I want to…
You have a set of things — products, regions, quarters — and you want to show how they stack up against each other. Bars are the honest default; the variants below handle long labels, rankings, two-way comparisons and targets.
The everyday comparison. Bars grow from zero so the differences read true.
Long category names, or a ranked top-N list sorted high to low.
Two series side by side — before vs after, this year vs last.
A lighter, cleaner take on ranked values for minimal decks.
Values that split two ways — agree vs disagree, gain vs loss.
A single value measured against a target or threshold.
I want to…
When the x-axis is time, the shape of the trend is the message. Lines and areas draw the curve; a bar chart race animates a ranking shifting across the years.
I want to…
You want to show composition — how a total splits up, or how the mix changes. Keep the number of parts small so each slice or segment stays legible.
I want to…
Sometimes the story isn't a single value but how things connect or where they sit relative to each other.
I want to…
When one figure is the whole story, don't bury it in a chart — give it the frame. These make a number the hero, or show progress toward a target.
I want to…
These narrative charts don't just report a number — they explain the why, the drop-off, or the sequence. Most don't exist in a spreadsheet at all.
FAQ
Reaching for a pie or donut when there are too many slices, or using a line chart for categories that aren't ordered in time. Match the chart to the job: comparison → bars, trend over time → line, one number → counter.
Use a bar chart to compare distinct categories (products, regions, quarters as buckets). Use a line chart when the x-axis is continuous time and the trend between points matters.
Only for parts of a whole with a few clearly different slices (ideally 2–5). If slices are similar in size or there are many of them, a bar chart is easier to read.
A waterfall (bridge) chart. It starts at an opening value, steps through each gain and loss, and lands on the closing value — ideal for revenue bridges and P&L walks.
An animated number counter. It counts up to the figure with an optional prefix, suffix and trend arrow, giving a single metric the weight a full chart would dilute.