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23 Best Data Visualization Tools of 2024 (with Examples)

If you are dissatisfied with what you've been able to achieve with your current data visualization software, and you want to try a different one, you have come to the right place.

Or, if you have never tried a data visualization software and you wish first to understand how it works and what the market offers, you are again in the right place.

Through extensive research, we have compiled a list of the absolute best data visualization tools in the industry, ranging from free solutions to enterprise packages.

Continue reading, and find the JavaScript library, non-programmer-optimized tools, industry and concept-specific, or fully-featured mapping, charting, and dashboard solutions for your needs.

What are Data Visualization Tools?

Data Visualization Tools refer to all forms of software designed to visualize data.

Different tools can contain varying features but, at their most basic, data visualization tools will provide you with the capabilities to input datasets and visually manipulate them.

Helping you showcase raw data in a visually digestible graphical format, data visualization tools can ensure you produce customizable bar, pie, Gantt, column, area, doughnut charts, and more.

When you need to handle datasets that contain up to millions of data points, you will need a program that will help you explore, source, trim, implement and provide insights for the data you work with.

A data visualization tool will enable you to automate these processes, so you can interpret information immediately, whether that is needed for your annual reports, sales and marketing materials, identifying trends and disruptions in your audience's product consumption, investor slide decks, or something else.

After you have collected and studied the trends, outliers, and patterns in data you gathered through the data visualization tools, you can make necessary adjustments in business strategy and propel your team closer to better results.

In addition, the more you can implement the valuable insights gained from the graphs, charts, and maps into your work, the more interested and adept you will become at generating intelligent data visualizations, and this loops back into getting actionable insights from the reports.

Through data visualization tools, you build a constructive feedback loop that keeps your team on the right path.

Comparison of Best Data Visualization Tools

Best data visualization software for creating maps and public-facing visualizations..

Available in a variety of ways, including desktop, server, online, prep, free public option, Tableau provides an enormous collection of data connectors and visualizations.

Establishing connections to your data sources is straightforward, and you can import everything from CSV files, Google Ads and Analytics to Microsoft Excel, JSON, PDF files, and Salesforce data.

A variety of chart formats and a robust mapping capability ensure that the designers can create color-coded maps that show geographically important data in the most visually digestible way.

The tool offers a public version that is free to use for everyone that will help you create interactive visualizations and connect to CSV, text, statistical files, Google sheets, web data connectors, and Excel documents.

Tableau Desktop can help you transform, process, and store huge volumes of data with exceptional analytics and powerful calculations from existing data, drag-and-drop reference lines and forecasts, and statistical summaries.

The Desktop option lets you connect to data on-prem or in the cloud, access and combine disparate data without coding, pivot, split, and manage metadata, and there is no limit to how much data it can store, process, or share.

Whereas Tableau Desktop is more suitable for analysts and BI professionals, Tableau Public is for anyone interested in understanding data and sharing those insights through data visualizations (students, journalists, writers, bloggers).

Data visualization example

You can purchase Tableau Creator for $70 per user per month.

• The tool comes in desktop, cloud, server, prep, online options
• Free public version
• Extensive options for securing data without scripting
• Convert unstructured statistical information into comprehensive logical results
• Fully functional, interactive, and appealing dashboards
• Arrange raw data into catchy diagrams
• Support for connections with many data sources, such as HADOOP, SAP, DB Technologies
• More than 250 app integrations

With a user-friendly design and a substantial collection of data connectors and visualizations, Tableau will help you attain high performance with a thriving community & forum and mobile-friendly capacity.

2. Infogram

Fully-featured data visualization tool for non-designers and designers..

Consisting of more than 550 maps, 35 charts, and 20 predesigned templates, Infogram can enable you to prepare a fully responsive, professional presentation on any device.

You can import data from online or PC sources, and you can download infographics in HD quality, supporting multiple file types (PNG, JPG, PDF, GIF, HTML).

If the majority of your data sources are in Excel XLS, JPG, or HTML files, and you want them imported in Infogram as PDF files, you can do a little search and find the best PDF converters .

The process of creating effective visualizations for marketing reports, infographics, social media posts, and maps is simplified with the drag-and-drop editor, allowing non-designers or people without much technical knowledge to generate slick-looking reports, one-pagers, diagrams.

Interactive visualizations are perfect for embedding into websites and apps, and you can update new data to a chart periodically and automatically for updating dashboards, reports, presentations, live feeds, and articles through Infogram's live options.

The software allows you to upload CSV or XLS files from your Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive accounts easily by connecting with the accounts, making any design changes, publishing, and embedding them.

Outside of the free Basic plan, the Pro subscription is $25 per month.

• 550+ map types and 35+ chart types
• Enhanced interactive charts and maps with tooltips, tabs, clickable legends, linking
• Object animations
• Move your graphics to social media, slide decks like Prezi, and other platforms easily
• Make changes on the fly without wholesale revisions
• View and restore earlier versions of your projects
• Generate 13 different reports on website traffic and automatically update the charts with data
• Facilitate top referring sites, mobile usage, number of pages per session, top keywords, and other reports through Google Analytics
• Publish your content on Facebook Instant Articles, Medium, or through WordPress

With a wide selection of chart types and map types that are easy to implement by anyone and a free plan that allows you to publish your content online, you will find Infogram is an excellent solution for downloading data, sharing it privately, and accessing beautiful templates and images.

3. ChartBlocks

Best data visualization tool for embedding charts on any website..

The cloud-based chart-building tool allows you to customize any charts and sync them with any data source, letting you share charts on social media websites, including Facebook and Twitter.

You can import data from any source using their API, including live feeds, with the chart building wizard helping you select the optimal data for your charts before importing on any device of any screen size.

Control all aspects of your charts with hundreds of customization options, allowing you to configure everything from colors, fonts, and sizes to grids and number ticks on your axes.

CartBlocks ensures responsive HTML5 charts that work on any browser or device and the powerful D3.js tool to render your charts as scalable vector graphics and make them ready to be used on retina screens and for high-quality printed documents.

Grab the embed code and share the charts on your website, Twitter, Facebook, and other social media sites.

The Personal plan is $0 per month, and you can scale up to the Professional subscription for $20.

• HTML5 charts that work on any browser, device, and screen size
• Import data from spreadsheets, databases, and live feeds
• Pick the right data for your chart with the chart building wizard
• Design all elements of your charts with hundreds of customization options
• Embed your charts on websites, articles, and across social media
• Set up scheduled imports in the ChartBlocks app
• Optimize your charts for retina screens and high-quality printed documents through D3.js
• Export charts to PNG images
• Export charts as vector graphics (eps, PDF, SVG)
• Remove branding for $20 per month

Helping you create charts on any device and any screen size along with optimizing the charts for high-quality prints, ChartBlocks can offer up to 50 active charts for free for up to 50K monthly views.

4. Datawrapper

Best data visualization software for adding charts and maps to news stories..

Created specifically for adding charts and maps to news stories, Datawrapper is an open-source tool that supports Windows, Mac, and Linux and enables you to connect your visualization to Google Sheets.

Select one of 19 interactive and responsive chart types ranging from simple bars and lines to the arrow, range, and scatter plots, three map types that allow you to create locator maps, thematic choropleth, symbol maps, and more.

Table capabilities provide you with a range of styling options for the responsive bars, columns & line charts, heatmaps, images, search bars & pagination.

Copy your data from the web, Excel, or Google Sheets, and upload CSV/XLS files or provide links to URLs, Google Sheets for live-updating charts.

Copy the embed code into your CMS or website to access the interactive version, or export the chart as a PNG, SVG, or PDF for printing.

Outside the free plan, you can purchase the Custom for $599 per month, but the free one offers unlimited visualizations.

• 19 interactive and responsive charts and 3 map types
• No limits to charts, maps, and tables you can create in the free plan
• All visualizations are private until you activate the publish capability
• Utilize shared folders, Slack & Team integrations, and admin permissions
• Dustwrapper will design a custom chart theme according to the style guides you send
• Export all visualizations as PNG, SVG, PDF formats
• Update charts and tables automatically without republishing through live updating
• Access print-ready PDFs with defined CMYK colors

Datawrapper will create finished visualizations similar to those in the New York Times, with tons of stylization options and practicality for creating graphics and web maps that you can easily copy and share.

JavaScript Library for Manipulating Documents through Data with Reusable Charts.

D3.js is a JavaScript library for manipulating documents based on data, helping you activate data through HTML, SVG, and CSS.

The tool is extremely fast and it supports large datasets and dynamic behaviors for interaction and animation, enabling you to generate an HTML table from an array of numbers or use the same data to create an interactive SVG bar chart with smooth transitions and interaction.

While the platform requires some JavaScript knowledge, there are apps like NVD3 that allow non-programmers to utilize the library, providing reusable charts and chart components without taking away the power of D3.js.

Other similar apps include Plotly's Chart Studio that enables you to import data, compose interactive charts, publish static, printed versions or share interactively.

Ember Charts lets you extend and modify the time series, bar, pie, and scatter charts within the D3.js frameworks.

D3.js is free.

• Free, open-source, customizable
• Extremely fast and supportive of large datasets
• Generate HTML tables from numbers
• Create interactive SVG bar charts with smooth transitions and interaction
• Non-programmers can create complex visualizations
• A diverse collection of official and community-developed modules allows code reuse
• Utilize NVD3, Plotly's Chart Studio, and Ember Charts to get the most out of D3.js's library without coding

Emphasizing web standards, D3.js will help you create high-quality visualizations quickly and share them on the web without anyone having to install any software to view your work.

Best Data Visualization Software for Companies with BI Experience.

Domo is a cloud platform that has a powerful BI tool with a lot of data connectors and a robust data visualization capability that helps you conduct analysis and generate interactive visualizations.

The app helps you simplify administration data and examine important data using graphs and pie charts, and the engine allows you to manipulate ETL operations and conduct data cleansing in the engine after the load with no limits to how much data you can store.

With more than 450 available connectors, some of which are accessible by default and others after requesting URLs from the support team, Domo is highly flexible, and they allow you to load the locally stored CSV files easily.

Explore data in the interactive format through the data warehouse functionality, and conduct data prep, data joining, and ETL tasks.

Access more than 85 different visualizations, create and customize cards and pages, handling everything from text editing and single-data points to creating the apps for the app store.

You need to contact Domo's sales team for a personalized quote.

• Limitless data storage and an extensive range of connectors
• Create advanced charts and maps with filters and drill-downs
• Guide people through analysis with interactive data stories by combining cards, text, and images
• Ensure the teams can self-service while governing access to data
• Refine data with data points, calculated fields, and filters
• Annotate chart data for further commentary
• Define how cards on a dashboard interact with custom links and filters
• Dashboards with KPIs for retail, marketing, data science through different apps
• Encrypt your data with the Workbench tool or use an on-premise VM with Domo querying engine behind your firewall

Domo's powerful BI tool with a lot of data connectors isn't suited for newcomers and is best-suited for businesses that have BI experience that will benefit from the tool's excellent sharing features, limitless data storage, and terrific collaboration capabilities.

7. Google Charts

Best data visualization tool for creating simple line charts and complex hierarchical trees..

The powerful and free data visualization tool Google Charts is specifically designed for creating interactive charts that communicate data and points of emphasis clearly.

The charts are embeddable online, and you can select the most fitting ones from a rich interactive gallery and configure them according to your taste.

Supporting the HTML5 and SVG outputs, Google Charts work in browsers without the use of additional plugins, extracting the data from Google Spreadsheets and Google Fusion Tables, Salesforce, and other SQL databases.

Visualize data through pictographs, pie charts, histograms, maps, scatter charts, column and bar charts, area charts, treemaps, timelines, gauges, and many more.

Google Charts is free.

• Rich interactive chart gallery
• Cross-browser compatibility
• Dynamic data support
• Combo, calendar, candlestick, diff, gauge, Gantt, histograms, intervals, org, scattered, stepped area charts
• Animate modifications made to a chart
• Draw multiple charts on one web page
• Compatible with Android and iOS platforms

Google Charts is a free data visualization platform that supports dynamic data, provides you with a rich gallery of interactive charts to choose from, and allows you to configure them however you want.

8. FusionCharts

Best data visualization tool for building beautiful web and mobile dashboards..

FusionCharts is a JavaScript-based solution for creating web and mobile dashboards that can integrate with popular JS frameworks like React, jQuery, Ember, and Angular and server-side programming languages like PHP, Java, Django, and Ruby on Rails.

The tool equips you with 100+ interactive chart types and 2,000+ data-driven maps, including popular options like the bar, column, line, area, and pie, or domain-specific charts like treemaps, heatmaps, Gantt charts, Marimekko charts, gauges, spider charts, and waterfall charts.

