Reochart vs PowerPoint

You could use PowerPoint. And it will look like it.

Last updated: August 2026

PowerPoint can animate a chart using entrance effects like Wipe, but it's revealing static data, not animating it. Bars don't actually grow from zero, and exporting just the chart as a clean video takes extra steps. Reochart's 22 chart and story visuals animate the data itself and export directly as MP4, GIF, PNG or SVG.

22
chart types
4
export formats
0
keyframes needed

Default spreadsheet chart — static

Same data, made in Reochart — animated

Same numbers. Left: a default native chart. Right: the same data in Reochart, animating.

How chart animation actually works in PowerPoint.

Before comparing tools, here's the real PowerPoint method: step by step. This is a genuine guide, not a straw-man.

1

Insert the chart

Insert → Chart, choose your type, paste data into the mini spreadsheet that opens.

2

Open the Animations tab

Select the chart, choose Wipe (From Bottom) as the closest approximation of bars growing.

3

Set Effect Options

Choose "By Category" so groups animate in sequence. Set Timing to "After Previous."

4

Preview with F5

Adjust timing in the Animation Pane if the pacing feels off.

5

Export the video

File → Export → Create a Video. Note: exports the whole slide, not just the chart.

Where this breaks down
  • Bars don't actually grow from a baseline. Wipe just masks the reveal.
  • Entrance effects only: no line-draw animation, no value count-up, no bar chart race.
  • Whole-slide export only. Extracting a chart-only video requires a separate video editor.
  • Locked to 16:9. No square or vertical export without rebuilding the slide.
  • Any data change means re-exporting the entire presentation video.

Where they differ.

Feature
PowerPoint
Reochart
Chart look
Default, generic-looking native charts
Themed, animated charts that look custom-built
Animation type
Entrance effects only (Wipe, Fade, Fly In). Reveals static data.
Data-driven motion: bars grow, lines draw, values count up
Data stories
No funnels, waterfalls, timelines or roadmaps built in
Funnel, waterfall, timeline and roadmap visuals included
Export scope
Exports the whole slide. Chart-only needs manual cropping.
Exports just the chart. No cropping needed.
Aspect ratio
Locked to slide size, usually 16:9
Choose 16:9, 1:1 or 9:16 per export
Using it outside the deck
Locked to the file. Needs a separate export step to share.
Export as MP4/GIF for social, or drop the same file into a deck
Iteration speed
Re-export the full video after any change
Change data or style, re-export in seconds
Bar chart race / line-draw
Not possible
Built in
Time to a finished chart
Build the chart, then fix the formatting, then fix it again
Paste your data, pick a type. Done in under two minutes.
Export formats
Whole-slide video export only
MP4, GIF, PNG and SVG. Chart-only, every one animated.
Free plan
Included with a Microsoft 365 subscription
Free forever, every chart type, with a small watermark

When PowerPoint's native charts are enough.

This is a fair comparison. PowerPoint's built-in approach still makes sense in these situations:

  • The chart stays inside the deck. If it never needs to be extracted as a standalone video, PowerPoint is already there.

  • The audience is internal and a simple fade or wipe is enough. Production polish isn't the point for an internal team update.

  • You don't need social sizing or a chart-only crop. 16:9 for the whole slide, once, is fine for your use case.

When to switch to Reochart.

Four signals that PowerPoint's chart animation is the wrong tool for what you're making:

  1. 1

    You need a chart type PowerPoint doesn't support: funnel, waterfall, timeline, roadmap or KPI scorecard.

  2. 2

    You're extracting the chart as a standalone video for LinkedIn, YouTube or a client send.

  3. 3

    You need the data itself to move: bars growing from zero, a line tracing its path, or a bar chart race. Not just an entrance effect.

  4. 4

    You need a square or vertical export for social, not locked 16:9.

  5. 5

    You're iterating on the same chart repeatedly and re-exporting the whole slide each time is the bottleneck.

Other ways to animate charts outside PowerPoint.

Reochart sits between "too basic" (Google Slides, native PowerPoint) and "too much effort" (After Effects). Here's how the options stack up on chart-only export.

Tool
Best for
Chart-only export?
Reochart
Data-driven chart and story animation for social, decks, reports
Yes, any aspect ratio
Google Slides
Basic entrance animations, browser-based
No. Whole slide only.
Beautiful.ai
AI-timed slide animation
No. Whole slide only.
After Effects
Full custom motion graphics
Yes, but hours of manual keyframing

Questions answered.

Can I use a Reochart chart inside PowerPoint?

Yes. Export as an MP4 or GIF and insert it as a video/image on your slide. It plays live during the presentation, no separate screen-recording step. Or export a PNG for a fully static slide.

Does PowerPoint's chart tool animate?

Only through manual slide animations and transitions you set up yourself, slide by slide. Reochart's charts animate automatically on export with no manual keyframing.

Why not just use PowerPoint's native charts?

They work, but they're generic-looking by default and don't cover data-story formats like funnels, waterfalls, timelines or roadmaps. Reochart is purpose-built for exactly that, with a design pass already applied.

Is Reochart free like PowerPoint?

Reochart's free plan makes every chart type and exports an animated MP4 with a small watermark, no card required. Pro ($20/mo) removes the watermark and adds GIF/SVG export, your brand colors and logo.

Can PowerPoint export a chart animation as an MP4?

Yes, via File > Export > Create a Video, but it exports the entire slide, not just the chart. Extracting a chart-only video requires cropping in a separate video editor.

How do I make bars grow from zero in PowerPoint?

PowerPoint doesn't support this natively. The closest option is the Wipe entrance effect, which reveals the bar with a moving mask rather than growing it from its baseline. It looks similar at a glance but doesn't hold up on close inspection, especially for grouped or stacked bars.

Can PowerPoint do a bar chart race?

No. Bar chart races require the underlying values and rankings to animate over time, which PowerPoint's entrance-effect model doesn't support. Reochart's bar chart race is built in.

Make your next slide look like it came from a design team.

Free forever to start. Pro is $20/mo when you want your brand on it.