7 Best Code-Free Tools to Create Bar Chart Race
Bar Chart Race, also known as bar chart animation or bar chart progression, has become a favorite approach to data visualization.
Whether you’re presenting in class, pitching to your boss, or showing off trends at a corporate event, a Bar Chart Race brings numbers to life in a dynamic and fun way. It grabs attention and helps viewers see how stats change over time.
If you’re looking to create a Bar Chart Race (with or without coding experience), check out these tools that simplify the entire process.
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Flourish
- User-friendly drag-and-drop interface.
- Wide range of templates.
- Interactive chart embedding and sharing.
- Responsive design for all devices.
- Live data integration with Google Sheets.
- Limited free version features.
- Advanced tools require paid plans.
- Struggles with very large datasets.
- Customization may not suit complex needs.
Flourish is an online tool that enables you to create interactive visualizations, including bar chart races, without coding. Its user-friendly interface makes it accessible for beginners. You can upload your data, choose from a variety of templates, and customize the design to fit your needs. This flexibility allows you to produce professional-quality visuals with ease.
Prices
Flourish offers a free plan with essential features. Paid plans provide team collaboration, custom themes, and premium templates. See their pricing page for details.
Canva
- User-friendly interface for all skill levels.
- Extensive library of templates and design tools.
- Supports animated bar chart races.
- Facilitates team collaboration.
- Frequent updates with new features.
- Pro features require a subscription.
- Limited customization for complex designs.
- Performance may lag with large files.
Canva is a versatile online design tool that enables you to create a wide range of visual content, including bar chart races. Its intuitive drag-and-drop interface makes it accessible for beginners and professionals alike. You can choose from numerous templates and customize them to suit your needs, making data visualization straightforward and engaging.
Prices
Canva offers several pricing plans:
- Free: Basic design tools and templates.
- Pro ($12.99/month or $119.99/year): Premium content, advanced tools, and features.
- Teams ($14.99/month per user): Pro features plus team collaboration.
For detailed information, visit their pricing page.
Chart.js
- Lightweight and fast for quick load times.
- Responsive design adapts to any screen size.
- Clear documentation simplifies implementation.
- Supports plugins for added features and customization.
- Strong community provides resources and support.
- Limited to 2D charts; no 3D support.
- Performance may drop with large datasets.
- Fewer customization options than advanced libraries.
- Uses HTML5 canvas, which scales less than SVG.
Chart.js is a popular open-source JavaScript library that enables developers to create responsive, interactive charts for web applications. With support for various chart types—including line, bar, radar, and pie charts—it’s a versatile tool for data visualization. Its straightforward API and comprehensive documentation make it accessible for both beginners and experienced developers.
Prices
Free under the MIT license for personal and commercial use.
FabDev
- Simple and easy-to-use interface.
- No coding required.
- Quick chart creation.
- Free and open-source.
- Limited customization for design elements.
- No built-in export feature; needs screen recording.
- Minimal support and documentation.
FabDev is a straightforward, open-source bar chart race generator that allows you to create animated bar charts by uploading a CSV file containing your data. By specifying the animation duration and the number of bars to display, you can quickly generate a bar chart race without the need for coding skills. This tool is ideal for users seeking a simple and efficient way to visualize their data over time.
Prices
Free and open-source on GitHub.
Zoho Sheet
- Real-time collaboration with multiple users.
- Secure data handling with cell-lock options.
- API integration for enhanced functionality.
- Preformatted charts simplify visualization.
- Mobile-friendly for on-the-go management.
- Steep learning curve due to many features.
- Occasional delays in real-time updates.
- Different shortcuts from mainstream apps.
Zoho Sheet is a cloud-based spreadsheet application that offers a comprehensive suite of features for data analysis and visualization. Among its diverse charting options, Zoho Sheet includes Race Charts—animated bar charts that dynamically display changes in data over time. This feature allows you to create engaging visual narratives without the need for additional coding or add-ons.
Prices
Zoho Sheet offers a free plan with full features, including Race Charts. Paid plans with advanced collaboration and integration options are available through Zoho Workplace and Zoho One. See their pricing page for details.
LivingCharts
- No coding required—easy for beginners.
- Exports directly to video files.
- Accessible via web on any device.
- Customizable animations for better visuals.
- Embeddable code for websites.
- Free plan has ads and watermarks.
- Advanced features require expensive plans.
LivingCharts is an online tool that enables users to create animated data visualizations, such as bar chart races, without requiring coding skills. By importing your data, you can customize animations and export them directly as video files or embed them into websites. This tool is designed to simplify the process of turning complex data into engaging visual stories.
Prices
LivingCharts offers a tiered pricing structure:
- Basic (Free): Up to 5 projects, data import/export, and embedded code.
- Pro ($19/month): 25 projects, no ads, no watermarks, and private projects.
- Business ($99/month): Unlimited projects, advanced tools, team collaboration, and priority support.
For detailed pricing information, visit their pricing page.
Power BI Animated Bar Chart Race
- Visualizes trends over time effectively.
- Integrates easily into Power BI.
- Customizable colors, labels, and animations.
- Supports autoplay and manual controls.
- Free to use, no fees.
- Needs work or school email for download.
- Limited to Power BI, not other tools.
- Learning curve for new Power BI users.
The Power BI Animated Bar Chart Race, developed by Wishyoulization, is a custom visual that brings your data to life by animating bars racing to the top based on ranks. This dynamic visualization is particularly effective for showcasing changes in trends over time, making your reports more engaging and insightful.
Prices
Available for free through Microsoft AppSource. Easily downloadable and integrates seamlessly with Power BI reports.
To End
But when should you opt for a bar chart race? Generally, this chart is used to visually emphasize the changes over time. For example, since the start of the pandemic up to the present date, which countries moved up to the top 10 – the chart will visually display the movement of numbers over time, in an animated way.
However, if you are dealing with data that have fixed scales, or you really don’t need to emphasize how the numbers moved overtime, you should opt out of bar chart races.