Animated Fundraising Thermometer Generator
A tube and bulb fill toward your goal, the fundraising-thermometer classic. Export MP4, GIF, PNG or SVG.
Free to try · No design skills · Ready in about two minutes
Overview
What is a fundraising thermometer?
A fundraising thermometer is a single-metric chart that shows progress toward a fixed goal as liquid filling a tube and bulb, the same visual language as an actual thermometer. The current value sets the fill height, the goal sets the top of the tube, and the fraction filled is the fraction of the goal reached — so a campaign at 68% of its target shows a tube that's visibly two-thirds full, which reads faster than a percentage or a progress bar to a general audience.
It's built for exactly one job: making a single number's distance from its goal viscerally obvious. That's why it's the standard for fundraising and donation campaigns specifically, but the same shape works for any single metric with a hard target — an OKR, a waitlist goal, a membership drive, a pre-order count.
Because it's a single-value format, it doesn't compare across categories or show a trend over time. Once the campaign is over, or once there's more than one goal to track at once, a KPI scorecard or a bar chart takes over.
How it works
How a fundraising thermometer works
One value (the current amount) is compared against one goal (the target). The fill height, as a fraction of the tube's total height, equals the current value divided by the goal, clamped so it never overflows past the top.
Reochart animates the number counting up and the liquid rising together, landing at the same moment, so the two reinforce each other instead of the number feeling disconnected from the visual.
Examples
Example fundraising thermometers
Real charts made in Reochart, each with its own data and theme. They animate automatically as you scroll.
Good fit
When to use a fundraising thermometer
- ✓A fundraising or donation campaign tracking toward a goal
- ✓An OKR or quarterly target that needs a visual, not just a number
- ✓A membership drive, waitlist, or signup campaign with a fixed target
Reach for something else
When not to use a fundraising thermometer
- ✕You need to compare several metrics or goals at once, a KPI scorecard shows several side by side.
- ✕There's no fixed target, a thermometer's whole premise is measuring distance from a known goal.
- ✕You want to show progress over time rather than a single snapshot, a line or area chart shows the trajectory.
- ✕The audience needs precise intermediate values, not just "how close are we," a simple progress bar with printed milestones may read more precisely.
Compare
Thermometer chart vs other charts
Thermometer vs the alternatives for goal tracking.
| Chart type | Best for | Avoid when |
|---|---|---|
| Thermometer | One value against one goal, warm and familiar tone | Multiple goals need tracking side by side |
| Radial gauge | One value against one goal, dashboard tone | You want the fundraising-specific visual language |
| KPI scorecard | Several metrics with deltas, at once | Only one single value/goal pair matters |
| Bullet chart | Actual vs target for several KPIs, compactly | One hero metric deserves a full, prominent visual |
Your data
What data you need
Just one row: a label and the current value, plus a goal set separately as the target to fill toward. Add a prefix like "$" for currency.
| Label | Value | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| raised so far | 1,350,000 | 2,000,000 |
Step by step
How to make a fundraising thermometer
Drop your numbers in, or import a CSV.
Choose the chart, theme and animation speed.
Tune colours, labels and add your brand.
Download MP4, GIF, PNG or SVG.
Best practices
Get it right
- ✓Set an accurate, meaningful goal, that's what makes the fill percentage mean anything.
- ✓Update the value regularly if it's tracking a live campaign, a stale thermometer loses trust fast.
- ✓Use a prefix/suffix ("$", "%", "signups") so the number is unambiguous at a glance.
- ✓Pair it with a short subtitle naming the deadline or context ("toward our March 31 goal").
- ✕Use it for more than one metric at a time, that's what a scorecard is for.
- ✕Set a goal that's already been hit, a full thermometer with nowhere to go loses its point.
- ✕Forget to update it, an outdated fundraising thermometer undermines the campaign's credibility.
- ✕Use it to show a trend over time, it's a snapshot, not a timeline.
Watch out
Common mistakes to avoid
A thermometer with an arbitrary or missing goal is just a number with extra decoration. Set the actual target you're measuring against.
A thermometer that hasn't updated in weeks reads as an abandoned campaign. Refresh the value whenever you re-share it.
One thermometer, one value, one goal. If there are several KPIs to show at once, use a KPI scorecard instead.
If the current value exceeds the goal, the fill clamps at full and the excess isn't visible. Raise the goal to the new stretch target so the visual still communicates progress.
Why Reochart
Built for sharing, not just charting
- ✓No design skills required
- ✓Animated MP4 and GIF exports
- ✓PNG and scalable SVG too
- ✓Your brand colours and logo (Pro)
- ✓Paste from a sheet or import a CSV
- ✓Presentation and feed ready in minutes
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is a fundraising thermometer?
A fundraising thermometer is a single-metric chart that shows progress toward a fixed goal as liquid filling a tube and bulb, the same visual language as an actual thermometer. The current value sets the fill height, the goal sets the top of the tube, and the fraction filled is the fraction of the goal reached — so a campaign at 68% of its target shows a tube that's visibly two-thirds full, which reads faster than a percentage or a progress bar to a general audience. It's built for exactly one job: making a single number's distance from its goal viscerally obvious, which is why it's the standard for fundraising and donation campaigns, but works equally well for any single metric with a hard target, like an OKR, a waitlist goal, or a membership drive.
What data do I need?
Just one value (the current amount) and a goal (the target it's filling toward). Add a prefix like "$" if the number is currency.
Thermometer chart or radial gauge?
Both show a value against a goal. A thermometer is the more recognisable, warmer choice for fundraising and campaigns; a radial gauge (a filling ring) reads more like a dashboard or KPI. Either works for the same data — pick whichever tone fits your audience.
What happens if I exceed the goal?
The fill clamps at 100% full — it won't overflow the tube. If you've hit or passed the original target, raise the goal to a new stretch target so the visual keeps showing meaningful progress.
Can I make it animated?
Yes. Charts animate by default, and you can export the animation as an MP4 or GIF, or grab a static PNG or SVG if you prefer.
Can I export as SVG?
Yes. Pro exports a crisp, scalable SVG vector, alongside MP4, GIF and PNG. Every export renders at 1080p.
Is Reochart free?
Yes. The free plan lets you make every chart type except the animated bar chart race, and export an animated MP4 with a small watermark, no card needed. Pro adds the bar chart race, removes the watermark, and adds GIF and SVG, your brand colours and logo, longer videos and CSV import.
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