PlotNerd vs. GraphPad Prism
Why pay $600/year for simple box plots? Discover the free, privacy-focused alternative that runs right in your browser.
At a Glance Comparison
| Feature | PlotNerd | GraphPad Prism |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free (Forever) | $600+ / year |
| Installation | None (Web-based) | Desktop Install (Huge) |
| Quartile Algorithms | 4 Methods (Toggle) | Single Default |
| Outlier Detection | IQR + MAD (Robust) | ROUT + Grubb's |
| Privacy | 100% Client-Side | Cloud / Local |
| Learning Curve | Instant (Zero training) | Steep |
1. The Cost Factor: Free vs. Expensive
GraphPad Prism is an industry standard for biomedical research, and it charges accordingly. For students, teachers, or researchers who just need to generate a quick box plot or check for outliers, paying $600+ per year is overkill.
PlotNerd is completely free. We believe that basic statistical tools should be accessible to everyone. We monetize through non-intrusive ads, keeping the core tool free for education and research.
2. The "Black Box" Problem
When you make a box plot in Prism (or Excel, or SPSS), the software chooses a quartile calculation method for you. You often don't know which method it's using.
PlotNerd is transparent. We explicitly let you toggle between:
- Tukey Hinges: The standard "textbook" method. (Learn more)
- Excel (QUARTILE.INC): Matches Excel's inclusive method.
- R/Python (Type 7): The data science standard. (See comparison)
- WolframAlpha: Matches the computational engine's logic.
This makes PlotNerd superior for teaching and verifying results across different platforms. Read our Ultimate Guide to Quartile Algorithms to understand the math behind these differences.
3. Accessibility & Privacy
Prism requires a heavy desktop installation and license management. PlotNerd runs instantly in any browserβperfect for Chromebooks in classrooms.
More importantly, PlotNerd is privacy-first. Your data never leaves your browser. All calculations are performed locally using JavaScript. This makes it COPPA-compliant and safe for sensitive data that you don't want to upload to a cloud server.