Restricted to a maximum of 16 observed variables for SEM.
Historically, a free Student Edition of LISREL (including version 8.8) has been available. While free, it is limited in scope: lisrel 8.8 free download
: A fully functional version of the commercial software available for evaluation purposes. Compatibility Restricted to a maximum of 16 observed variables for SEM
No. A common myth is that software becomes “abandonware” and therefore legal to download if the company no longer sells that specific version. Copyright does not expire after a software version is discontinued. SSI still holds the copyright and continues to sell licenses for legacy versions upon request. Abandonware has no legal standing in most jurisdictions, including the US and EU. Compatibility No
Scientific Software International (SSI), the developer of LISREL, typically provides two official "free" paths:
| Software | Platform | SEM Features | Syntax Similarity to LISREL | |----------|----------|-------------|-----------------------------| | (packages: lavaan, sem, OpenMx) | Windows/Mac/Linux | Full CFA, SEM, growth curves, mixture models. | lavaan uses intuitive formula syntax (different from LISREL but easier). | | JASP | Windows/Mac/Linux | GUI-based SEM module. | No syntax required. | | Jamovi (SEMLj module) | Windows/Mac/Linux | User-friendly; produces LISREL-like output tables. | None (point-and-click). | | Onyx | Windows/Mac | Designed for SEM; imports LISREL data formats. | Minimal. | | MxGUI (legacy) | Windows | Old but similar matrix language to LISREL. | Very similar to LISREL syntax. |