In addition to these, FusionCharts provides 2K+ choropleth maps that cover countries and even cities, and the powerful engine supports millions of data points in your browser with no glitches.

Generate charts on the server-side, export the dashboards as PDFs, send reports via email, and FusionCharts will have you covered.

The Basic plan is $499 per year.

• Integrates with popular JS frameworks and server-side programming languages
• 100+ interactive chart types and 2K+ data-driven choropleth maps
• Construct complex charts through dashboards easily with consistent API
• Plot your crucial business data by regions with over 2,000 choropleth maps
• Common charts are supported on older browsers
• Comprehensive documentation for each library or programming language
• Ready-to-use chart examples, industry-specific dashboards and data stories with source codes

With extensive documentation, cross-browser support, and a huge number of chart and map format options, FusionCharts will allow you to build beautiful dashboards for your web and mobile projects while keeping even the most complex charts performing on a high level with consistent API.

9. Chart.js

Simple and flexible data visualization software for including animated, interactive graphs on your website..

Chart.js is a simple and flexible JavaScript charting library that provides eight chart types in total and allows animation and interaction.

Using the HTML5 Canvas for output, Chart.js renders charts across all modern browsers effectively.

You can mix and match bar and line charts to provide a clear visual distinction between datasets, plot complex, sparse datasets on date time, logarithmic, and fully custom scales.

Animate anything with out-of-the-box stunning transitions for data changes.

Chart.js is free.

• The learning curve is almost non-existent
• Compatible with all screen sizes
• Modernized, eye-catching, and pleasing graphs
• Open-source and free
• Visualize your data through 8 different animated, customizable chart types
• Continuous rendering performance across all modern browsers through HTML5 Canvas
• Mix and match bar and line charts for a clear visual distinction between datasets
• Plot complex, sparse datasets on date time, logarithmic, and entirely custom scales
• Redraw charts on window resize

Not only are the Chart.js graphs easy to digest and eye-catching, but the tool allows you to combine different graph forms to translate data into a more tangible output and add numerical JSON data into the Canvas for free.

10. Sisense

#1 data visualization tool for simplifying complex data from multiple sources..

Crunch large datasets and visualize them with beautiful pictures, graphs, charts, maps, and more from a single dashboard.

One of the best data visualization tools that can help you transform data into actionable, applicable components or visualizations, Sisense lets you simplify data analysis by unlocking data from the cloud and on-prem and embed analytics anywhere with a customizable feature.

Create custom experiences and automated multi-step actions to accelerate workflows and integrate AI-powered analytics into workflows, processes, applications, and products.

Before selecting your data sources, you can preview and mash up a couple of data sources before adding them to your schema.

Instead of valuing visualizations for the number of designs and formats it offers, Sisense places the emphasis on the depth of insights the charts expose, providing multidimensional widgets that render interactive visualizations and generate a ton of insights by scrolling the mouse over them or clicking on different sections.

With no subscription plans displayed publicly, you will need to request a quote.

• Assemble and share dashboards
• Crunch large datasets and visualize them through graphs, charts, maps, and pictures
• Transform raw data into actionable, applicable components for visualizations
• Preview and mash up multiple data sources before adding them to your schema
• Enable self-service analytics for your customers code-free
• Advanced predictive intelligence and natural language querying
• Leverage robust embedding capabilities from iFrames to APIs and SDKs
• Pull in data from eBay, Facebook, Quickbooks, PayPal
• Leverage cached data for minimized query costs
• Resolve bottlenecks with in-chip processing

Appealing to seasoned BI users with its comprehensive features, Sisense will help you mash up data and create an analytics app, deploy your work on the cloud, recover your data and safeguard against errors, and help you export data to Excel, CSV, PDF.

11. Workday Adaptive Planning

#1 data visualization tool with the best planning, budgeting, and forecasting capabilities..

Workday's Adaptive Planning data visualization tool is designed to boost your business by helping you make more lucrative decisions, allowing you to plan, budget, and forecast while evaluating multiple scenarios across large datasets.

Collaborate through the web, mobile, or Excel and deliver stunning reports in minutes while quickly optimizing sales resources, increasing rep performances, and improving predictability.

Create dashboards that integrate your actuals and plans, easily manage models and forecasts across integrated data sources, and always extract real-time data.

Automated data consolidation from all sources and use flexible modeling that lets you build on the fly, adjusting the dimensions if needed.

Making the right decisions based on the insights gathered through a comprehensive budgeting and forecasting tool like Workday Adaptive Planning will be more effective when implemented hand in hand with Net Present Value calculation for fostering a more budget-optimized workspace and better investment decisions.

Before starting your free trial and receiving a quote, you will need to write a request to the support team.

• Create dashboards that integrate your actuals and plans
• Drag-and-drop report building features
• Create rep capacity plans to meet topline bookings targets
• Deploy the right quotas and set up balanced territories
• Collaborate on what-if scenarios
• Access audit trails to see what changed, where, and who did it
• Export operational data from GL, payroll, purchasing

When the active planning process is collaborative, comprehensive, and continuous as with Adaptive Planning, the tools and information for building complex dashboards quickly that the software provides are easy to deploy.

12. Grafana

Open-source data visualization tool for integrating with all data sources and using the smoothest graphs..

In Grafana , you can package and present information through a variety of chart types, and if you want to make dynamic dashboards, there are not a lot of visualization tools that make the process simpler than Grafana.

Grafana's open-source data visualization software allows you to create dynamic dashboards and other visualizations.

You can query, visualize, alert on, and understand your metrics no matter where they are stored, and deploy data source permissions, reporting, and usage insights.

Extract data from mixed data sources, apply annotations and customizable alert functions, and extend the software's capabilities via hundreds of available plugins.

Share snapshots of dashboards and invite other users to collaborate through the export functions.

Outside of the Free plan, you can purchase the Pro subscription for $49 per month + usage.

• Creating dynamic dashboards is easy
• Variety of chart types and data sources
• Support for mixed data feeds
• Access for up to 3 members in the Free plan
• Query, visualize, alert on, and understand your metrics
• Data source permissions
• Usage insights
• Apply annotations
• Hundreds of plugins
• Share snapshots of the dashboard

One of the best software for monitoring and alerting, Grafana allows you to write the query to create graphs and alerts, integrate with almost all cloud platforms, and invite other users to collaborate for free.

Best Data Visualization Software to Motivate and Engage Your Employees to Perform Better through Dashboards.

By visualizing performance indicators openly and engagingly, Plecto helps keep your team's morale at a high level and motivates your employees to keep improving.

Plecto allows you to integrate with an unlimited number of data sources, and you can even import data from different sources and filter these across sources.

Visualize your most important KPIs on real-time dashboards and engage your team with the addicting gamification features, sales contests, leaderboards, and instant notifications.

Add data through Excel, SQL, Zapier, or Plecto's REST-based API, display your Plecto account on a TV and access your dashboard on the go through mobile apps for Android, iPhone, and Apple Watch.

The Medium subscription starts at $250 per month when billed monthly.

• Provide data-driven, actionable knowledge about the business, departments, and individuals' performances
• Motivate your team to keep improving through gamification
• Integrate with an unlimited number of data sources
• Import data from different sources and apply filters
• Engage your team through sales contests, leaderboards, and instant notifications
• Add data through Excel, SQL, Zapier, or the software's REST-based API
• Access your Plecto account via TV or through the Android, iPhone, and Apple Watch apps

Plecto will allow the teams and individuals to keep progressing and provide teams with actionable, data-driven knowledge delivered through encouraging gamification practices while connecting them with one of 50+ pre-built integrations or public API.

14. Whatagraph

Best data visualization tool for monitoring and comparing performances of multiple campaigns..

The Whatagraph application allows you to transfer custom data from Google Sheets and API.

Commonly used by marketing professionals for visualizing data and building tailored cross-channel reports, Whatagraph is the best tool for performance monitoring and reporting.

Blend data from different sources and create cross-channel reports so you can compare how the same campaign is performing across different channels.

Create custom reports or utilize the pre-made widgets, with ready-made report templates for different marketing channels like SEO, PPC, social media, and share links with your colleagues so they can access them at all times.

Choose from 30+ integrations that include Facebook Ads, Google Analytics, HubSpot, and more.

The Professional plan will cost you $119 per month.

• Monitor and compare performances of multiple channels and campaigns
• Customize the reports with brand colors, logos, custom domains
• Add custom data with Google Sheets and Public API integrations
• Blend data from different sources and create cross-channel reports
• Ready-made templates for different marketing channels
• Google Analytics, Google Ads, Facebook Ads, Instagram, Twitter, Linkedin, Simplifi, and more integrations
• Automatically deliver reports to clients

Whatagraph allows you to style your reports according to your preferences, monitor and compare performances across multiple campaigns and channels, and blend data from different sources for cross-channel reports.

Best-in-Class Data Visualization Software for Running SQL Queries.

Cluvio will enable you to utilize SQL and R to analyze your data and create appealing, interactive dashboards in a few minutes better than any other tool on the market.

Translate your raw data into numerous professional charts and graphs, and share your dashboard with clients and colleagues without a mandatory log-in.

Scheduled dashboard and report sharing via email (image, PDF, Excel, CSV) are functionalities Cluvio provides to urge the users to view the information, get a regular snapshot, or trigger conversations.

Cluvio's customer service team is definitely worth mentioning as it has gained praise for being fast, informative, accurate, and helpful for a large portion of Cluvio's audience.

Outside of the Free plan, Cluvio's Pro plan is $249 per month.

• Change aggregation, select a specific time range, and filter dashboards by any individual attributes
• Code completion, syntax highlighting, and parameterized queries in the SQL editor
• Turn your codes into reusable snippets
• Monitor data in real-time with SQL alerts
• Automatic suggestions for best data visualization practices
• Run custom R scripts
• Invite an unlimited number of employees in the Pro and Business plans

Not only does Cluvio offer a free plan with three dashboards and 1,000 query executions, but the software comes with complete monitoring and sharing capabilities while allowing you to dig deeper into your statistical analysis and extract more value through SQL and R queries.

16. RAWGraphs

Best data visualization tool for simplifying complicated data through striking visual representation..

RAWGraphs will enable you to generate beautiful data visualizations uploaded as XLSX or CSV files quickly, as well as URL uploads and spreadsheet copies.

The software offers mapping and export visualizations as SVG or PNG images that can be customized by inputting additional parameters.

You can work with delimiter-separated values (CSV. and TSV. files), as well as copy-paste texts from other applications (TextEdit, Excel) and CORS-enabled endpoints (APIs).

Data here is processed only by the web browser, and the charts are available in conventional and unconventional layouts.

The pricing is not provided by the vendor, which is why you will have to contact them to get your quote.

• Work with CSV, TSV files, copy-paste texts from other applications, and APIs
• Receive visual feedback after mapping dataset dimensions
• Export visualizations as SVG and PNG images and embed them on your web page
• No server-side operations or storages are performed so no one can see or copy your data
• Unconventional charts that are hard to produce with other tools
• Simple pie and column charts
• Map the dimensions of your datasets with the visual variables of the selected layouts
• Open the visualizations in your favorite vector graphics editor and improve them

Designed as a tool to provide the missing link between spreadsheet applications (Microsoft Excel, Apple Numbers, OpenRefine) and vector graphics editors (Adobe Illustrator, Inkscape, Sketch), RAWGraphs will help you simplify complex data through powerful visualizations.

17. Visually

Fast and affordable data visualization solution for infographics and interactive websites..

Visually is a data visualization and infographics platform that will help you turn your data into a compelling story, allowing you to convert your numbers into image-based visualizations and streamline the product design processes.

To create your memorable data visualizations, Visually's team will handpick from a selection of 1,000 of the best data journalists, designers, and developers to deliver your designs in record time.

Collaborate with world-class designers to create infographics that stand out, with the software keeping you in direct contact with your creative team and assigning you a dedicated rep to be at your disposal during the streamlining of the production.

Create presentations and slideshows that leave long-lasting impressions with a normal delivery time of 19 days.

Data personalization example

You will need to submit a request to get your quote.

• Create world-class presentations and slideshows and attention-grabbing infographics
• Usual delivery time of 16 days for infographics and 19 days for slideshows and presentations
• Corporate reports, sales decks, and slideshares for startups, Fortune 50 companies
• Share content on social media channels
• Collaboration with premium data journalists, designers, and developers
• Convert your numbers into image-based visualizations
• Keep direct contact with the creative team during the infographics, presentation production process

Visually creates beautiful content that grabs the attention of large crowds on social media, conveys the intended message in a captivating way, and connects you with the world's biggest experts while allowing you to keep direct contact during their work in the production stages, which guarantees satisfactory infographics and presentations.

