PyCharm vs. Spyder

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
PyCharm
Score 9.3 out of 10
N/A
According to the vendor, PyCharm is an extensive Integrated Development Environment (IDE) specifically designed for Python developers. Its arsenal includes intelligent code completion, error detection, and rapid problem-solving features, all of which aim to bolster efficiency. The product endeavors to support programmers in composing orderly and easily maintainable code by offering PEP8 checks, testing assistance, intelligent refactorings, and inspections. Moreover, it caters to web…
$9.90
per month per user
Spyder
Score 8.7 out of 10
N/A
Spyder is a free and open source scientific environment for Python. It combines advanced editing, analysis, debugging, and profiling, with data exploration, interactive execution, deep inspection, and visualization capabilities. Spyder is sponsored by open source supporters QuanSight, and NumFOCUS, as well as individual donors.
$0
per month
Pricing
PyCharmSpyder
Editions & Modules
For Individuals
$99
per year per user
All Products Pack for Organizations
$249
per year per user
All Products Pack for Individuals
$289
per year per user
For Organizations
$779
per year per user
No answers on this topic
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
PyCharmSpyder
Free Trial
YesNo
Free/Freemium Version
NoYes
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional Details
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
PyCharmSpyder
Considered Both Products
PyCharm
Chose PyCharm
I preferred PyCharm because of its debugging capabilities, plus it has a built-in git versioning tool that helps teams to collaborate. I like the UI of this IDE, and it makes development very simple and enjoyable. PyCharm has helped in reducing development time because of its …
Chose PyCharm
PyCharm is probably the best IDE for Python, whether it is Web or Machine Learning as in the cases I witnessed so far. It has much variety in terms of functionality, such as auto code completion, data type illustration, git visualization, package management (pip), code history …
Spyder
Chose Spyder
First of all, for PyCharm, the layout is better than Spyder from my own experience and interaction. However, Spyder can allow you to arrange the layout by yourself but the layout for PyCharm is fixed. Second, if you choose PyCharm Professional, you need to pay an annual fee to …
Chose Spyder
For PyCharm, if you choose the professional edition, you will have to pay an annual fee for it. Even your company is allowing those expenses. You might find it is still not worth it to pay for that since you can get a free community version for free or the Spyder for free.
Chose Spyder
Everyone advised me at first to use Spyder because it is very easy to use and because it has a simple and easy user interface, and it is easy through it to learn the basics, also because it does not take up much space on the device, and the CPU remains in a normal state
Chose Spyder
I think Spyder doesn't stack up as well as other IDEs due to its many limitations. But it is available for free and that is one advantage it has over its competitors.
Top Pros
Top Cons
TrustRadius Insights
PyCharmSpyder
Highlights

TrustRadius
Research Team Insight
Published

PyCharm and Spyder are both Integrated Development Environments (IDE) designed to facilitate the programming process.  PyCharm specialized in the Python programming language and is popular with mid-sized and large enterprises, due to its robust feature set and premium pricing.  In contrast, Spyder supports multiple programming languages and is used by businesses of all sizes, perhaps because it is open source and available for free. 

Features

Both PyCharm and Spyder include essential IDE features including debugging tools and code editors, but they also have a few unique features that set them apart from each other.

PyCharm was built with the Python programming language in mind, though it also has support for some other languages, including JavaScript, HTML, and CSS.  Additionally, PyCharm users enjoy a library of code snippets and templates that can speed up the programming process.  Lastly, PyCharm allows for high levels of customization for how it handles things like syntax highlighting and code completion.

Spyder offers robust debugging tools that allow users to quickly edit variables and breakpoint conditions to speed up the debugging process.  Additionally, Spyder provides a global variable explorer that allows users to easily assess and edit the state of each variable in their code.  Spyder is also a lightweight program out of the box compared to other IDE options.

Limitations

PyCharm and Spyder both offer essential IDE features, but they also have a few limitations that are important to consider.

PyCharm is a heavy program due to the variety of plugins included with it, so businesses looking for the lightest, fastest IDE may want to consider other options.  Additionally, PyCharm has extensive support for Python, but does not offer the same level of support for other programming languages.  This can make it a poor choice for organizations that don’t work primarily with Python. 

Spyder is a lightweight program, but the lack of plugins and customizability can make it more difficult to use compared to PyCharm for new users.  Businesses looking for an IDE that is customizable from top to bottom may prefer PyCharm.  Additionally, Spyder doesn’t include a library of code snippets like PyCharm does, which can make coding slower compared to other options.

