You have data. You need a chart. But which one? Choosing the wrong chart type can mislead your audience or hide the insight you are trying to show. Here is when to use each major chart type. Skip the code: upload your file and we tell you what it means and make the right chart for you, calculated from your actual data.
Use when: You want to compare values across categories.
Keep in mind: Sort bars by value for easier comparison. Limit to 10-15 categories. Use horizontal bars when category labels are long.
Use when: You want to show how a value changes over time.
Keep in mind: Lines imply continuity. Don't use line charts for categorical data. Multiple lines work for comparing trends, but limit to 4-5 lines to stay readable.
Use when: You want to see if two continuous variables are related.
Keep in mind: Each dot is one data point. Patterns (clusters, trends, outliers) tell the story. Add a trend line to make the relationship clearer.
Use when: You want to show values in a table where color intensity represents the value.
Keep in mind: Use a clear color scale. Add value labels for precision. Heatmaps work best with 5-20 cells in each dimension.
Use when: You want to show the distribution of a variable, especially across groups.
Keep in mind: The box shows the middle 50% of data. The line inside is the median. Dots outside the whiskers are outliers. Box plots are great for comparing distributions side by side.
Use when: You want to show how a whole is divided into parts, with nested categories.
Keep in mind: Size represents proportion. Color can add a second dimension (like growth rate). Works best with 10-50 items.
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