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Best Free Alternatives to Altova XMLSpy 2026
Stop paying $649 (Professional) / $1,299+ (Enterprise). Discover professional-grade tools that won't break your budget.
Category: XML & JSON DevelopmentVerified for 2025
Top Recommended Replacements
VS Code (XML by Red Hat)
FREETop Modern Free Alternative
Why we like it
Industry-standard validation using the LemMinX server; support for XML catalogs and XSD 1.1; massive ecosystem for XSLT and XPath; cross-platform (Windows, Mac, Linux).
Keep in mind
Lacks a graphical drag-and-drop 'Schema Design' view; requires manual configuration for complex enterprise workflows.
XML Copy Editor
FREEBest for Pure Validation
Why we like it
Incredibly fast and lightweight; standalone (no Java/Electron bloat); professional validation for DTD, XSD, and Schematron; updated for 2025 compatibility.
Keep in mind
Lacks advanced visual modeling and AI features; strictly a 'technical' editor without graphical aids.
BaseX
FREEBest for Big Data & XQuery
Why we like it
High-performance XML database and processor; superior XQuery 3.1 support; includes a visual GUI for exploring large XML structures; excellent for data analysis.
Keep in mind
Focused more on data processing/querying than on 'Schema Authoring' or UI-based XSD design.
EditiX (Open Source Edition)
FREEBest Graphical FOSS Choice
Why we like it
Now 100% open-source; provides a visual schema editor similar to XMLSpy; includes XSLT debuggers and project management tools.
Keep in mind
Java-based UI can feel slightly dated; community support is smaller than VS Code's.
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