Pricing

PyCharm is available for $199.00 per month, though there is a free option available for student users.  In contrast, Spyder is open-source and available for free.

Best Alternatives
PyCharmSpyder
Small Businesses
IntelliJ IDEA
IntelliJ IDEA
Score 9.3 out of 10
PyCharm
PyCharm
Score 9.3 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
IntelliJ IDEA
IntelliJ IDEA
Score 9.3 out of 10
PyCharm
PyCharm
Score 9.3 out of 10
Enterprises
IntelliJ IDEA
IntelliJ IDEA
Score 9.3 out of 10
PyCharm
PyCharm
Score 9.3 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
PyCharmSpyder
Likelihood to Recommend
9.8
(38 ratings)
9.9
(6 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
10.0
(1 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Support Rating
8.3
(13 ratings)
8.0
(2 ratings)
User Testimonials
PyCharmSpyder
Likelihood to Recommend
JetBrains
It's easy to create virtual environments and install packages for different projects as we may need project-specific packages for doing our experiments, also it's easy to see what changes we have made and create pull requests faster. But sometimes we want some light python editor like Jupiter notebook as PyCharm is relatively heavier, also Jupiter notebooks are a good option when we need to run remote code on local machines.
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Open Source
Spyder is an open-source Python IDE designed for the movement of data science work. Spyder comes with an Anaconda package manager distribution, so depending on your setup you may have installed it on your machine.
Spyder includes most of the "standard IDE" features you can expect, such as a strong syntax code editor, Python code rendering, and an integrated text browser.
Spyder is used when we want to develop a code that is useful and able to explore proper documentation of the code that has been written. We use Spyder to perform data-related operations like filtration, cleaning, and enhancing the data qualities. There some cases where it is less appropriate like working in an environment, creating dashboards of data visualizations and plots.
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Pros
JetBrains
  • Git integration is really essential as it allows anyone to visually see the local and remote changes, compare revisions without the need for complex commands.
  • Complex debugging tools are basked into the IDE. Controls like break on exception are sometimes very helpful to identify errors quickly.
  • Multiple runtimes - Python, Flask, Django, Docker are native the to IDE. This makes development and debugging and even more seamless.
  • Integrates with Jupyter and Markdown files as well. Side by side rendering and editing makes it simple to develop such files.
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Open Source
  • Debugging of your existing code
  • Generates figures very quickly as part of a figures tab which lets users understand results quickly
  • Different layouts are available for the software which will give the users freedom to decide what layout works best for them
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Cons
JetBrains
  • The biggest complaint I have about PyCharm is that it can use a lot of RAM which slows down the computer / IDE. I use the paid version, and have otherwise found nothing to complain about the interface, utility, and capabilities.
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Open Source
  • Colors in code format
  • Add a broadcast to share the project with friends
  • Contains more than one important language such as Python
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Likelihood to Renew
JetBrains
It's perfect for our needs, cuts development time, is really helpful for newbies to understand projects structure
Read full review
Open Source
No answers on this topic
Support Rating
JetBrains
I rate 10/10 because I have never needed a direct customer support from the JetBrains so far. Whenever and for whatever kind of problems I came across, I have been able to resolve it within the internet community, simply by Googling because turns out most of the time, it was me who lacked the proper information to use the IDE or simply make the proper configuration. I have never came across a bug in PyCharm either so it deserves 10/10 for overall support
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Open Source
Most of data scientists or data engineers are either using ec2 on the cloud or Atom or PyCharm locally. It is a bit hard to find people who are still using Spyder and have the sight of the IDE and can help you to answer your question.
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Alternatives Considered
JetBrains
PyCharm is the best IDE for python development. PyCharm offers various features: source code completion, support for unit testing, integration with Docker/GitLab/Git, ability to manage and configure virtual environments, auto-indentation, and re-factoring code with ease. Support for JSON/Shell scripts and support for Flask/Django Other tools are effective for creating isolated scripts but not for handling projects with more than two scripts.
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Open Source
I think Spyder doesn't stack up as well as other IDEs due to its many limitations. But it is available for free and that is one advantage it has over its competitors
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Return on Investment
JetBrains
  • Buying the licensed pro version is a bit costly, but overall because of its features and its speed, the time taken by a developer to develop something can be improved. Indirectly getting a good return of Investment.
  • Considering the team size and its features, one can go for the licensed version as the ROI is high.
  • Customer support is also good for a licensed version, thereby saving the time, which in turn shows ROI as high.
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Open Source
  • Easy to use.
  • Quick switch from R.
  • Hard to manage env.
Read full review
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