Is there a free alternative to MATLAB?

Yes. The 2 free alternatives are GNU Octave (open source, GPL-3.0) and JupyterLab (open source, BSD-3-Clause).

How much does MATLAB cost?

MATLAB's Individual License (annual) plan costs $87.50 a month, which is $1,050 a year (annual license). Source: the official pricing page at mathworks.com, checked Oct 17, 2026.

Which MATLAB alternatives run on Linux?

GNU Octave (Arch extra: octave; Flathub: org.octave.Octave) and JupyterLab (web app).

Can you self-host a MATLAB alternative?

Yes. JupyterLab runs on your own server. GNU Octave is a desktop app.

Are these MATLAB alternatives open source?

Yes. All 2 use OSI-approved open-source licenses: GNU Octave (GPL-3.0) and JupyterLab (BSD-3-Clause).

Free alternatives to MATLAB

Swap MATLAB for GNU Octave or JupyterLab and stop paying $1,050/yr.

2open source2run on Linux1in Arch/AUR1self-hostable

Prices and project data checked Oct 17, 2026 · How we check

$1,050/yr Individual License (annual) Verified on mathworks.com, Oct 17, 2026

2 alternatives

GNU Octave

Desktop app About GNU Octave →

Open source · GPL-3.0 Linux Arch/AUR

gnu-octave/octave663★last push Oct 2, 2026checked Oct 17, 2026

Install

$ sudo pacman -S octave

$ flatpak install flathub org.octave.Octave

JupyterLab

Web app About JupyterLab →

Open source · BSD-3-Clause Linux Self-hostable

jupyterlab/jupyterlab15.4k★last push Oct 12, 2026checked Oct 17, 2026

Get it

Download it from jupyter.org.

At a glance

Free alternatives to MATLAB compared
Alternative	License	Linux	AUR	Self-host	Stars
GNU Octave	GPL-3.0 open source	Yes	Yes	No	663★
JupyterLab	BSD-3-Clause open source	Yes	—	Yes	15.4k★

MATLAB alternatives: questions

Is there a free alternative to MATLAB?: Yes. The 2 free alternatives are GNU Octave (open source, GPL-3.0) and JupyterLab (open source, BSD-3-Clause).
How much does MATLAB cost?: MATLAB's Individual License (annual) plan costs $87.50 a month, which is $1,050 a year (annual license). Source: the official pricing page at mathworks.com, checked Oct 17, 2026.
Which MATLAB alternatives run on Linux?: GNU Octave (Arch extra: octave; Flathub: org.octave.Octave) and JupyterLab (web app).
Can you self-host a MATLAB alternative?: Yes. JupyterLab runs on your own server. GNU Octave is a desktop app.
Are these MATLAB alternatives open source?: Yes. All 2 use OSI-approved open-source licenses: GNU Octave (GPL-3.0) and JupyterLab (BSD-3-Clause).

Built or know a better alternative to MATLAB? Suggest it free, or get it featured on this page.

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