#1 Data Visualization Tool for Converting Data into Useful Diagrams.

Looker will help you develop and streamline accurate data models and visualize your codes in interactive diagrams.

Equipping you with a dashboard through which you can explore and analyze your data deeply, Looker lets you select funnel, maps, timelines, donut multiples, snakey, treemap, combined charts, or gauge multiple visualizations.

You can configure your specific visualization, and the software will add it to your Looker workflow, helping you maximize your impact and tell a compelling story.

Without proper organization, any data you pull for visualizations will give subpar results, which is why you need to properly manage, update, and track data by choosing one of the best database software that will help you generate realistic and productive projections in your visualizations.

Set up filters for individuals or groups dynamically, separating one dashboard for sales reps, one for customer success managers, and another for external viewers.

Develop robust and accurate data models and reduce errors while understanding the relationships, behaviors, and extensions of different LookML objects.

As with many other vendors, you will need to send a request to receive your quote.

• Visualize your codes in interactive diagrams
• Explore and analyze your data deeply
• Choose from a variety of chart types, multiple chart and map frameworks, or configure your own
• Build effective, action-oriented dashboards and presentations
• Easy to detect changes and irregularities in your data
• The software adds your tailored visualizations to your Looker workflows
• Set up dynamic filters for groups and individuals and separate the dashboards for sales reps and external viewers
• Visualize data with subtotal in tables

Providing a modern API to integrate your workflows, Looker allows you to explore your data to intrinsic detail and bring your stories to life through compelling visualizations while compartmentalizing the dashboards for different uses.

19. Chartist.js

Best data visualization tool for smaller teams in need of simple, responsive charts..

Chartist.js is an open-source charting JavaScript library that has a lightweight interface that is flexible for integrations.

Create responsive, scalable, and great-looking charts while availing of the simple handling, great flexibility while using clear separation of concerns (styling with CSS and controlling with JS), SVG for illustration, and more.

The app is fully responsive and DPI independent, which results in GUI being displayed at a consistent size regardless of the resolution of the screen.

Chartist.js ensures responsive configuration with media queries, allowing compatibility with a wide variety of devices and screen sizes.

Specifying the style of your chart in the CSS will enable you to use the amazing CSS animations and transitions and apply them to your SVG elements.

Chartist's SVG animation API ensures almost limitless animation possibilities, and you can style your charts with CSS in @media queries.

The configuration override mechanism based on media queries helps you conditionally control the behavior of your charts when necessary.

Lastly, you should know that the app is fully built and customizable with SaaS.

Chartist.js is free.

• Create responsive, scalable, great-looking charts
• A lightweight interface that's flexible for integrations
• Implement your style through the DOM hooks
• Rich, responsive support for multiple screen sizes
• Comprehensive grid, color, label layout options
• Advanced SSL animations
• Multi-line labels
• SVG animations with SMIL
• Control the behavior of your charts with the configuration override mechanism

Offering great response configuration to media queries and high flexibility for use in the separation of concerns, Chartist.js is here to help you create highly customized, responsive charts and allow you to utilize SVG for illustrations.

20. Sigma.js

Single-purpose data visualization tool for creating network graphs..

Sigma.js allows you to create embeddable, interactive, and responsive graphs, helping you customize your drawing and allowing you to publish the final result on any website.

To make the networks' manipulation on web pages as smooth and as fast as possible, Sigma.js will equip you with features such as Canvas and WebGL renderers, as well as mouse & touch support.

You can add your functions directly to your scripts and render the nodes and edges how you want them to be.

Through the Public API, you can modify data, move the camera, refresh the rendering, listen to events, and more.

Sigma.js can allow you to create JSON and GEXF-encoded graphs with the related plugin covering loading and parsing of the files.

Sigma.js is a free, open-source tool.

• WebGL and Canvas rendering
• Rescale when the container's size changes
• Render nodes and edges according to your liking
• Move the camera, refresh the rendering, listen to events, and modify your data through the Public API
• Display simple interactive publications of network and rich web applications
• Update data and refresh the drawing when you want
• Use plugins for animating the graphs or applying force-directed layouts to your graphs

Sigma.js is a dedicated graph drawing service that will help you embed graphs in websites and apps easily while allowing you to make changes and refresh the graphs anytime you want.

Best Data Visualization Software for Building Complex Data Models Quickly through its Associative Engine.

Innovatively providing data visualization services, Qlik will help you attain data from various sources quickly while automatically maintaining data association and supporting numerous forms of data presentation.

Capture large volumes of data and generate reports quickly and automatically while extracting valuable insights from transparent reporting functionalities and identify trends and information to help you make best-practice decisions.

Get an understanding of the information quickly through powerful global search and selections with interactive dashboards.

Combine, load, visualize, and explore your data, and activate the assistance from the insight advisor for chart creation, association recommendation, and data preparation.

Qlik Sense Business plan will cost you $30 per user per month.

• Build complex data models and dashboards quickly
• Simplifies data load and data modeling
• Aggregate structured data from different sources and build simple data models through snowflake or star schemas
• Simplified operation querying
• Generate reports quickly and automatically
• Identify trends to make best-practice decisions
• An attentive, knowledgeable support team that is receptive to feedback
• Get assistance on chart creation, association recommendation, and data preparation with the insight advisor

Allowing you to discover important insights through conversational analytics and insight advisor, rapidly develop custom apps, new visualizations, or extensions, and embed fully interactive analytics within the apps and processes, Qlik will let you visualize with clear intent and context through the most engaging graphs.

22. Polymaps

Dedicated javascript library for mapping and complete data visualization..

Designed specifically for mapping, Polymaps is a free, open-source JavaScript library for creating interactive, dynamic maps, using CSS to design and SVG to display your data through numerous types of visual presentation styles.

You can use the CSS mechanism to customize the visuals of your maps, after which you can easily embed them onto any website or apps.

The software supports large-scale and rich data overlays on interactive maps and SVR-rendered vector files, along with powerful graphical operations like compositing, geometric transformations, and image processing.

Apply styling via CSS operations, and utilize the CSS3 animations and transitions.

The software provides a factory method for constructing the required objects internally which results in shorter code and faster execution when compared to the traditional JS constructors.

Polymaps is 100% free.

• Large-scale data overlays
• CSS3 animations and transitions
• Private members can hide the internal state
• Refine the geometry to display greater details when zooming in
• Compositing, geometric transformations, and image processing
• Shorter code and faster execution
• Compatible and robust API

Polymaps is known for its speed when loading large amounts of data in full range, allowing it to run compositing, image processing, and geometric transforms, as well as supporting and processing of rich data on dynamic maps.

23. Microsoft Power BI

Best data visualization tool for fostering a data-driven culture with business intelligence for all..

Microsoft's Power BI is a data visualization and business intelligence tool combined into one that allows you to convert data from various data sources into interactive, engaging, and story-presenting dashboards and reports.

Providing reliable connections to your data sources on-prem and in the cloud, Power BI is ready to equip you with data exploration through natural language querying and real-time updates on the dashboard.

Save time and make data prep easier with modeling tools, and reclaim hours in a day using the self-service power query, ingestion, transforming, and integration tools.

Dig deeper into data and find patterns that lead to actionable insights, and use features like quick measures, grouping, forecasting, and clustering.

Activate the powerful DAX formula language and give advanced users full control over their models.

Power BI Pro is $9.99 per user per month.

• Access data from Dynamics 365, Salesforce, Azure SQL DB, Excel, SharePoint, and hundreds of other supported sources
• Pre-built and custom data connectors
• Natural language querying
• Real-time dashboard updates
• Design your reports with theming, formatting, and layout tools
• Quick measures, grouping, forecasting, and clustering
• Assign full control over models to advanced users through the DAX formula language
• Sensitivity labeling, end-to-end encryption, and real-time access monitoring

In Power BI, you can handle everything from managing reports using SaaS solutions to engaging in data exploration using the natural language query while accessing reliable data sources, which you can easily convert into interactive dashboards and reports that you can share across the whole organization.

Types of Data Visualization Methods

Starting with the most familiar one, column charts are a time-efficient method of showing comparisons among different sets of data.

A column chart will contain data labels along the horizontal axis with measured metrics or values presented on the vertical axis.

With column charts, you can track monthly sales figures, revenue per landing page, and similar information, while you can use the pie charts to demonstrate components or proportions between the elements of one whole.

You can find many more chart types like the Mekko, bar, line, scatter plot, area, waterfall, and many more.

Plots are data visualization methods used to distribute two or more datasets over a 2D or 3D space to represent the relationship between these sets and the parameters on the plot.

Scatter and bubble plots are some of the most commonly used data visualization methods, while the more complex box plots are more frequently utilized for visualizing relationships between large volumes of data.

A bubble plot is an extension of the scatter plot used to look at the relationships between three numeric variables.

Box plot is a data visualization method used for expanatory data analysis, visually displaying the distribution of numerical data and distortion through displaying the data quartiles and averages.

Maps allow you to locate elements on relevant objects and areas, which is where we can start to divide them into geographical maps, building plans, website layouts, and the most popular map visualization types include heat maps, distribution maps, and cartograms.

Heat maps are graphical representations of data where values are depicted by different colors.

Distribution maps are data visualization arrangements used to indicate the distribution of a particular feature in an area, and they can be qualitative that explore qualities or characteristics, quantitative where the value of data is shown in the form of counts and numbers.

The distribution of continuous variables like temperature, pressure, rainfall are represented by lines of equal value.

4. Diagrams and Matrices

Diagrams are used to illustrate complex data relationships and links, and they include various types of data in one visualization.

They can be hierarchical, network, flowchart, Venn, multidimensional, tree-like, etc.

Matrix is one of the advanced data visualization techniques that help determine and process the correlation between multiple continuously updating datasets.

What to Look for In Data Visualization Software Tools

Before getting into the specific functionalities, let's establish the fundamentals required when purchasing a data visualization tool.

1. Ease of Use

Any data visualization software you choose must have easy-to-use features and a user-friendly interface for the less technically skilled employees.

While there are code-heavy data visualization tools packed with advanced features, these tools need to be well balanced if your team consists of both seasoned IT users and less-experienced workers.

Tableau has a steeper learning curve than other platforms on this list, for example, but this is balanced out with an extremely user-friendly design and a l arge community of users.

That's not to say Tableau doesn't require substantial training, but the completeness of the tool in all aspects makes the training process worth the effort.

Similarly, Sisense will appeal to seasoned BI users while potentially causing frustration with the newcomers.

Apart from the natural language query in the third-party apps, Sisense's UI doesn't match the level of user-friendliness needed to satisfy less-knowledgeable users.

Online training systems with well-organized support teams have helped battle this significantly.

Most importantly, Sisense provides phenomenal data visualization service and equips their target intermediate and highly-skilled business analysts with transparency, and lifts most of their burden without having to buy additional tools.

2. Data Connectivity

Quality data visualization software will equip you with the capability to connect with or extract important information from external sources when you encounter data absence problems.

If you want to import data from both online and PC sources while being able to download infographics in HD quality and connect with numerous file types like PNG, JPG, PDF, GIF, HTML, and more, Infogram could be the comprehensive data connectivity solution you need.

What if you want good data connectivity for free?

Thanks to D3.js , this is possible as well, with the tool being the perfect JavaScript library for manipulating documents based on data, letting you access data through HTML, SVG, and CSS.

All this flexibility comes with additional benefits of the tool being extremely fast, supporting large datasets and dynamic behaviors for interaction and animation.

Adding on the themes in the previous paragraphs, D3.js accommodates this robust data connectivity with apps like NVD3 that non-programmers can use to still get good results in the library.

When you search for a tool that supports the SVG and HTML5 outputs, yet enables you to work in browsers without additional plugins, it's hard to rival Google Charts as it allows you to extract data from Google Spreadsheets, Google Fusion Tables, Salesforce (and Salesforce alternatives ), and other SQL databases.

3. Employee Skill Level

Now that you have determined the fundamentals you look for in the tool, you should turn inward and see what your team can offer to the tool.

Not only will you avoid sudden training costs during the learning process, but knowing the limitations of your employees will help you select a data visualization tool to get you the results you strive for and challenge the employees to develop faster.

4. Let's Talk Refinements

• Data visualization – Analyze data in visual form, such as patterns, charts, graphs, maps, trends, correlations, and so on.
• Role-based access management – Regulate access levels for individuals, including data and administration.
• Historical snapshots – Create snapshots of your data samples and workspace and access them as records later in the process.
• Template creation – Save previously used color schemes and combinations as templates and reuse them again in future projects.
• Visual analytics – Analyze enormous amounts of data through powerful and interactive reporting capabilities.
• Visual discovery – Find patterns, sequences, and outliers in datasets through visual analysis without necessarily creating data models.
• Data cleansing – Filter through the redundant and inaccurate residual information from various formats, and keep your database pure.
• In-place filtering – Filter off specific data by value, type, category, or other criteria with dropdowns, checkboxes, radio buttons, sliders, and more.
• Email reporting – Receive constant information and visual statistical reports about your data through scheduled emails.
• Mobile user support – Access your data and monitor ongoing operations outside of the working environment.

