About Chart Maker
This chart maker and graph maker is free, needs no sign-up and runs in your browser, so your numbers are never uploaded. Paste a table, drop in a CSV or XLSX file, or edit the grid by hand, then choose bar, line, area, pie, doughnut, scatter, histogram or box plot. The chart redraws as you type.
It opens on sample data so you can see how each type reads a table. The first column holds the labels and every other number column becomes a series. For a scatter plot the first column is x. For a histogram or pie chart you pick the column to draw. Titles, axis labels, the legend and the colours are all yours to change.
When the chart looks right, download it as a PNG for slides and documents or as an SVG that stays sharp at any size and can be edited in a vector program. Exports use a white background so they paste cleanly anywhere.
How to use Chart Maker
- Choose a chart type. The sample table changes to one that suits it until you start editing.
- Replace the sample: edit cells in the grid, paste CSV or tab-separated rows, or choose a CSV or XLSX file.
- Set the title and axis labels, switch the legend and stacking on or off, and pick series colours under Colours.
- For a histogram, choose the column and, if you want, the number of bins. Leave the bins at 0 to let Sturges' rule choose.
- Check the chart, then use PNG or SVG above it to download the image.
Features
- Bar charts, grouped or stacked, with several series from several columns.
- Line and area charts, with stacked areas for parts of a whole over time.
- Pie and doughnut charts with percentages in the legend.
- Scatter plots with several y series against one x column.
- Histograms with an adjustable bin count, and box plots with whiskers and outliers.
- An editable data grid that scrolls sideways on phones.
- CSV, TSV and XLSX upload, read in a Web Worker so the page stays responsive.
- Series colours chosen from a fixed set that stays readable in light and dark mode.
- PNG and SVG export with a white background.
Worked examples
Pie chart of visits: Search 4200, Direct 2600, Social 1700, Email 900, Referral 600 gives Search is 42.0% of 10000 visits
Each slice is its value divided by the total. Zero and negative values cannot be drawn as slices and are left out with a message.
Histogram of 30 exam scores gives 6 bins, tallest bin 68 to 77 with 9 scores
The default bin count follows Sturges' rule, ceil(log2(n) + 1). Change it to see a coarser or finer picture.
Box plot of 62, 65, 68, 70, 72, 74, 75, 78, 81, 95 gives median 73, quartiles 68.5 and 77.25, 95 is an outlier
The upper fence is Q3 + 1.5 x IQR = 90.375, so 95 is drawn as a dot beyond the whisker.
Which chart for which question
| Chart | Good for | Table layout |
|---|---|---|
| Bar | Comparing categories | Labels, then one number column per series |
| Line | Change over time | Time labels, then one column per line |
| Area | Totals and their parts over time | Time labels, then one column per part |
| Pie and doughnut | Shares of one whole | Labels, then one column of positive numbers |
| Scatter | Relationship between two numbers | x column, then one or more y columns |
| Histogram | Shape of one set of values | One column of numbers |
| Box plot | Comparing spreads and outliers | One number column per group |
Good to know
Pie charts have limits
A pie chart works for a handful of shares of one whole. With many slices, or slices of similar size, a bar chart is easier to read. Negative and zero values cannot be shown as slices, so the chart leaves them out and tells you how many rows it skipped.
What a box plot shows
The box runs from the first to the third quartile, the line inside is the median, and the whiskers reach the furthest points within 1.5 times the interquartile range. Points beyond that are drawn as individual dots. Quartiles use linear interpolation between sorted values.
Privacy: how it works
- Your table is read and drawn by code running in this browser tab. Files are not uploaded and no chart is stored anywhere.
Tips
- Keep the label column first and leave out total rows, or the total will be drawn as one more bar.
- Text in a number column, such as "n/a", turns that cell into zero on bar and line charts. Clear the cell if you want a gap in your data instead.
- For presentations, SVG keeps lines crisp when the slide is scaled. PNG is easier to paste into documents.
- If your numbers use a thousands separator, remove it first: 1,200 is read as text, 1200 as a number.
Frequently asked questions
Is it really free?
Yes. There is no price, no trial and no credit card. Ulkaa Tool does the work with your own device, so there is no server bill to pass on to you.
Do I need an account?
No. There is no sign-up and no login. Open the page and use it. An Ulkaa account is not needed for anything on this tool.
Does it run in my browser?
Yes. Your data are processed by code running in your browser tab, on your own device.
Is my data uploaded?
No. Your data are never sent to Ulkaa or to anyone else. You can check this yourself by watching the Network tab in your browser developer tools while you use the tool.
How do I make a graph from a spreadsheet?
Choose the XLSX or CSV file, or paste the cells. The first row becomes the column names, the first column becomes the labels and every number column becomes a series. Pick a chart type and download the result.
Can I make a stacked bar chart?
Yes. Choose Bar, then switch on Stacked. The series are then added on top of each other instead of side by side. Area charts can be stacked in the same way.
Can I have several lines on one graph?
Yes. Every number column after the label column is drawn as its own line, with its own colour and a legend entry named after the column header.
How do I change the colours?
Open Colours and pick one of the six palette colours for each series. The palette is chosen so every colour is readable on a light and a dark background.
What is the difference between PNG and SVG export?
PNG is a picture of fixed size, 1600 by 1000 pixels here. SVG is a vector drawing that can be scaled to any size and edited in a vector editor. Both use a white background.
How many rows can it handle?
The chart itself is drawn from all rows, and files up to 25 MB are accepted. The grid shows the first 200 rows so it stays fast. A chart with thousands of bars is rarely readable, so a histogram or a summary table may suit big data better.
Does it support Excel files?
Yes, XLSX, XLS and ODS files are read in your browser. If a workbook has several sheets, choose the sheet you want.
Does the CSV to JSON conversion live here?
No. To convert CSV to JSON or the reverse, use the file converter at /file/converter/data. This tool only draws charts.
Popular Chart Maker pages
- Bar Graph MakerCompare categories with grouped or stacked bars and download the graph.
- Stacked Bar Chart MakerStack several series on each bar to show parts of a total.
- Line Graph MakerShow change over time with one line per column.
- Area Chart MakerFill the space under each line to show volume and parts of a whole.
- Pie Chart MakerTurn labels and positive numbers into slices of one whole.
- Doughnut Chart MakerA pie chart with a hollow centre, from labels and positive numbers.
- Scatter Plot MakerPlot pairs of numbers to see how two measurements relate.
- Histogram MakerCount the values of one column into equal-width bins.
- Box Plot MakerCompare the spread of several groups with one box per number column.