JASP vs PAST

JASP is free desktop statistical software for Linux, macOS, and Windows, designed to run analyses through a graphical interface without programming. It offers standard procedures in both frequentist and Bayesian forms, with modules for descriptives, t-tests, ANOVA, regression, meta-analysis, machine learning, structural equation modeling, survival, and time series. The spreadsheet-style interface uses drag-and-drop controls, and results update as analysis options change. JASP produces APA-formatted output, including tables that can be copied into a word processor, and lets users annotate results. It is integrated with the Open Science Framework and can run without an internet connection. Import formats include CSV, TSV, text, SPSS, SAS, Excel, Stata, and R files, among others. JASP requires a 64-bit operating system, about 4 GB of free disk space, and at least 4 GB of RAM; 8 GB is recommended, with 16 GB or more suggested for large datasets. Android, iOS, and iPadOS devices are not supported. The software uses the GNU Affero GPL v3 license, and its download page says it will remain free.

PAST is free desktop software for statistical analysis, available on Windows and macOS. It provides spreadsheet-style data entry, univariate and multivariate statistics, and graphical analysis. The software includes statistical tests, regression models, and scripting support. Data import covers Excel, NEXUS, TPS, NTSYS, FASTA, PHYLIP, Arlequin, BioGraph, RASC, CONOP, and tab-separated text, giving users several ways to bring existing datasets into the application. PAST is offered under a Free plan listed at free, with no separate paid plan listed. Its deployment is desktop rather than web-based. The maker is PAST, associated with Oslo, Norway, and the software was founded in 1999. The combination of spreadsheet entry, statistical methods, scripting, and broad import-format support makes it suited to users who need local analysis of data from varied sources.