The established free EEG tools are open source and academic in origin: EEGLAB, FieldTrip and Brainstorm in the MATLAB world (Brainstorm also runs standalone), and MNE-Python in Python. They are mature, well documented and widely cited. Their cost is time: MATLAB licensing for the MATLAB tools, and scripting for anything beyond the built-in interfaces, especially the machine-learning half of a study.
BCILattice is free in a different way. It is not open source, and it has a free plan that is not a time-limited trial, covering complete studies through a graphical interface.
The free options
| Tool | Needs | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| EEGLAB | MATLAB (or its compiled version) | ERP and ICA workflows, plugins, methods cited against it |
| FieldTrip | MATLAB, scripting | Advanced statistics and source analysis |
| Brainstorm | MATLAB or standalone | Source imaging with a graphical workflow |
| MNE-Python | Python, scripting | Programmable analysis across EEG, MEG and fNIRS |
| BCILattice (free plan) | Windows, macOS or Linux; no coding | Decoding studies end to end: analysis, model training and honest evaluation |
What the BCILattice free plan includes
Paid plans raise the study and storage limits and add team, clinical and enterprise features. See pricing.
Two studies
Complete studies, not a demo, with the full Analysis Suite.
Nearly every ML block
Every block on the ML canvas except Custom Code, which runs arbitrary Python, is free. Domain adaptation, deep architectures and evaluation are included.
Commercial use allowed
Every plan, including Free, allows commercial use. It is research software, not a medical device.
Runs offline
Analysis and training run on your machine, and nothing is uploaded unless you publish.
Extensions
The free curated shelf of extension packages, including Braindecode, MOABB, MNE-ICALabel and Autoreject.
Exports
Results export in standard formats on every plan.
Questions
What is the best free EEG analysis software?
It depends on your work. EEGLAB suits ERP and ICA workflows in MATLAB, MNE-Python suits programmers, Brainstorm and FieldTrip suit source analysis, and BCILattice's free plan suits decoding and machine-learning studies without code.
Is BCILattice free?
BCILattice has a free plan (not a trial) covering two studies with the full analysis suite and every ML block except Custom Code. It is not open source.
Is there free EEG software without MATLAB?
Yes. MNE-Python is free and Python-based, Brainstorm has a standalone version, and BCILattice is a desktop application with no MATLAB or Python required.
Can I use free EEG software commercially?
Check each licence. BCILattice allows commercial use on every plan including Free, except clinical diagnosis or patient care, since it is not a medical device.
Read the reference
Related
EEG Analysis Tools Compared
The honest answer to "which EEG tool should I use" is that they solve different problems. Here is what each is strongest at, and where BCILattice fits.
No-Code EEG Analysis and Machine Learning
A complete EEG study, from filtering through a cross-validated deep model, as visual steps you can inspect. Python stays available for the cases where you want it.
EEGLAB Alternative for EEG Decoding and ML
EEGLAB is excellent at what it was built for. If your work has moved toward classifiers, deep models and cross-subject evaluation, BCILattice picks up where EEGLAB stops, and it reads your .set files.
MNE-Python Alternative with a Graphical Interface
MNE-Python is a library, and the best one for scripted EEG analysis. BCILattice is an application built on the same stack, for when you would rather click through a study than program it.