Which Data Visualization Tool Should I Choose?

Do you want a tool that will give you access to an enormous collection of data connectors and visualizations, allow you to create maps and public-facing visualizations that stand out, generating the most accurate forecasts and statistical summaries?

Of course, you do.

Everyone looking for a data visualization solution wants those things, and there is no better tool today to help you master self-service business intelligence like Tableau .

Maybee empowering your employees to perform better is at the top of your priorities, and you would like to engage your employees in an alternative way.

Plecto is a tool that will let you add data from all SQL databases, including Zapier and REST-based API, and allow you to integrate with an unlimited number of them while proactively motivating your team to improve through gamification and other unique features.

If you want to construct complex data models but you want to do it quickly with a tool that will help you attain data from various sources and even advise you on the best practices for chart creation, association recommendation, and data preparation, look no further than Qlik .

Just like Jumpeau, with Sisense , you know you are getting the cream of the crop from picture, graph, chart, and map visualizations and high-volume dataset management, reaching the depth of insights through the actionable visualizations that is unrivaled.

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Martin luenendonk.

Martin loves entrepreneurship and has helped dozens of entrepreneurs by validating the business idea, finding scalable customer acquisition channels, and building a data-driven organization. During his time working in investment banking, tech startups, and industry-leading companies he gained extensive knowledge in using different software tools to optimize business processes.

This insights and his love for researching SaaS products enables him to provide in-depth, fact-based software reviews to enable software buyers make better decisions.

• Best Data Visualization Tools

The Best Data Visualization Tools Of 2024

Updated: Aug 29, 2024, 2:57pm

In any data-driven business, data visualization is necessary. It turns data into visuals, making it easier to understand, digest and make important business decisions from. Data visualization creates actionable insights your team might not have found otherwise.

There are many data visualization tools available, and we’ve done the research to determine the best for small businesses. These tools should be versatile, easy to use and allow you to visualize data in a variety of ways to suit your business’s needs.

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The Best Data Visualization Software of 2024

Microsoft power bi, forbes advisor ratings, methodology, frequently asked questions (faqs), next up in business.

• Microsoft Power BI : Best for business intelligence (BI)
• Tableau : Best for interactive charts
• Qlik Sense : Best for artificial intelligence (AI)
• Klipfolio : Best for custom dashboards
• Looker : Best for visualization options
• Zoho Analytics : Best for Zoho users
• Domo : Best for custom apps

Best for Business Intelligence

Software Integrations

Real-Time Analytics

Trend Analysis

Microsoft Power BI is a business intelligence platform that enables users to collaborate with data and track goals. It provides real-time analytics and trend analysis to help users make confident decisions. Microsoft Power BI integrates with many Microsoft products and cloud services, making it a versatile solution for businesses.

It offers data security features to protect user data. Microsoft Power BI is a powerful platform for building engaging, immersive dashboards and reports that allow you to take action.

Who should use it:

Businesses that use Microsoft products and services and need a business intelligence solution.

• Has a mobile app
• Competitive pricing
• If you know how to use Excel, you’ll have an easy time learning this
• Heavy CPU usage
• Desktop version not compatible with Mac

Best for Interactive Charts

Tableau is a data visualization and analytics platform that enables users to explore data and share insights. Data exploration is simple for anyone thanks to Tableau’s flexibility and power. Users can build visualizations with drag and drop, employ AI-driven statistical modeling with a few clicks and ask questions using natural language.

Tableau saves time and money by allowing for greater scale in the areas of governance, security, compliance, maintenance and support. Users also receive more than just an analytics tool—they get the knowledge and support they need to achieve greater scale.

Businesses that need data visualization and analytics capabilities to scale their data operations.

• Storytelling dashboards
• It’s backed by Salesforce
• Integrates with Slack
• Steep learning curve
• Prices are higher compared to similar products

Best for Artificial Intelligence

Qlik Sense is a data visualization tool that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to help users understand and use data more effectively. It offers deeper interactivity and broader context than other data visualization tools, as well as lightning-fast calculations and the ability to connect and combine data from hundreds of data sources.

Qlik Sense is a part of the Qlik Active Intelligence Platform, which offers analytics performance and scalability to businesses of all sizes. Additionally, it’s available as a software-as-a-service (SaaS) solution or as a hybrid service that extends SaaS analytics to on-premises data.

Businesses that need artificial intelligence capabilities to scale their data operations.

• Automated action triggers
• AI insights
• Drag-and-drop interface
• User interface needs work

Best for Custom Dashboards

With Klipfolio, access and combine data from hundreds of services without writing any code using curated instant metrics, all of which are pre-built. With its powerful data modeler, you can leverage data in everyday decision-making. Users can import, edit and analyze data to get comprehensive and exact insight.

Its flexible payment plans require no lengthy contracts or onboarding fees. Nonprofit organizations receive a discount on plans but will need to contact Klipfolio’s sales team for details.

Klipfolio’s unlimited dashboards with every plan make it an ideal solution for businesses requiring custom dashboards.

• Offers a free plan
• Has hundreds of integrations
• Each plan has unlimited dashboards, metrics and viewer users
• Free plan doesn’t include downloadable PDF reports

Best for Visualization Options

Looker is a powerful tool that allows users to see data in many ways thanks to its plugin marketplace. Here, you can find a directory of different types of visualizations, such as bar gauges, aster plots, cartoons, calendar heat maps, liquid fill gauges and spider visualization.

It has pre-made analytical blocks that let users employ templates for certain data or analyses, which helps to accelerate analytics. Looker’s at-a-glance visualization tools make it easy to make data-driven decisions faster.

Businesses that need a variety of data visualization capabilities to scale operations.

• Plugin database for a variety of visualization types
• Stunning visuals
• Data-heavy visualizations can slow down the tool
• Not as customizable as other tools

Best for Zoho Users

Zoho Analytics is a data visualization tool that allows users to import data from a variety of data sources for in-depth analysis. With a drag-and-drop interface, users can create insightful reports and dashboards with a range of data visualization tools.

Users can collaborate on reports and dashboards with their coworkers and decide what others may see and do with the reports provided to them. Publish reports and dashboards via email or embed them on websites. It integrates with other Zoho applications and even offers a free plan.

Any business already using Zoho applications will appreciate the easy integration with Zoho Analytics.

• Sign up in less than a minute
• Has a 15-day free trial on paid plans
• Premium support costs extra

Best for Custom Apps

Domo provides data visualization tools that help small businesses understand data and make data-driven decisions. With its easy-to-use interface, it allows users to create custom apps, advanced charts and maps and other visualizations of data with just a few clicks.

Its governance tools help organizations control who has access to data. And with Domo Everywhere, data can be shared outside of Domo in other applications for easier external reporting. For example, take the data and embed it onto your website using iFrame and JavaScript.

Small businesses that want to better understand data and data-driven decision-making will appreciate Domo.

• Use a pre-built app, hire Domo to create one or use a template to build one
• Its custom seat visualization tool can help stadiums track revenue, sales and attendance
• More than 150 interactive charts
• Pricing isn’t transparent
• Must speak to its sales team for a custom quote

To help businesses find the best data visualization tool for their needs, our team of business experts looked at a variety of options and narrowed our list down to the top seven data visualization tools on the market. We considered features that included ease of use, pricing, customer support, customization, data security and the ability to share data outside of the tool. Our team also looked at user reviews to get insights into real-world experiences with each data visualization tool.

On Zoho Analytics' Website

What is data visualization?

Data visualization is the act of representing data in a visual form, such as graphs, charts and maps. This enables people to glean insights from data more easily and make data-driven decisions. By representing data in a visual form, data visualization makes data more accessible and easier to understand.

What are the types of data visualization?

There are many types of data visualization, but some common ones include bar graphs, pie charts, line graphs, scatter plots, tree charts, polar graphs, radar polygon, mind maps, dichotomous keys, choropleth maps, timelines and project (or program) evaluation and review technique (PERT) charts.

What should I look for in a data visualization tool?

The most important factors to consider when choosing a data visualization tool include how easy it is to learn and use, if it offers access to several different graph and chart types―and that they’re easy to understand, even to beginners, that the tool allows you to export your data into different formats, that it can handle a number of different formats, is interactive, offers plugins and supports many different devices.

Is Microsoft Excel a data visualization tool?

It depends on who you ask. It offers many features for creating visuals, such as graphs, charts and maps. Excel data can also be imported into data visualization tools for further analysis. However, some data visualization experts consider Excel to be more of a data management tool than a data visualization tool.

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8 Best Data Visualization Tools for 2024 (Free & Paid Software)

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• Best for advanced data visualization: Tableau
• Best for integration with Microsoft products: Microsoft Power BI
• Best for customizable data modeling: Looker Studio
• Best for user-friendly interface: Zoho Analytics
• Best for associative data modeling: QlikView
• best for real-time data visualization: Domo
• Best for a wide range of data visualization tools: Microsoft Excel
• Best for web-based data visualization: Google Charts

Data visualization tools have become essential in translating complex data into actionable insights. With the right tool, businesses and data professionals can uncover trends, patterns and insights that drive strategic decisions.

Tools like Microsoft Power BI, Excel, Google Charts and Looker Studio are more ideal for businesses with existing Microsoft or Google ecosystems. Tableau, Zoho Analytics, QlikView, and Domo offer advanced analytics, more robust data integration and greater customization options, making them suitable for businesses requiring in-depth data analysis and flexible visualization capabilities.

Regardless, choosing the right data visualization tool comes down to the data analysis needs of the business, the level of customization required and the compatibility with existing data systems.

Best data visualization tools: Comparison table

Tableau: Best for advanced data visualization

Tableau, a product of Salesforce, is one of the most popular and most often used data visualization application suites on the market. Its popularity comes from its advanced analytics capabilities and interactive dashboards and reports, which large enterprises and professional analysts surely appreciate.

Tableau offers a 7-day free trial for each of its three paid plans:

• Viewer: $15 per user per month, billed annually.
• Explorer: $42 per user per month, billed annually.
• Creator: $75 per user per month, billed annually.

Standout features

• Interactive dashboards for creating dynamic and engaging visualizations.
• Supports a wide range of data sources and integrations with advanced analytics tools.
• Advanced visual analytics capabilities to handle complex data sets and provide deep insights ( Figure A ).

• Tableau is a user-friendly platform that’s accessible to users with different levels of expertise.
• It benefits from a large and active user community.
• Tableau has extensive customization options.
• Tableau can be expensive, especially for smaller organizations.
• Users may need time to master its full range of features.
• Tableau Mobile’s performance is inconsistent on Android.

Why we picked Tableau

We chose Tableau because of its impressive interactive data visualization capabilities and robust analytics. Beyond visualizations, it offers effective AI capabilities that help to streamline and ease analytics tasks and has great community support and extensive support resources.

SEE: For more information, read the full Tableau review and our Tableau cheat sheet .

Microsoft Power BI: Best for integration with Microsoft products

Microsoft Power BI is a full-service business intelligence suite of data visualization applications. It offers deep integration with Microsoft products, making it popular among teams of all sizes, especially those using the Microsoft ecosystem. Power BI can pull in data from many different sources and coordinate dashboards and visual reports across teams, departments and enterprises.

• Free: No cost.
• Power BI Pro: Available as a Microsoft 365 E3 add-on or at $10 per user per month.
• Power BI Premium: $20 per user per month. A 30-day free trial is available.
• Seamless compatibility with Microsoft’s suite of products.
• Real-time dashboards for a 360-degree view of business data.
• Customizable visualizations ( Figure B ) with more than 30 visuals available.

• Robust customer support.
• More effective than its alternatives for users already in the Microsoft ecosystem.
• Intuitive and user-friendly, suitable for various skill levels.
• Understanding pricing can be frustrating.
• Power BI’s performance can fluctuate.
• Best utilized within the Microsoft environment.

Why we picked Microsoft Power BI

Microsoft Power BI makes it to our list primarily thanks to its excellent integration with Microsoft products. Its user interface is user-friendly, coupled with an affordable price, to make Power BI accessible to a wide range of users.

SEE: For more information, read the full Microsoft Power BI review .

Looker Studio: Best for customizable data modeling

Google Looker Studio is a cloud-based business intelligence and data analysis service with a data visualization component. It stands out for its customizable data modeling and integration with Google Cloud, which makes it a no-brainer for businesses already using other products in the Google ecosystem. Looker Studio concentrates its efforts on discovering hidden patterns and information within big data streams.

