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Machine Learning · head to head

IBM SPSS vs Poolside

IBM SPSS logo

IBM SPSS

Machine Learning

Statistical analysis software for data science

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Poolside logo

Poolside

AI

Open-weight foundation models built for agentic software engineering

From
$0.06/month
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only IBM SPSS has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: IBM SPSS add-on packages are priced separately from the base subscription, and the promotional 45% discount on them excludes renewals; Poolside no self-serve public application; access is largely through enterprise sales or third-party model gateways
  • They diverge on capability: IBM SPSS covers Statistical analysis, Poolside covers Laguna S 2.1.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which IBM SPSS and Poolside actually diverge.

Attributes where IBM SPSS and Poolside differ
AttributeIBM SPSSPoolside
Starting priceFree$0.06/month
Pricing modelsubscriptionusage-based
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, Mac, Windowsweb, api, mac, windows, linux
CategoryMachine LearningAI
Founded19112023

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in IBM SPSS

  • Statistical analysis
  • Predictive modeling
  • Data visualization
  • Survey analysis
  • Decision trees
  • Python
  • R
  • Excel

Only in Poolside

  • Laguna S 2.1
  • Laguna XS 2.1
  • Desktop and CLI tools
  • Open-weight models
  • Third-party gateway access

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

IBM SPSS

  • Statistical testing and regression analysis for academic and market researchnot Poolside
  • Predictive modelling and forecasting without writing codenot Poolside

Poolside

  • Enterprises deploying AI coding assistance across large developer organizationsnot IBM SPSS
  • Government and defense agencies needing on-premise or sovereign coding modelsnot IBM SPSS
  • Teams building custom coding agents on open-weight foundation modelsnot IBM SPSS
  • Organizations wanting on-device lightweight coding modelsnot IBM SPSS

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

IBM SPSS

  • Add-on packages are priced separately from the base subscription, and the promotional 45% discount on them excludes renewals
  • Subscription cost renews at the then current price at the end of the first year, so the advertised rate applies to the first term only
  • Prices shown are described by IBM as indicative, vary by country and exclude applicable taxes and duties
  • Extended access periods of 12 months or more are handled as tailored pricing rather than a published rate
  • Advanced statistics, custom tables, decision trees and forecasting are separate add-ons rather than part of the base product

Poolside

  • No self-serve public application; access is largely through enterprise sales or third-party model gateways
  • Pricing for the flagship enterprise and government offering is not public and requires a sales conversation
  • Targets organizations with large (5,000+) developer headcounts, making it a poor fit for individuals or small teams
  • Documentation and product surface area are thin compared to consumer-facing coding assistants

Pricing, plan by plan

IBM SPSS

Free
  • TrialFree
    • 14-day trial
    • Full features
  • Base$99/month
    • Core statistics
    • Data management

Poolside

$0.06/month
  • Laguna XS 2.1$undefined/month
    • $0.06 per 1M input tokens
    • $0.12 per 1M output tokens
    • Available via OpenRouter and Vercel AI Gateway
  • Laguna S 2.1$undefined/month
    • $0.10 per 1M input tokens
    • $0.20 per 1M output tokens
    • 1M token context window
  • Enterprise / Government$undefined/month
    • Custom contracts for large engineering organizations
    • Sales-quoted pricing
    • On-premise or dedicated deployment options

Which should you pick?

Choose IBM SPSS if

  • You need statistical analysis.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Mac, Windows.
  • You also want predictive modeling.
IBM SPSS review

Choose Poolside if

  • You need laguna s 2.1.
  • You work on web, api, mac, windows, linux.
  • You also want laguna xs 2.1.
Poolside review

Questions people ask

Is IBM SPSS or Poolside better?
Neither clearly leads. IBM SPSS starts at Free and Poolside at $0.06/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, IBM SPSS or Poolside?
IBM SPSS has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for IBM SPSS and $0.06/month for Poolside.
Does IBM SPSS or Poolside run on more platforms?
IBM SPSS runs on Linux, Mac, Windows. Poolside runs on web, api, mac, windows, linux.
Can I use IBM SPSS for free?
Yes. IBM SPSS has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Poolside starts at $0.06/month.
What is IBM SPSS best used for?
IBM SPSS is most often used for statistical testing and regression analysis for academic and market research, predictive modelling and forecasting without writing code. Of those, statistical testing and regression analysis for academic and market research and predictive modelling and forecasting without writing code are not what Poolside is typically brought in for.
What can IBM SPSS do that Poolside cannot?
IBM SPSS covers Statistical analysis, Predictive modeling, Data visualization, Survey analysis. Poolside covers Laguna S 2.1, Laguna XS 2.1, Desktop and CLI tools, Open-weight models.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Poolside: How is Poolside's Laguna model usage priced?

Laguna XS 2.1 is priced at $0.06 per 1M input tokens and $0.12 per 1M output tokens; Laguna S 2.1 is $0.10 per 1M input tokens and $0.20 per 1M output tokens.

Source
Poolside: Where can I access Poolside's models?

Laguna models are available through third-party gateways OpenRouter and Vercel AI Gateway, as well as via Poolside's own desktop and CLI tools.

Source
Poolside: Does Poolside offer enterprise or government pricing?

Yes, Poolside offers custom, sales-quoted contracts for large enterprises and government/defense customers, including on-premise or dedicated deployment options.

Source
Poolside: How do I get started building with Poolside's models?

Poolside's documentation provides a quickstart guide for installing the `pool` CLI and running an agent task, alongside API documentation for custom integrations.

Source
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