this solution is a little bit high, which was a problem for my company."
"While the pricing of the product may be higher, the accompanying service and features justify the investment."
"We have a single user license. Support and add-ons are an extra fee."
"The pricing for the software itself is reasonable, and I didn't encounter any additional costs beyond the initial purchase or license."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
17%
Computer Software Company
8%
Manufacturing Company
8%
University
7%
Educational Organization
10%
Comms Service Provider
9%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Hospitality Company
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about IBM SPSS Statistics?
The software offers consistency across multiple research projects helping us with predictive analytics capabilities.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for IBM SPSS Statistics?
I think the price of the solution is very reasonable. The cost depends; you have the option for subscription or you can purchase the license. Most of our customers are paying every year for a type ...
What needs improvement with IBM SPSS Statistics?
I have faced some challenges with IBM SPSS Statistics; you need to know what you're doing because it's not very user-friendly. It's not something a person can come and intuitively work with. The ba...
What do you like most about MathWorks Matlab?
The tool's most valuable feature is the Simulink environment. This feature provides an incredible capability to visually represent the system behavior before creating the code. It allows you to see...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for MathWorks Matlab?
The pricing for the software itself is reasonable, and I didn't encounter any additional costs beyond the initial purchase or license.
What needs improvement with MathWorks Matlab?
MathWorks Matlab has numerous libraries, making it challenging to have a holistic understanding of all of them. I can only speak about the libraries I have used. Additional GUIs and add-ons for Mat...
 

Also Known As

SPSS Statistics
No data available
 

Overview

Information not available
 

Sample Customers

LDB Group, RightShip, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Capgemini Consulting, TEAC Corporation, Ironside, nViso SA, Razorsight, Si.mobil, University Hospitals of Leicester, CROOZ Inc., GFS Fundraising Solutions, Nedbank Ltd., IDS-TILDA
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Find out what your peers are saying about IBM SPSS Statistics vs. MathWorks Matlab and other solutions. Updated: July 2025.
865,295 professionals have used our research since 2012.