SPSS .sav · Stata .dta · in your browser
Open and convert statistical data files without the software.
statfile.tools reads SPSS .sav and Stata .dta files right in your browser — data, variable labels, value labels and all — then exports to CSV, Excel, or JSON. No upload, no licence, no account.
Files are processed on your device — nothing is uploaded
| # | idnum | agenum | gendernum | regionnum | employednum | incomenum | satisfnum | survey_datedate | commentstr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1001 | 34 | Woman | North | Yes | 4200 | Satisfied | 2024-06-03 | Happy with local parks |
| 2 | 1002 | 51 | Man | East | Yes | 5600 | Neutral | 2024-06-04 | Commute could be better |
| 3 | 1003 | 27 | Non-binary | South | No | 1800 | Dissatisfied | 2024-06-05 | Looking for work |
| 4 | 1004 | 42 | Woman | West | Yes | 3900 | Very satisfied | 2024-06-06 | Great community centre |
| 5 | 1005 | 63 | Man | North | No | 2100 | Neutral | 2024-06-07 | · |
| 6 | 1006 | 38 | Woman | South | Yes | 4750 | Satisfied | 2024-06-08 | More bike lanes please |
| 7 | 1007 | 29 | Man | East | Yes | 3300 | Satisfied | 2024-06-09 | Library is excellent |
| 8 | 1008 | 45 | Prefer not to say | West | Yes | 6100 | Very satisfied | 2024-06-10 | Very satisfied overall |
| 9 | 1009 | 31 | Woman | South | No | · | Dissatisfied | 2024-06-11 | Housing is expensive |
| 10 | 1010 | 57 | Man | North | Yes | 4400 | Neutral | 2024-06-12 | Neutral on most things |
| 11 | 1011 | 23 | Non-binary | East | No | 900 | Very dissatisfied | 2024-06-13 | Just moved here |
| 12 | 1012 | 49 | Woman | West | Yes | 5200 | Satisfied | 2024-06-14 | Schools are good |
Switch to Variable View to inspect every label and value set — just like SPSS, but nothing leaves your machine.
Your data never leaves the browser
Most online converters upload your file to a server. statfile.tools doesn't. The parser is JavaScript that runs entirely on your device, which makes it safe for confidential, IRB-governed, or otherwise restricted research data. Turn off your Wi-Fi after the page loads and it still works.
- No file upload — parsing happens client-side
- No account, no email, no watermark
- No file-size cap from an upload step
- Open source formats, faithfully decoded
Three tools, one engine
Everything you need for a .sav or .dta file
File viewer
Open a file and explore it as a familiar data grid, with a Variable View for every label, type, and value set.
Open a fileConverter
Export to CSV, Excel, or JSON. Choose whether to write value labels, format dates, and use labels as headers.
Convert a fileCodebook generator
Produce a clean data dictionary — every variable, its label, value labels, and summary statistics — as Markdown.
Build a codebookPopular conversions
Convert in one drag-and-drop
Built from the format up
The readers are written from scratch against the published SPSS and Stata specifications — not a thin wrapper around a server install. That means correct handling of compressed .sav files, both old and new .dta layouts, UTF-8 text, declared missing values, and the two formats' different date origins.
.sav
SPSS, compressed & plain
.zsav
SPSS, zlib-compressed
.dta
Stata 8 – 18+
labels
Variable & value labels
Guides
Learn the formats
How to open a .sav file
You have been sent a .sav file and you do not have SPSS. This is the single most common question people ask about statistical data files, and the good news is you can read the whole thing — data, variable labels, and value labels — in your browser right now.
Read guideHow to open a .dta file
A .dta file is a Stata dataset, and like SPSS's .sav format it is proprietary. If you have received one but do not own Stata, you can still open it, read its labels, and export the data without installing anything.
Read guideSPSS .sav vs Stata .dta
SPSS .sav and Stata .dta files solve the same problem in similar ways: both store a rectangular dataset together with the labels and metadata that give it meaning. The differences are in the details, and they matter when you are converting between them.
Read guideHow to open a .sav file in R
R reads SPSS files well — the modern route is the haven package, which preserves variable labels and value labels as attributes. Here is the short version, what the labelled columns mean, and a no-install fallback when you just need to see the data.
Read guideHow to read a .dta file in Python
Python has two solid readers for Stata files: pandas' built-in read_stata() and the pyreadstat library, which exposes more metadata. Here is how to use each, how to keep the labels, and a browser-based fallback for quick looks.
Read guideHow to open a .sav file in Excel
Excel has no built-in support for SPSS files: double-clicking a .sav shows gibberish or an import error. The practical route is a quick conversion to .xlsx — and if you do it with a tool that understands SPSS metadata, you keep the labels instead of a wall of numeric codes.
Read guideFrequently asked questions
Is statfile.tools really free?+
Yes. Opening, viewing, and converting files is free with no account and no watermark. Because parsing happens in your browser, there are no per-file server costs for ordinary datasets.
Do you upload my .sav or .dta file anywhere?+
No. The file is read locally by JavaScript and never transmitted to a server. This makes statfile.tools appropriate for confidential or IRB-restricted research data.
Which formats are supported?+
SPSS .sav and .zsav files (compressed and uncompressed), and Stata .dta files from the legacy binary versions through the modern XML-based versions (Stata 8 to 18 and later). Variable labels, value labels, dates, and missing values are handled.
Do I need SPSS or Stata installed?+
No. The whole point is to read and convert these files without owning either program. Nothing is installed — it runs in any modern browser.
Drop in a file and see for yourself
No sign-up. No upload. Open a .sav or .dta file and it renders instantly.