Show what moved a number up and down. Export as PNG, SVG, GIF or MP4.
Free to try · No design skills · Ready in about two minutes
Overview
A waterfall chart explains how a starting number becomes an ending number by showing each change along the way as a floating bar that adds to or subtracts from the running total. It is the clearest answer to the question every finance and ops review asks: what actually moved the number?
The format earns its keep when a single net figure hides a more interesting story. 'MRR grew by $30K' is fine; a waterfall that shows +52 new, +28 expansion, then minus 22 churn and minus 8 contraction tells you where the growth came from and what is dragging on it. The floating bars make gains and losses instantly distinguishable, usually by colour.
Reochart animates each step rising or dropping into place, so a profit bridge or a month-over-month movement builds in front of the viewer rather than landing all at once. Enter the start, the changes (negative for decreases) and the end. Export as MP4, GIF, PNG or SVG, on your brand on Pro.
How it works
The first bar sits on the baseline as the starting value. Each subsequent bar floats, beginning where the previous total ended, rising for a positive change and dropping for a negative one. The final bar returns to the baseline as the ending total, so the eye can trace the path from start to finish.
Enter increases as positive numbers and decreases as negatives. Reochart colours gains and losses differently and positions each floating step automatically, so you only supply the values.
Examples
Real charts made in Reochart, each with its own data and theme. Hover to play the animation.
Good fit
Reach for something else
Compare
Waterfall vs the alternatives.
| Chart type | Best for | Avoid when |
|---|---|---|
| Waterfall | How a number moved start to end | A smooth time trend |
| Bar chart | Comparing independent categories | Cumulative add/subtract steps |
| Line / area | A metric trending over time | Discrete drivers of a change |
| Stacked bar | Composition of a total | A start-to-end bridge |
Your data
First row is the starting value; each next row is a change (negative for a decrease). Reochart floats the steps and colours gains and losses. Paste or import a CSV.
| Step | Change |
|---|---|
| FY23 | 120 |
| New | 52 |
| Expansion | 28 |
| Churn | -22 |
| Contraction | -8 |
Step by step
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
Watch out
A bridge without its ending bar leaves the story unfinished. Always show where the running total lands.
If the changes do not actually add up to the end value, the chart misleads. Make the maths reconcile.
A dozen tiny movements bury the drivers. Group small items so the big movers stand out.
A waterfall shows discrete add/subtract steps, not a continuous trend. For the latter, use a line chart.
Why Reochart
FAQ
A chart that shows how sequential positive and negative changes build from a starting value to an ending value, with each step floating from the running total.
Explaining the drivers behind a change, a revenue or MRR bridge, a profit and loss breakdown, or plan-versus-actual variance.
As negative numbers. The first row is your starting value, each subsequent row is a change, and Reochart colours gains and losses and positions the floating steps.
Use a waterfall to show how a number moved from a start to an end. Use a stacked bar to show the composition of a total at a point in time.
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.
Yes. Pro exports a crisp, scalable SVG vector, alongside MP4, GIF and PNG. Every export renders at 1080p.
Yes. The free plan lets you make every chart type and export an animated MP4 with a small watermark, no card needed. Pro removes the watermark and adds GIF and SVG, your brand colours and logo, longer videos and CSV import.
Keep exploring