Google Looker has a free version and three paid editions. The paid editions include Standard, Enterprise and Embed; get custom pricing by consulting their sales teams.

• Customizable data modeling through LookML, its unique modeling language.
• Straightforward compatibility with Google Cloud services.
• Template gallery alongside advanced data visualization capabilities ( Figure C ).

• Great for Google’s product ecosystem.
• Shared dashboards strengthen its collaborative capabilities.
• Easy to pick up and use as it has a straightforward free version.
• Its advanced features can be underutilized by casual users.
• LookML can be rather challenging to grasp for beginners.
• Pricing for the paid tiers can be confusing.

Why we picked Looker Studio

Similar to Power BI, we selected Looker Studio due to its integration into Google’s Cloud Platform, offering a suite of interrelated tools that enhance data visualization capabilities. With Looker Studio, users can easily create real-time dashboards that make their data analysis more effective.

SEE: For more information, check out how Looker compares to Tableau .

Zoho Analytics: Best for user-friendly interface

Zoho Analytics is a cloud-based data visualization platform with business intelligence, AI and collaboration. Small and midsize businesses should consider Zoho Analytics should they want a user-friendly interface alongside AI-powered analytics. Additionally, the platform can access data from many different sources and outputs, including mobile, web-based or simple reports.

Zoho offers a Free plan as well as 15-day free trial for each of its premium plans:

• Basic: $24 per month, billed annually, or $30 per month when billed monthly.
• Standard: $48per month, billed annually, or $60 per month when billed monthly.
• Premium: $115 per month, billed annually, or $145 per month when billed monthly.
• Enterprise: $455 per month, billed annually, or $575 per user month billed monthly.
• AI assistant for advanced data analytics .
• Diverse visualization options, like a variety of charts, widgets and pivot tables.
• Intuitive user interface with self-service features ( Figure D ).

• Competitive pricing makes it affordable for smaller businesses.
• Intuitive interface makes it easy to use for users without advanced technical skills.
• Robust mobile application.
• It doesn’t offer as much customizability as some of its alternatives.
• It’s not ideal for advanced advanced analytics needs.
• Maximum efficiency when used with other Zoho products.

Why we picked Zoho Analytics

Zoho Analytics is selected for its balance of a user-friendly interface and powerful AI-driven analytics, making it ideal for SMBs. Its straightforward ability to transform raw data from various sources into meaningful reports and visualizations allows a wider net of users to quickly develop and publish reports.

SEE: Explore our side-by-side comparison of Power BI and Zoho Analytics .

QlikView: Best for associative data modeling

QlikView is another cloud-based business intelligence platform designed to provide visual dashboards and reports using advanced AI and machine learning technologies. Its associative data modeling and interactive guided analytics are its standout features that meet the needs of businesses that require personalized, interactive data discovery. The service stresses enterprise-level collaboration features.

Qlik has a trio of plans, namely the Standard, Premium and Enterprise, but pricing information can only be obtained by contacting Qlik and requesting a quote. When billed annually, the Standard and Premium plans cost $20 per user per month and $2700 per month.

• Interactive guided analytics for deep diving into data with guided exploration.
• Enterprise-level real-time collaboration for active analytics across large teams and departments.
• Associative data modeling for a unique approach to data exploration and discovery ( Figure E ).

• Qlik tailors data exploration to individual user needs.
• It’s suitable for businesses of various sizes.
• Qlik offers AI-powered insights.
• Can be complex for new users to grasp fully.
• Cost may easily spiral for larger enterprise deployments.
• Its interface isn’t as intuitive as some of its competitors.

Why we picked QlikView

QlikView delivers fast data processing and interactive visualizations, making it one of the quickest data visualization tools on the market. Its associative data engine allows users to explore all their data from any angle within dashboards, which offers them clarity and understanding.

Domo: best for real-time data visualization

Domo is a cloud-based data visualization tool that can access data from many sources, including AWS, Google, Snowflake and other on-premises environments. The platform is known for its real-time data visualization capabilities, as the company markets itself as a low-code digital transformation platform for reports, dashboards and data analysis.

Domo has a limited free plan that allows businesses to try out some of the features available in its three paid plans.

• Standard: Starts at $300 per month for 400 credits.
• Enterprise: Contact sales to request a quote.
• Business Critical: Contact sales to request a quote.
• Low-code platform for easier creation of reports and dashboards.
• Integration with diverse data sources.
• Real-time data visualization for immediate insights into data changes and trends ( Figure F ).

• Domo is suitable for various business sizes and industries.
• It’s accessible to users with different levels of technical expertise.
• It’s a no-code platform.
• Some features may need technical expertise to use.
• Only one pricing plan is transparent upfront.
• Complexity in large deployments — can become complex to manage in larger setups.

Why we picked Domo

We listed Domo because of its real-time data visualization capabilities that turn data into vibrant, interactive dashboards. Domo also delivers an intuitive, low-code platform that makes it worth considering for immediate data analysis needs.

SEE: Check out our side-by-side comparison of Domo and Tableau .

Microsoft Excel: Best for a wide range of data visualization tools

Microsoft Excel, the spreadsheet application found in the Microsoft 365 suite of productivity apps, is often the first introduction to data visualization techniques and analysis for many users. Known for its wide range of data visualization tools and familiar interface, Excel is great for basic data analysis and visualization. Despite its general availability and ease of use, Excel can be a powerful data visualization tool.

Excel is part of the Microsoft 365 subscription.

• A familiar interface that makes it accessible to a broad audience.
• Integration with Microsoft 365.
• Variety of visualization tools, with charts, graphs, pivot tables and more for data presentation ( Figure G ).

• Ubiquity and familiarity reduce the learning curve for data visualization.
• It’s suitable for a range of basic to moderately complex data tasks.
• It’s easy to pick up and use.
• Large datasets can impact performance
• It’s not as powerful as specialized data visualization software.
• Premium features require users to purchase a Microsoft 365 subscription.

Why we picked Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Excel earns a spot on our list because of its widespread use and familiarity, making it a great starting point and a go-to software for data visualization for businesses of all sizes, from basic to moderately complex data tasks. Plus, its integration within the Microsoft 365 suite makes it both versatile and reliable.

Google Charts: Best for web-based data visualization

Google Charts specializes in creating mobile and web-based reports, dashboards and other visual assets. It has a wide variety of chart types and integration with Google products, which makes it appealing for developers and businesses needing web-based visualizations. Primarily a tool designed for developers, Google Charts relies heavily on JavaScript.

Google Charts is available for free.

• Seamless integration with Google products.
• Web-based focus making it ideal for creating interactive online reports and dashboards.
• Wide variety of chart types that deliver extensive data visualization options ( Figure H ).

• Free to use, making it accessible to a wide range of users.
• It’s developer-friendly as it offers them extensive customization options.
• Great tool for web-based applications.
• Advantageous to users with JavaScript knowledge.
• It’s primarily designed for online use.
• Users who aren’t developers may experience a learning curve when customizing the tool.

Why we picked Google Charts

Google Charts is part of our selection as it’s able to create a wide variety of charts and visualizations, especially suited for web-based applications. Its emphasis on JavaScript allows for extensive customization that enables users to create interactive and engaging online visualizations. It also integrates well with Google products, plus, it’s free!

How do I choose the best data visualization tool for my business?

Selecting the right data visualization tool isn’t just about its features; it’s about how those features align with business needs and goals. Businesses need to:

• Understand their data needs.
• Consider the technical expertise at their disposal.
• Keep integration with other systems in mind.
• Plan for scalability.
• Consider the cost of the data visualization tool.

Throughout this article, we’ve explored a variety of software options, each with its own use case.

ACADEMY: Learn how to visualize data like a pro .

For businesses searching for real-time data analysis and a low-code platform, Domo stands out as an excellent choice. Its ability to provide vibrant, interactive dashboards with real-time insights makes it ideal for dynamic business environments.

On the other hand, for businesses that operate heavily within the Google ecosystem and value the integration of cloud-based tools, Looker Studio emerges as a powerful option. Google Charts also falls into this category and is ideal for businesses focusing on online data visualization.

For those in need of a tool that offers a balance of user-friendliness, AI and collaboration capabilities, Zoho Analytics is a strong contender. Its collaborative features and diverse visualization options cater well to small and medium-sized businesses.

QlikView, with its fast data processing and interactive visualizations, is particularly suited for teams that need speedy and comprehensive data exploration. Its associative data engine allows for intuitive data exploration, making it a strong choice for businesses that need to analyze data quickly.

Lastly, Microsoft Excel, with its widespread use and familiarity, is an excellent choice for those looking for a versatile and reliable tool for basic to moderate data visualization tasks. Its user-friendly interface and integration within the Microsoft 365 suite make it a practical option for many users.

Review methodology

We chose eight top data visualization tools we anticipated would offer different use cases and subjected them to a variety of factors to deliver this review. Firstly, we considered the features of each to ensure that their visualization capabilities are worth recommending. Then, we examined their pricing and value, which was based on the cost and pricing structure while keeping in mind their target users and the cost of their competitors.

We then read through real-world user reviews to understand the experiences of other users with these tools, as well as looking through their websites to note how they approach data visualization. Finally, we tested the tools wherever possible through live demos and trial plans for that valuable hands-on feel.

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Best data visualization tool of 2024

Communicate business insights more easily to stakeholders with the best data visualization tools

Best overall

Best basic option, best for flowcharts, best for dashboards, best for features.

• How we test

The best data visualization tools make it simple and easy to communicate business insights from raw data to stakeholders.

1. Best overall 2. Best basic option 3. Best for flowcharts 4. Best for dashboards 5. Best for features 6. FAQs 7. How we test

Data visualization can be used in the form of anything from presentations to workflows, each of which can benefit from better charts and diagrams to provide information visually.

Ultimately, data visualizations will provide clear indicators of trends from existing data, or present otherwise important information such as core tasks or assignments in management processes. Graphic representation of key data helps you to get the point across quickly, in a way that others will find easy to understand.

The key to visualization is simplicity in the presentation, no matter how it is applied, and irrespective of industry-specific applications of visualization.

Below we list what we think are the best data visualization tools and apps currently available.

We've also featured the best data recovery software .

The best data visualization tools of 2024 in full:

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Reasons to buy

Reasons to avoid.

Tableau comes in strong as a market leader when it comes to showing how visualization can help with general productivity management. It's a flexible and powerful solution that provides for business intelligence , and it's with large data sets that Tableau really comes into its own.

Tableau offers a range of different software tools for data visualization, starting with Tableau Creator which allows for both a desktop and online version for individuals, to allow for the processing of data to output visualized analytics. This service costs around $70 / £60 / AU$105 per user per month when billed annually.

There are also versions for teams and organizations, either as a standalone to provide data mining with visualization and interactive dashboards, while there's also a version for live analytics processing with existing software apps.

Altogether, Tableau is a powerful analytics tool for producing all manner of useful charts and graphs, all of which make it easier to communicate insights and answers to questions with different levels of stakeholders. 

• ^ Back to the top

Quire allows you to manage and visualize projects that don’t require advanced functionality.

Quire works by letting you map out tasks and thoughts in a simple to-do list format that can easily be rearranged and assigned to team members. Once tasks have been defined in the app, you can visually organize and assign these tasks using a Kanban board built into the system. The software makes it easy to flip between task lists and the Kanban board as needed.

The beauty of Quire is that it also offers a number of visual representations of your task list that you can choose from, including pie charts, project summaries, and graphs. All the basic visual data representations are there except for Gantt charts , the one strike against this platform. 

Overall, though, Quire delivers a streamlined interface that works very well for exploring workflows and improving project management . It strikes a good balance between simplicity and power, earning it a place among the best data visualization tools available right now.

Quire's starting Professional plan costs around $9 / £8 / AU$12 per user per month, but if you want more storage and functions you need to buy the Premium or Enterprise plans.

There are many ways in which you can visually organize your project. If your preferred style is flowchart-based organization, you’re going to love Casual.

Instead of Kanban boards or Gantt charts, Casual is built exclusively around a single flowchart interface where you organize projects by drawing lines between tasks, and assign team members to each step in the flowchart. Each team member gets a task list based on the flowchart, but essentially project managers that use Casual track progress through the single-pane flowchart.

In terms of price plans, all tiers share the same features. The only differentiating feature is the number of users. For example, the personal tier supports two users while the enterprise tier supports fifty or more. There is currently a free 14-day trial on all tiers, so you can see if it's for you before committing to an ongoing subscription.

Casual is easily the best data visualization tool if you prefer to work with flowcharts and have a project that can be represented in that format. If you want a range of charts and other ways to organize or manage a large team, however, Casual is not for you.

