From AMOS to Explonia
You draw the same path diagram in the browser, run CFA or CB-SEM with the same maximum-likelihood estimation, and get the same fit indices — without a Windows machine or a separate SPSS licence. You can still export your data as .sav, which AMOS reads.
How your AMOS workflow maps to Explonia
AMOS is a graphical SEM tool: you draw rectangles for observed variables, ellipses for latent factors, and arrows for paths, then read the standardized estimates and fit indices. Explonia keeps that visual workflow but moves it into the browser, so the steps map directly:
Why people move off AMOS
AMOS is Windows-only, has a graphical interface, and is sold separately from SPSS (it is an add-on, not part of base SPSS). For Mac and Linux users that usually means a virtual machine, and for teams it means another licence. The diagram and the data also live apart from where the data was collected.
Explonia removes the operating-system and licence constraints: it runs in any modern browser, and the survey, the data and the model are in one place.
How Explonia does it
You build the latent variables, attach indicators and draw paths on a canvas, then run with maximum likelihood (with MLR available for non-normal data). Explonia reports the same fit indices AMOS does — chi-square, CFI, TLI, RMSEA with its confidence interval, and SRMR — plus reliability, AVE and HTMT. CB-SEM uses the same maximum-likelihood estimator as AMOS, and the results are checked against the R gold standard, with nearly all values matching to three decimals (validation). When you are ready to write up, the “Article description” drafts a first APA paragraph from your own estimates.
Nothing is locked in: Explonia exports your data as .sav for AMOS/SPSS, plus R/lavaan syntax, so you can keep using AMOS alongside it.
Reference table
| In AMOS | In Explonia |
|---|---|
| Draw an ellipse (latent) with observed indicators | Add a latent variable and attach its indicators |
| Draw a single-headed arrow (regression path) | Draw a path arrow between variables |
| Draw a double-headed arrow (covariance) | Draw a two-headed link between variables |
| Calculate estimates (ML) | Run with ML (or MLR for non-normal data) |
| Read CMIN/df, CFI, RMSEA from the output | Read chi-square/df, CFI, RMSEA on screen |
Frequently asked questions
Can I open my AMOS data in Explonia, or Explonia data in AMOS?
Explonia exports your dataset as an SPSS .sav file, which AMOS reads directly. There is no automatic import of an AMOS .amw diagram file, so you rebuild the model on the canvas — usually a few minutes for a typical CFA — and then run it.
Do I still need SPSS or Windows?
No. Explonia runs in the browser on any operating system and does not require SPSS or the AMOS add-on. If you also use SPSS, Explonia exports .sav and a codebook so you can keep working there.
Are the fit indices the same as AMOS?
Yes — chi-square (with degrees of freedom), CFI, TLI, RMSEA with its confidence interval, and SRMR. Estimation is maximum likelihood, with a robust (MLR) option for non-normal data. Results are checked against the R gold standard, with nearly all values matching to three decimals.
How to cite this page
If this page helped your research, you can cite it (APA 7):
Szymkowiak, A. (2026). AMOS to Explonia: SEM Without Windows. Explonia. https://explonia.com/migrate/amos-to-explonia/
Last updated: June 2026
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