About MATLAB MATLAB, Standard individual, annual license $940 USD a year
≈$1,340.16 CAD (converted from USD)
Every pick below has a free version.
Key file formats .m .mat .slx .mlx .csv .xlsx Filter alternatives 4 alternatives
Tool License Platforms Status
Top pick 1 tool The editor’s first choice for most people switching.
1 GO
Best for running MATLAB-style scripts for free
License: Open source
Status: Active
M M: opens and saves, partial fidelity. Runs most scripts; some toolbox functions and newer syntax are missing MAT MAT: opens and saves, partial fidelity. Reads and writes MAT files; some MATLAB object types such as tables do not carry over CSV CSV: opens and saves, full fidelity XLSX XLSX: opens and saves, partial fidelity. Through the io package from Octave Forge , 0 people switched from MATLAB to GNU Octave GNU Octave for changes Free GPL software for Windows, Mac and Linux. Most .m scripts run with small changes; Simulink models and toolbox-specific code do not.
Strong 2 tools Covers most of the same work, with trade-offs noted on each card.
2 Py
Best for general-purpose scientific computing
License: Open source
Status: Active
DTA DTA: opens and saves, partial fidelity. Through pandas read_stata and to_stata CSV CSV: opens and saves, full fidelity XLSX XLSX: opens and saves, partial fidelity. Through pandas with openpyxl SAV SAV: opens and saves, partial fidelity. Through pyreadstat MAT MAT: opens and saves, partial fidelity. Through scipy.io for older files and h5py for v7.3 files , 0 people switched from MATLAB to Python Python for changes Free and open source. Use NumPy and SciPy for MATLAB-style numerics. Reads and writes .mat files through scipy.io.
3 Ju
Best for fast numerical code and differential equations
License: Open source
Status: Active
MAT MAT: opens and saves, partial fidelity. Through the MAT.jl package CSV CSV: opens and saves, full fidelity. Through the CSV.jl package XLSX XLSX: opens and saves, partial fidelity. Through the XLSX.jl package , 0 people switched from MATLAB to Julia Julia for changes Free under the MIT license. A newer ecosystem than MATLAB's. Reads .mat files through the MAT.jl package.
Situational 1 tool Right for specific needs, or not yet mature enough to recommend widely.
4 Sc
Best for block-diagram modeling with Xcos
License: Open source
Status: Active
M M: opens only, partial fidelity. A translator converts MATLAB scripts to Scilab code MAT MAT: opens and saves, partial fidelity. Loads and saves MAT files for common data types CSV CSV: opens and saves, full fidelity XLSX XLSX: opens only, partial fidelity. Imports Excel sheets , 0 people switched from MATLAB to Scilab Scilab for changes Free GPL software for Windows, Mac and Linux, published by Dassault Systemes. Its syntax differs from MATLAB's, so scripts need translating.
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Feature parity How each alternative covers what people use MATLAB for. Numbers link to editor notes.
Feature parity with MATLAB Feature GNU Octave Python Julia Scilab Computation Matrix computing and numerical analysis Note 1Syntax is largely compatible with MATLAB Note 2NumPy arrays and SciPy Note 3Arrays and linear algebra are built in Note 4Matrix language with its own syntax Libraries Domain toolboxes (signal, control, statistics) Note 5Octave Forge packages for signal and control; fewer than MathWorks toolboxes Note 6Many libraries cover the same ground but they are separate packages Note 7Registered packages cover signal and optimization work Note 8ATOMS modules cover signal and control Modeling Simulink block-diagram modeling Note 9ModelingToolkit offers equation-based modeling; no block diagrams Note 10Xcos builds block diagrams but does not open .slx files Interface Live scripts with code and output Note 11No .mlx live scripts Note 12Jupyter notebooks; not .mlx files Note 13Pluto and Jupyter notebooks; not .mlx files Output 2D and 3D plotting Note 142D and 3D plots with fewer options than MATLAB Note 15matplotlib and other libraries Note 16Plots.jl and Makie need packages and setup Note 172D and 3D plots Deployment App building with GUIs Note 18Basic GUI controls; no App Designer Note 19Tkinter and Qt; web frameworks for dashboards Note 20Web and GUI packages exist; no App Designer Note 21Scripted GUI controls Code generation for C, C++ and HDL Note 22Cython and Numba compile Python; no C or HDL generation Parity score 36% 57% 50% 43%