Our expert review:

If Gantt charts and dashboards are your thing, Wrike should be on your data visualization tool shortlist.

Wrike makes it easy to create tasks and workflows, and then manage these tasks visually in a Gantt chart or calendar format. One feature that’s great about Wrike is that you can visually create custom workflows for your project.

Data visualization is also a strong point for Wrike, which lets you set up custom dashboard items that visually show the progress of key project metrics. In one quick view, you can see the status of each area of the project.

The free tier supports up to 5 team members and an unlimited number of collaborators. A series of paid tiers unlock additional team members and premium features, with bespoke options available for large organizations.

Furthermore, Wrike is highly scalable, with many integrations to other platforms and support for large teams.

Read our full Wrike review .

5. Targetprocess

If you want all-in-one project management software that includes a host of data representation options, Targetprocess is for you.

Taking a dashboard approach but also working in Kanban and Gantt chart formats, Targetprocess basically gives your project the full suite of features. Complex task lists can be configured and rearranged, and it comes with a multitude of data representation views that can be added to the dashboard for quick progress assessment.

Targetprocess is geared towards agile software development projects, and it can be overwhelming in its feature set and clunky in its interface, but this solution visually represents data in more ways than rivals, and does everything a software project manager could want.

In summary, a comprehensive feature set makes this one of the best data visualization tools available for users who aren't intimidated by the wealth of options.

We've also featured the best mind map software.

Data visualization tool FAQs

What are data visualization tools.

The best data visualization tools transform raw data from spreadsheets, databases, and other sources into easy-to-read graphs, charts, and other graphic assets.

Why would you want to do that? These visualizations help bring data to life, making it easy to see performance over time, trends, and other vital metrics. As well as being an excellent addition to reports and presentations, data visualizations can help you analyze your data in new ways, drawing out details you may have otherwise overlooked.

How to choose the best data visualization tools for you

The best data visualization tool for you will depend entirely on your business needs. If you simply want to look at your data in new ways, a standalone data visualization solution could be the best option.

However, if you want to connect data from various sources or monitor metrics in real-time, a cloud-based solution with advanced features would be more appropriate. There are also software packages that offer a complete project management suite, alongside data visualization tools. This would be a solid choice for companies that want one program to do it all.

How we tested the best data visualization tools

Where possible, we register for and use every program in our best data visualization tools guide. We use the software, recreating real-world use cases to assess ease of use and functionality. Where there are features beyond the scope of data visualization, we test these too to give you a full overview.

We also look at ongoing technical support and the price tiers, investigating free versions where available. If we can't physically test a piece of software, we consider information displayed on the company's website, peer reviews, and testimonials from existing customers.

Read more on how we test, rate, and review products on TechRadar .

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The 19 Best Data Visualization Tools and Software for 2024

• Best Practices ,

Solutions Review’s listing of the best data visualization tools is an annual mashup of products that best represent current market conditions, according to the crowd. Our editors selected the best data visualization tools based on each solution’s Authority Score; a meta-analysis of real user sentiment through the web’s most trusted business software review sites and our own proprietary five-point inclusion criteria.

The editors at Solutions Review have developed this resource to assist buyers in search of the bedata visualization tools to fit the needs of their organization. Choosing the right vendor and solution can be a complicated process — one that requires in-depth research and often comes down to more than just the solution and its technical capabilities. To make your search a little easier, we’ve profiled the best data visualization tools providers all in one place. We’ve also included platform and product line names and introductory software tutorials straight from the source so you can see each solution in action.

Note: The best data visualization tools are listed in alphabetical order.

The Best Data Visualization Tools

• ChartBlocks

Platform: ChartBlocks

Description: ChartBlocks offers an online chart-building tool that lets you import your data, design a chart, and then share it with ease. No coding is required to enable users to build charts via a simple designer. You can also choose from dozens of different chart types and pull data from almost any source. ChartBlocks supports creating charts that pull data from multiple sources as well. The tool touts a data import wizard that takes you through the entire process step-by-step.

Platform: Cyfe

Description:  Cyfe offers a business dashboard creator that lets you monitor and visualize important data (social media, analytics, marketing, sales, support) in one place. The product features a number of pre-built dashboard templates that can be modified to meet specific needs. Users can also pull data from popular sources, and Cyfe touts more than 100 integrations and 250 metrics out-of-the-box. There are automated reports and widget alerts as well, which can be downloaded or scheduled.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61ZdbB92vRM

Platform: Databox

Description: Databox offers a business analytics platform for KPI dashboards that pulls organizational data into one place so users can track performance and discover insights in real-time. The product lets you mix and match metrics from different sources into one dashboard. Databox features a DIY Dashboard Designer that enables users to pull the metrics they need, visualize KPIs in a number of ways, and build dashboards without the need for special coding or design skills.

Datawrapper

Platform: Datawrapper

Description: Datawrapper provides a web tool for creating a variety of interactive charts and maps. No code or design skills are required, and charts can be embedded in your website. Users can simply copy data from Excel or Google Sheets or upload CSV files or link to a URL for live updating. The basic (free) version allows for 1 user, 1 locator map, and 10,000 chart views per month. There are also several paid offerings that include access for additional users and more advanced capabilities.

• Easy Insight

Platform: Easy Insight

Description: Easy Insight offers a cloud business intelligence tool that enables you to create reports and dashboards and visualize data through charts and tables. The product also enables the combination of different services in databases so users can create a single view of customers across multiple apps. Easy Insight also touts the ability to create and update data right from your reports, as well as drill from charts into detailed data and click right back to the source.

Platform: Exago BI

Description: Exago BI is completely web-based and a prime embedded solution for software companies looking to provide ad hoc reporting, dashboards, and business analysis to their clients. Integration with web-based SaaS and or on-prem applications allows non-technical users to create reports and dashboards with no IT intervention. Exago BI offers a wide variety of advanced features including interactive data visualizations, geo-maps, drill-downs, user-defined formulas, and data merging into predefined templates.

• Golden Software

Platform: Grapher

Description: Golden Software’s Grapher is a full-function graphing application for scientists, engineers, and business professionals. The product touts more than 80 unique and customizable 2D and 3D graph styles. Graphs can be enhanced with legends, titles and labels, summation plots, graph magnifiers, and statistical reports. Grapher also includes extensive analysis charts, tools, and statistical features to identify trends, find new insights and provide a holistic view of data.

Platform: Geckoboard

Description: Geckoboard offers a data dashboard product that makes it easy for you to share important data, metrics and KPIs clearly. The tool helps to streamline data from spreadsheets, databases and other tools for presentation purposes. Real-time metrics and more than 60 integrations make it easy to create live dashboards. Geckoboard also touts an unmissable summary of key performance indicators. Users can easily share dashboards with team members through email, chat, documents, or bookmark them for quick access.

Learn more and compare products with the Solutions Review Buyer’s Guide for Analytics and Business Intelligence Platforms .

Platform: Grow

Description: Grow offers a no-code, full-stack business intelligence and data visualization tool. The product features data integration capabilities that enable users to connect, store, and blend data from hundreds of data sources. Grow then provides the ability to marry and transform disparate data sources so you can filter, slice, and explore different visualizations. The built-in data explorer defines how you want to navigate data via charts and graphs which are displayed in metrics and dashboards.

Platform: GoodData

Description: The GoodData platform provides creation, delivery, and automated management of analytics at scale that allows organizations to deliver insights to customers, partners, and other users. GoodData is designed to support any analytical product roadmap and enables customers to offer their partners any data source, visualization, interaction pattern, or integration they need. The tool offers analytics and expertise to operationalize intelligent decisions within business applications and business processes.

• iDashboards

Platform: iDashboards

Description: iDashboards offers a data visualization platform for customers in a wide array of vertical industries. The product features customizable and flexible dashboard tools that integrate with popular data sources. iDashboards lets users quickly view and analyze critical performance metrics as well. Dashboards can be created on any device while the solution touts hundreds of chart options for data visualizations of any kind. Users can share dashboards internally or publicly to keep the back-end secure. Role-based permissions and other integrations are also available.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCuYKd7hWnk

Platform: Infogram

Description: Infogram offers an intuitive data visualization tool for users of varying skill levels. The product features ready-to-use templates and custom templates with your brand, colors, fonts, and logo. Infogram also touts interactive content via object animations like setting objects to zoom, bounce, flip and fade, as well as enhanced interactivity through tooltips, tabs, clickable legends, and linking. Teams can be organized into groups and permissions can be set by role.

Platform: Klipfolio

Description: Klipfolio offers a custom dashboard and reporting tool that combines formulas, functions, and data modeling to help users build actionable reports. Customers can choose from pre-built visualizations in the Klip gallery or incorporate proprietary branding with custom themes. Klipfolio enables the sharing of dashboards and reports via view-only links, PDFs, scheduled emails, or Slack messages. The solution provider offers free add-on products like PowerMetrics (lightweight data analytics) and MetricHQ (online dictionary of metrics and KPIs) as well.

Platform: Power BI

Related products: Power BI Desktop, Power BI Report Server

Description: Microsoft is a major players in enterprise BI and analytics. The company’s flagship platform, Power BI, is cloud-based and delivered on the Azure Cloud. On-prem capabilities also exist for individual users or when power users are authoring complex data mashups using in-house data sources. Power BI is unique because it enables users to do data preparation, data discovery, and dashboards with the same design tool. The platform integrates with Excel and Office 365, and has a very active user community that extends the tool’s capabilities.

• Panintelligence

Platform: pi

Description: pi is a three-in-one solution that combines business intelligence with simple reporting and predictive analytic capabilities via self-service dashboards. Users can white label the software and embed it into existing SaaS products or hook it up to cloud data warehousing and ETL tools for a more seamless experience. pi also centralizes various sources of data and uses AI analytics and automation to make insights readily available while dashboards can be completely customized for each client without the need to write code.

• Tableau Software

Platform: Tableau Desktop

Related products:  Tableau Prep, Tableau Server, Tableau Online, Tableau Data Management

Description: Tableau offers an expansive visual BI and analytics platform, and is widely regarded as the major player in the marketplace. The company’s analytic software portfolio is available through three main channels: Tableau Desktop, Tableau Server, and Tableau Online. Tableau connects to hundreds of data sources and is available on-prem or in the cloud. The vendor also offers embedded analytics capabilities, and users can visualize and share data with Tableau Public.

Platform:  Toucan Toco

Description: Toucan offers a data storytelling platform designed for the non-technical decision-maker. The product lets users communicate actionable insights via a built-in no-code framework. Toucan Toco adapts to usage habits by deploying apps to all devices quickly without additional work, installation, or post-deployment maintenance. Included collaboration capabilities can be utilized via native integrations with Teams and Slack. The tool also touts an adaptive design and the ability to embed charts to websites or other platforms.

Platform: Visme

Description:  Visme is an all-in-one visual communication tool that lets users create presentations, infographics, reports, social graphics, and more. The tool features more than 40 different chart and diagram types bar graph, pie chart, flowcharts, diagrams, line graphs, histograms), as well as live data integration and an easy-to-use graph maker. Graphs can be easily shared, downloaded, or embedded as well. Visme touts a free library of chart templates, millions of stock photos and icons, the ability to customize brand fonts and colors, and a drag-and-drop interface.

Platform: Zoho Analytics

Description: Zoho Analytics is a self-service BI and data analytics tool that lets you incorporate data from a wide range of sources, blend it together, and create cross-functional reports and dashboards. The product features a drag-and-drop designer, as well as different visualization tools to drill down to specifics. A “smart” assistant called Zia can answer questions in the form of reports and KPI widgets via AI, machine learning and natural language processing. Users can share and publish reports and smart data alerts ping you when outliers or anomalies happen.

This article was written by Tim King on October 9, 2023

• Best Data Visualization Software
• Best Data Visualization Tools
• Data Visualization
• Toucan Toco
• Recent Posts

Executive Editor

Tim is Solutions Review's Executive Editor and leads coverage on data management and analytics. A 2017 and 2018 Most Influential Business Journalist and 2021 "Who's Who" in Data Management, Tim is a recognized industry thought leader and changemaker. Story? Reach him via email at tking@solutionsreview dot com.

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Your Guide to the Top 11 Data Visualization Tools

If you clicked on this article, you’re probably in the following situation: you have a critical dataset to analyze, but you don’t know any good data visualization tools.

Thankfully, you’ve come to the right place.

In this article, we’ll teach you everything you need to know about data visualization tools, including what they are, why you should use them, and 11 potential tools we recommend trying.

Ready? Let’s start!

What Is Data Visualization?

Data visualization is the process of creating a visual representation of a data set’s trends, patterns, and critical insights. A data visualization tool is software that helps you create a visualization.

Though you may not work with data every day, you’ve likely used many different types of data visualizations before. Some of the most popular visualizations include:

• Pie charts , which show percentage breakdowns
• Tables , which show data that’s too complicated for text
• Timelines , which offer a sequence of events over time
• Histograms , which show the distribution of a dataset made up of continuous or discrete data
• Gantt charts , which show the timeline of a project
• Box-and-whisker plots , which offer a dataset’s five-number summary (which includes the minimum, first quartile, median, third quartile, and maximum figures)
• Scatter plots , which show a relationship between two sets of data (like height vs. weight)
• Bar charts , which show the distribution of data in two categories (like the results of A/B tests )

There’s no “one” way to create a data visualization, though the general process of creating one looks like this:

• Step 1:  Gather your dataset
• Step 2: “Clean” your data to ensure it’s consistent and error-free
• Step 3:  Export your dataset into your data visualization software
• Step 4:  Use the software to generate visualizations
• Step 5:  Assess the reliability and validity of your visualization and use the chart as you please

When discussing data, it’s important to note that “reliability” and “validity” are separate things. “Reliability” refers to how well your data and the methodology behind it measures the thing you’re evaluating, while “validity” refers to how accurate your data itself is.

Why Data Visualization Is Important

Data visualizations are very useful, as they can help you:

• Discover BI Insights: Business Intelligence (BI) insights are vital pieces of information that inform your decisions.

For example, if you analyzed your email open rate , it’d be a BI insight to say that your click-through rate (CTR) was higher on emails sent through MailChimp instead of GetResponse. The insight will likely influence which platform you use.

• Convey Complicated Or Detailed Results To Others: Visualizations can help you explain what your data says to your boss, investors, coworkers, or the media — as they reduce complex data into easily digestible graphics.

For example, if you were doing A/B testing on your WordPress site, you could use data visualization to display results for both the “A” and “B” outcomes so that they are easy to understand.

• Analyze And Understand Hidden Trends In Your Business Data: While some trends are obvious by looking at a dataset, many datasets are too large to interpret without visualizations.

For example, if you were analyzing your ad retargeting results from a whole year, a data visualization would show you seasonal spikes that you likely couldn’t notice by looking at week-on-week results.

• Compare Figures In Big Data Sets   Quickly: You don’t have to own a big business to generate a lot of data.

Many businesses track data like their website conversion figures . These datasets contain results from hundreds of visitors, so analyzing the data manually would be extremely time-consuming.

Common Features of Data Visualization Tools

Although every data visualization tool is different, most tools share some common (and very helpful) features. This section will briefly describe these features and why they are essential when selecting your ideal tool.

Data Importing API

Many tools include an Application Programming Interface (API) that allows you to import data from your data collection tool to your visualization tool. APIs speed up the visualization process, as you’d need to download your data, upload it to your tool, and format it manually without an API.

Chart Templates

Chart templates are pre-set designs that you can use to create an attractive visualization quickly. These are perfect if you aren’t a graphic designer or a data analyst, as you simply insert your data into the chart.

Most chart templates will also let you customize your chart’s colors, fonts, and headers.

Interactive Charts

Interactive charts react when you interact with them, meaning you can highlight key figures, trends, or variables without creating different visualizations for each analytic.

Version History

Version history allows you to view and restore old versions of your data visualizations — meaning you can undo a mistake without losing your data.

Mobile Optimization

As the name suggests, mobile optimization allows you to alter the presentation of your visualizations to suit mobile devices.

Top 11 Data Visualization Tools

If you search for “data visualization software,” you’ll find hundreds of different options. That’s a lot of options to choose from, so to help you narrow it down, we’ve compiled a list of our top 11 tools in this section.

1. Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Excel is the oldest (and likely best known) program on this list. Launched by Microsoft in 1987, Excel allows you to create tables, charts, and roughly 20  other visualizations.

Top Features

• Power Pivot: An add-in that you can use to create data models and perform analysis on large data sets
• Inbuilt formulas
• Autofilter:  A program that can sort your data automatically
• Available in Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS devices
• You can customize your visualization’s font, color, and features
• It comes with many Microsoft packages (so you may already have it on your computer)
• Allows you to import and export data quickly and in many file types
• Includes version history
• Can be expensive
• Difficult to use on large datasets if you aren’t a data scientist
• Not designed for teams

One license for Microsoft Excel costs $159.99 per year  or $6.99 a month if purchased with Office 365.

What It Looks Like In Practice

2. Microsoft Power BI

Microsoft Power BI is Excel’s younger and brighter cousin. Power BI allows you to create data visualizations individually or within reports.

• Microsoft AI:  An artificial intelligence (AI) program that can prepare and analyze data automatically
• Fully customizable dashboards
• Real-time visualizations
• Includes many chart templates and pre-set reports
• Has Machine Learning capabilities
• Can analyze data from Dynamics 365, Excel, SharePoint, Salesforce, and Azure SQL DB (among other sources)
• Great for teams
• Can create an interactive data visualization
• Very cyber secure
• Available on desktop and mobile devices
• Best suited for people who have analyzed data before or who use Excel frequently
• Can only handle up to 2 GB of data at a time (so not suited to extensive data sets)

It costs $13.70 per user per month for Power BI Pro or $27.50 per user per month for Power BI Premium. Power BI also offers “per capacity” plans for large organizations.

3. Google Charts

Google Charts is a web-based tool that can create simple visualizations from small and large datasets. You can build visualizations to publish onto your website with Google Charts.

• Cross-browser compatibility:  Your visualizations will work on other (non-Microsoft) browsers like Safari, Mozilla Firefox, and Google Chrome
• Interactive charts
• You can use it to create many different types of visualizations
• Beginner-friendly
• You can use it to analyze data from any SQL database
• You can customize your visualizations with CSS editing
• You’ll need a basic understanding of JavaScript to publish your visualization onto your website

Google Charts is currently entirely free to use.

Tableau is a powerful and well-known data visualization tool that allows you to analyze data from multiple sources at once. Salesforce owns Tableau.

• Ask Data:  A tool that can answer basic questions about your data
• Explain Data:  An AI tool that explains why your dataset has outliers (outliers are data points that are abnormally different from other data points)
• Tableau Prep: A self-service data preparation tool that can create visualizations according to your instructions
• Includes a wide range of chart templates
• Can handle large volumes of data
• Can import data from a wide range of places
• It may take some time to learn to use
• Tableau Public makes your data visible to other users

The public version of Tableau is currently free. However, Tableau also offers Viewer, Creator, and Explorer plans that start from $12, $35, and $70, respectively. It also provides enterprise plans.

5. Zoho Analytics

Zoho Analytics is a data visualization tool loved by over 2 million users — including employees at big brands like HP, Hyundai, and Suzuki.

• Multi-user collaboration: You can grant other users permission to view and edit your visualizations
• Mobile BI app: Available on Android and iOS devices
• Automatic reports
• Includes a wide range of pre-set templates
• You can embed Zoho visualizations into your website with little or no code
• Integrates with over 500 apps (including Google Ads, Salesforce, and many social media platforms)
• It’s easy to learn Zoho Analytics as Zoho has produced video tutorials, webinars, and a product tour for users
• Zoho Analytics is best suited to people with a basic understanding of analytics and data analysis (or with the time to learn)

Zoho Analytics offers Basic, Standard, Premium, and Enterprise plans ranging from $24–$455  a month.

6. Datawrapper

Datawrapper is an easy-to-use tool perfect for creating charts, tables, and maps for websites. Initially, Datawrapper developers built the tool for news websites, but many organizations now use it.

• Built-in color blindness checker: Makes your visualizations color-blind friendly
• Mobile-friendly
• You can create an unlimited number of visualizations on the free account
• Easy to learn to use as Datawrapper has produced over 100 “how-to” articles
• You can only import data from a few sources
• Datawrapper’s premium plans are more expensive than competing tools

Datawrapper offers a free plan, a custom plan for $5,990 a year , and enterprise plans.

7. Qlik Sense

Qlik Sense is a data visualization tool designed for large businesses and people who want to use augmented analytics to analyze data. Qlik Sense is the successor to “QlikView” — a similar (but smaller) visual analytics tool.

• Visual and Advanced Data Prep:  Can clean and sort your data automatically
• Insight Advisor:  An AI program that can help you analyze your data and understand any BI insights you find
• Works online and offline on mobile devices
• Perfect for teams
• Scalable for large businesses
• Best suited to people with experience in data analytics

Qlik Sense offers Qlik Sense Business for $30 per user per month  and enterprise plans.

8. FusionCharts

FusionCharts is a popular Google Charts alternative. FusionCharts allows you to create visualizations to embed into web pages. Over 28,000 businesses worldwide currently use it — including tech giants like Google, Apple, and IBM.

• Integrations:  Works with JavaScript frameworks like Angular , Ember, React, and jQuery
• Compatibility:  Works with server-side programming languages Java, PHP , Ruby on Rails , and Django
• Live data dashboard
• Offers over 100 different types of charts and over 2,000 choropleth maps
• Great user interface (UI)
• You can export charts quickly and easily
• Handles large data sets
• More expensive than many other data visualization software options
• Not available on iOS or Android devices

FusionCharts offers the Basic package from $499 annually , the Pro package from $1,299 annually, and the Enterprise package from $2,499 annually.

This image shows what a visualization created with FusionCharts looks like.

Domo is a BI tool geared toward businesses with complicated or large datasets. Organizations like eBay, ESPN, Cisco, and Emerson all use Domo.

• Real-time analytics
• Buzz: Domo’s built-in chat app that allows you to communicate with your team
• App Dev Studio:  An built-in program that allows you to build visualizations with HTML, Javascript, and CSS
• Extensive library of report and chart templates
• Domo has a natural language query function that can answer basic questions about your data
• Domo can analyze data from 1,000+ data sources
• Domo offers alerts that will go off when you hit a predetermined goal
• Not beginner-friendly

Domo’s pricing is organization-specific — so you’ll need to contact the sales department for a quote.

10. Google Analytics

Google Analytics is a tried-and-true BI tool that’s perfect for small, medium, and large businesses looking to analyze their website activity. Google Analytics can track critical figures like bounce rate, average session duration, and pages per session.

• Integrations:  Works with Google Ads, Google Search Console, and WordPress
• Real-time report: Shows you your website’s current activity
• Interactive dashboard
• Easy to set up
• Google Analytics collects and analyzes data on your audience, conversions, audience acquisition, and their behavior automatically
• You can export your data into other programs for further analysis
• Only suitable for analyzing web traffic data
• Only offers a few pre-set visualizations

Google Analytics is currently free. However, Google also offers Google Analytics 360, which is organization-specific.

Visme is an intuitive program that can create data visualizations and infographics. Visme is perfect for anyone looking to make simple charts with sleek and aesthetically pleasing designs.

• Graph maker
• Data widget library
• Microsoft Office integration
• Visme offers many chart and infographic templates
• You can download your charts as multiple file types
• Works offline and online
• Allows you to customize your chart’s fonts, colors, backgrounds, and design
• Visme is best suited for businesses with small and medium-sized datasets
• All projects are public on VIsme’s Basic plan
• Visme is not available on Android or iOS devices

Visme offers the Basic plan for free , the Personal plan for $15 a month, the Business plan for $29 per user per month, and enterprise plans. Visme also offers discounts for students, teachers, and non-profit organizations.

Decision-Making: What to Look For When Choosing a Tool

While we covered 11 potential data visualization tools you could use in the previous section, everyone’s ideal tool will look different. So how do you choose the right one for you?

When selecting a data visualization solution for your business, check:

How Well It Meets Your Needs

As every business uses different data, you need to check if the tool meets your needs specifically. To do this, ask yourself:

• Does the tool work with the type of data we need visualizations for?
• Does it integrate with our data collection software or Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system?
• Does it fit our skill set (i.e., if you are a beginner data analyst, is it beginner-friendly?)?
• Will it work on our devices and website?

Price is a huge factor to consider when investing in new software. Before you click “sign up,” ask yourself:

• Can we afford the tool?
• Is the tool a good value for us?
• Is there a cheaper tool that can provide the same value?

Future-Compatibility

While the tool may meet your business needs today, will it still be helpful to you one year from now? As many tools use subscription-based pricing, you may lock yourself into a contract you’ll regret if you sign up for a tool that doesn’t scale with your business.

To assess the future compatibility of your tool, ask yourself:

• Can the tool handle a higher volume of data?
• Can we use the tool to track our key performance indicator (KPI) results?
• Will we still use the tool one year from now?
• Can it measure all of our website marketing strategies ?

Data Before Visualization: Tips for Maximizing Your Data

Ultimately, your data visualization tool is just that — a tool. If the reliability and validity of your data are low, your visualizations won’t turn out well (no matter what tool you use).