GNU Octave, Matrix computing and numerical analysis: Syntax is largely compatible with MATLAB Python, Matrix computing and numerical analysis: NumPy arrays and SciPy Julia, Matrix computing and numerical analysis: Arrays and linear algebra are built in Scilab, Matrix computing and numerical analysis: Matrix language with its own syntax GNU Octave, Domain toolboxes (signal, control, statistics): Octave Forge packages for signal and control; fewer than MathWorks toolboxes Python, Domain toolboxes (signal, control, statistics): Many libraries cover the same ground but they are separate packages Julia, Domain toolboxes (signal, control, statistics): Registered packages cover signal and optimization work Scilab, Domain toolboxes (signal, control, statistics): ATOMS modules cover signal and control Julia, Simulink block-diagram modeling: ModelingToolkit offers equation-based modeling; no block diagrams Scilab, Simulink block-diagram modeling: Xcos builds block diagrams but does not open .slx files GNU Octave, Live scripts with code and output: No .mlx live scripts Python, Live scripts with code and output: Jupyter notebooks; not .mlx files Julia, Live scripts with code and output: Pluto and Jupyter notebooks; not .mlx files GNU Octave, 2D and 3D plotting: 2D and 3D plots with fewer options than MATLAB Python, 2D and 3D plotting: matplotlib and other libraries Julia, 2D and 3D plotting: Plots.jl and Makie need packages and setup Scilab, 2D and 3D plotting: 2D and 3D plots GNU Octave, App building with GUIs: Basic GUI controls; no App Designer Python, App building with GUIs: Tkinter and Qt; web frameworks for dashboards Julia, App building with GUIs: Web and GUI packages exist; no App Designer Scilab, App building with GUIs: Scripted GUI controls Python, Code generation for C, C++ and HDL: Cython and Numba compile Python; no C or HDL generation Not covered by any free alternative yet: Domain toolboxes (signal, control, statistics), Simulink block-diagram modeling, Live scripts with code and output, App building with GUIs, Code generation for C, C++ and HDL. See all feature gaps
File formats Can each alternative open and save MATLAB files?
Opening and saving MATLAB files Format GNU Octave Python Julia Scilab .m Note 1Runs most scripts; some toolbox functions and newer syntax are missing Note 2Python cannot run MATLAB code Note 3Cannot run MATLAB code Note 4A translator converts MATLAB scripts to Scilab code .mat Note 5Reads and writes MAT files; some MATLAB object types such as tables do not carry over Note 6Through scipy.io for older files and h5py for v7.3 files Note 7Through the MAT.jl package Note 8Loads and saves MAT files for common data types .slx Note 9No Simulink support Note 10No Simulink support Note 11No Simulink support Note 12Xcos does not open Simulink models .mlx Note 13No live script support Note 14No MATLAB live script support Note 15No live script support Note 16No live script support .csv Note 17Through the CSV.jl package .xlsx Note 18Through the io package from Octave Forge Note 19Through pandas with openpyxl Note 20Through the XLSX.jl package Note 21Imports Excel sheets
GNU Octave, .m: Runs most scripts; some toolbox functions and newer syntax are missing Python, .m: Python cannot run MATLAB code Julia, .m: Cannot run MATLAB code Scilab, .m: A translator converts MATLAB scripts to Scilab code GNU Octave, .mat: Reads and writes MAT files; some MATLAB object types such as tables do not carry over Python, .mat: Through scipy.io for older files and h5py for v7.3 files Julia, .mat: Through the MAT.jl package Scilab, .mat: Loads and saves MAT files for common data types GNU Octave, .slx: No Simulink support Python, .slx: No Simulink support Julia, .slx: No Simulink support Scilab, .slx: Xcos does not open Simulink models GNU Octave, .mlx: No live script support Python, .mlx: No MATLAB live script support Julia, .mlx: No live script support Scilab, .mlx: No live script support Julia, .csv: Through the CSV.jl package GNU Octave, .xlsx: Through the io package from Octave Forge Python, .xlsx: Through pandas with openpyxl Julia, .xlsx: Through the XLSX.jl package Scilab, .xlsx: Imports Excel sheets Switching saves about $940 USD / ≈$1,340 CAD (estimated from the USD price) a year. Prices checked Oct 7, 2026 ; ≈ means converted from USD.
Based on Standard individual, annual license. Price source . USD to CAD at 1.4257 as of Oct 7, 2026.
MATLAB is a product of MathWorks, named here for comparison only. Platforms listed for MATLAB: Windows, macOS, Linux, Web.