So how do you ensure your data is high-quality? We recommend you:

• Identify and delete duplicate records before creating data visualizations
• Define your data formats clearly, so you don’t have data in multiple formats (like “10/2/2010” and “October 2, 2021”)
• Collect data over a long period (as collecting very short-sighted data could give you an inaccurate picture of your data)
• Identify outliers and account for them so that they don’t alter your visualizations
• Clearly define your data metrics (for example, “we define daily conversion rate as the percentage of leads that become customers from midnight day one to midnight day two”)
• Store your data in a secure, cloud-based location
• Identify data gaps and incorrect data, and fix them before creating your visualizations
• Collect data with high-quality tools

Data visualization tools are a game-changer, as they help you create high-quality visualizations quickly. Creating data visualizations has many advantages, as they allow you to:

• Generate BI insights
• Explain data to others in an engaging manner
• Spot trends in datasets that span a long period
• Easily understand complicated or large datasets

While your perfect tool will depend on your price and needs, we believe the top tools include Power BI, Tableau, and Google Charts.

Head of Content at Kinsta and Content Marketing Consultant for WordPress plugin developers. Connect with Matteo on Twitter .

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The Top 9 Free Data Visualization Tools for 2024

What’s the best way of bringing complex data to life? There are many approaches, but our definite favorite is data visualization .

Using charts, tables, and graphs to create voluptuous visuals isn’t just a fun way of representing complex insights—it also appeals to our innate pattern-spotting abilities, helping us comprehend data in ways we wouldn’t necessarily be able to via the dry medium of databases or Excel spreadsheets alone.  

Data visualization is   not new . But in 2024, thanks to the recent advances in generative AI, it’s going to be easier than ever to create eye-catching visuals. With tons of free data visualisation tools available—from open source libraries for Python and R to proprietary platforms that require minimal technical expertise—you don’t need to splash the cash to produce dazzling and informative visualizations on your own.  

In this post, we look at nine of the top free data viz tools available right now. So—let’s dive in and find out how you can make your data beautiful, for free! 

• Tableau Public
• Microsoft Power BI
• Google Data Studio
• Shiny from RStudio

Feel free to use the clickable menu to skip to a tool that piques your interest. Otherwise… first up on the list is:

  1. Tableau Public

This isn’t the first time Tableau has made it onto one of our top tools lists, and with good reason—not only is Tableau widely used across industries, it also has a free version available: Tableau Public. 

Allowing you to create bright, beautiful, and interactive dashboards without programming expertise, Tableau Public is perfect for those who want to dabble. With access to most of the software functions available in the paid version (Tableau Desktop), Tableau Public also connects to various sources, including CSV, Text, and Excel files. The only catch is that your content is publicly available and you can’t save your projects locally. So while it’s great for beginners and enthusiasts, it isn’t ideal for projects that use sensitive data.

Nevertheless, this is a powerful tool. The dashboard pictured here, for instance, highlights how consumer buying trends in the music industry have changed over the last 40 years. For a real taste of what it can do, check out the full interactive version , as well as a range of Tableau’s other popular dashboards .

2. Microsoft Power BI

Microsoft’s ubiquity doesn’t just apply to spreadsheets, email, and word processing! They also specialize in data viz. While the full Microsoft Power BI platform covers all aspects of the data analytics process (their paid version contains all its features) it offers a limited free version, too, which includes access to some delectable data visualizations. 

As another ‘no coding’ tool, Power BI is a great way to get to grips with common types of charts and graphs using a simple drag-and-drop interface. With more than two dozen data viz types available—ranging from heatmaps to scatter plots and tables—the free version of Power BI lets you connect to 70+ data sources, publish to the web, and export to PowerPoint, Excel, and CSV. With many employer organizations paying for the full enterprise version, creating some basic data dashboards for your portfolio could be a great way to demonstrate your familiarity with the software. Be sure to check it out!

3. Google Data Studio

Another tool that’s completely free to use (and this time, with no attempts to drag you into buying the paid version!) is Google Data Studio. It’s easy to lose yourself in this one—it’s not hard at all to pick up and has a ton of great visualization features: from basic pivot tables and pie charts to geomaps, and more. 

Google Data Studio is more than just a visualization tool, though—it has a whole range of data analytics functionality that you can explore. But its visualizations are front and center. They’re easy to configure and (as you might expect from a mega player like Google) you can connect to a wide variety of data sources, from Google Sheets to CSVs. In addition, Google Data Studio connects to real-time data connectors, too, such as MySQL, YouTube, and social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook. This is pretty good functionality for a free-to-use tool. Love Google or loathe them, there’s no escaping that they’re at the heart of many organizations’ tech ecosystems, which makes Google Data Studio one free data visualization tool worth paying attention to. And, frankly, it’s pretty fun to play around with!

4. Infogram

For a straightforward tool that removes all technical barriers, check out Infogram. Primarily designed for non-technical users and non-designers such as marketers, journalists, educators, and business professionals, Infogram is all about publishing data online, fast. Okay, full disclosure: it’s primarily a paid tool, but we’ve snuck it onto our list as it has a free version that allows you to trial its features. Using a drag-and-drop interface, great animations, and interactive charts and maps, the free version has more than 35 different interactive chart types and allows you to create up to 10 projects that you can publish as online apps for free.  

Unlike many tools on our list which focus on producing visual dashboards, Infogram is more focused on producing infographics, Facebook posts, slides, posters, and a range of other visuals, too. Like Tableau Public, you can’t share these privately, but it’s a great way to test the water if you’re more interested in exploring different ways of creating fancy images rather than getting lost in the technical aspects of statistical analysis… and it proves you don’t need to be an expert data analyst to make data beautiful.

Check out Infogram’s best example projects on their website.

Next up, let’s step tentatively into slightly more complex territory, welcoming our first Python-based data viz tool. Expanding on the   matplotlib Python library, Seaborn provides a high-level interface for creating attractive but informative static graphics. While code-free tools (such as Infogram) are great for non-technical users, their functionality is necessarily limited by design. Meanwhile, Seaborn is open-source, meaning you can get into the nuts and bolts of the code, creating unrivaled statistical visualizations.

Seaborn refuses to compromise the integrity of the statistical modeling that underpins it. By this, we mean that you can represent many kinds of statistical data and show the output of various data analytics techniques ranging from linear regression to time-series analysis, and more. If you’re dead serious about producing beautiful visuals that work as data analytics tools in and of themselves, Seaborn delivers. Plus, it’s a great way of polishing those Python skills !

Another Python data visualization tool, Plotly is not all that dissimilar to Seaborn. What sets it apart from Seaborn is that Plotly lets you create interactive graphics (as opposed to the static-only visuals available using the former). Functionality such as hovering over values or zooming in on graphs is useful for various reasons. For instance, if you want to more easily detect outliers in a scatterplot. With endless customizations possible, Plotly is a proven hit with data scientists.

The drawback of its customizability, though, is that it’s trickier to master the nuances of things like labeling, text position, etc. all of which require manual coding. While we might not recommend Plotly for beginners, if you’re expanding your basic Python skills, it’s one data viz tool that you’ll want to familiarize yourself with. And, of course, being open-source, it’s 100% free, and will always stay that way. This makes the time and effort put into learning it worthwhile in the long run.

7. Rawgraphs

RAWGraphs offers a wide range of chart types, including bar charts, line charts, scatter plots, histograms, bubble charts, pie charts, and maps. This allows data analysts to find the perfect chart type for their data and communicate insights effectively. There are even extensive customization options, allowing data analysts to fine-tune their visualizations to match their specific needs. Crucially, your data is also secure, as it is processed entirely within your web browser and never sent to RAWGraphs’ servers.

Downsides are its scaleability issues (small and medium-sized datasets only, please!), and the fact that you have to be online to use it.

8. Shiny from RStudio

Most data analysts use Python because it’s easier to master, but in certain spheres—especially where statistical programming is dominant, like the sciences—analysts often use R. While R is trickier to pick up than Python, you can still use it to create fantastic visualizations. Shiny from RStudio (more commonly known as RShiny) is an R package that lets you do just that. Use it to build interactive web apps. These can be hosted standalone on websites, or embedded into larger dashboards—and none of this requires any web development know-how. Furthermore, you can extend apps built using RShiny with CSS, HTML widgets, and more.

While, on paper, RShiny is designed to be used by those without experience of R, we’d suggest that at least some basic knowledge will help. Fortunately, RStudio provides a step-by-step tutorial that gradually introduces all the features and tasks you need to know to make the best of the package. Don’t take our word for it, though. Give it a go! And be sure to check out the interactive apps on RStudio’s website, too. They’re much more fun in the flesh.

The last entry on our list is another programming-heavy tool, this time for users of JavaScript. We won’t lie, D3 isn’t for the faint of heart—it’s tricky to code, and there are limited tutorials and documentation out there for how to make the most of it. And because it’s designed to bring data viz to web browsers, it also requires a bit of web dev know-how. 

However, the trade-off for this steep learning curve is D3’s vast flexibility. Once you’ve mastered the nuances of the tool, the limits to what you can do with it are the limits of your imagination. Using scalable vectors, cascading style sheets, and many other customizable features, you can amend the visualizations in any way you can think of. Once you get them right, the outputs are gorgeous to look at and highly interactive. This is next-level data viz.

Consider D3 the challenge item on our list! It’s not the first tool we’d recommend for beginners, but if you want to stretch yourself, why not give it a shot? Whatever you lose in convenience you’ll make up for in custom design, and that all-important sense of satisfaction for having mastered a new tool.

Wrap up and further reading

New to data viz? Time to change that. In this post, we’ve explored nine popular free data visualization tools that are available for you to try right now (well, some are close-to-free).

Whether you’re a total tech novice, are dipping your toe into the water for the first time, or want to polish up and stretch your existing programming skills, there’s something out there for everyone.

CareerFoundry’s  Data Visualizations with Python course is designed to ease you into this vital area of data analytics. You can take it as a standalone course as well as a specialization within our full Data Analytics Program, you’ll learn and apply the principles of data viz in a real-world project, as well as getting to grips with various data visualization libraries.

Curious about a career in data analytics? Check out this free, 5-day data analytics short course or read the following introductory articles for more:

• Data Analytics For Beginners
• What Is Data Visualization and Why Is It Important? A Complete Introduction
• 13 of the Most Common Types of Data Visualization

• Data Visualization Designers
• Social Media Designers
• Dashboard Designers
• SaaS Designers
• Visual Designers
• Presentation Designers
• UI Designers
• UX Designers

A Complete Overview of the Best Data Visualization Tools

When dealing with data sets that include hundreds of thousands or millions of data points, automating the process of data visualization makes a designer’s job significantly easier.

By Cameron Chapman

Cameron is the former Head of Content at Uxcel, where she was an instructional designer of UX design courses, skill assessments, and other educational design content. She has more than 20 years experience in the design education space, contributing to Toptal’s Design blog, Smashing Magazine, Web Designer News, CodeVisually, and Webdesigner Depot.

Consuming large sets of data isn’t always straightforward. Sometimes, data sets are so large that it’s downright impossible to discern anything useful from them. That’s where data visualizations come in.

Creating data visualizations is rarely straightforward. It’s not as if designers can simply take a data set with thousands of entries and create a visualization from scratch. Sure, it’s possible, but who wants to spend dozens or hundreds of hours plotting dots on a scatter chart? That’s where data visualization tools come in.

What Are Data Visualization Tools?

Data visualization tools provide data visualization designers with an easier way to create visual representations of large data sets. When dealing with data sets that include hundreds of thousands or millions of data points, automating the process of creating a visualization, at least in part, makes a designer’s job significantly easier.

These data visualizations can then be used for a variety of purposes: dashboards , annual reports, sales and marketing materials, investor slide decks, and virtually anywhere else information needs to be interpreted immediately.

What Do the Best Data Visualization Tools Have in Common?

The best data visualization tools on the market have a few things in common. First is their ease of use. There are some incredibly complicated apps available for visualizing data. Some have excellent documentation and tutorials and are designed in ways that feel intuitive to the user. Others are lacking in those areas, eliminating them from any list of “best” tools, regardless of their other capabilities.

The best tools can also handle huge sets of data. In fact, the very best can even handle multiple sets of data in a single visualization.

The best tools also can output an array of different chart, graph, and map types. Most of the tools below can output both images and interactive graphs. There are exceptions to the variety of output criteria, though. Some data visualization tools focus on a specific type of chart or map and do it very well. Those tools also have a place among the “best” tools out there.

Finally, there are cost considerations. While a higher price tag doesn’t necessarily disqualify a tool, the higher price tag has to be justified in terms of better support, better features, and better overall value.

Data Visualization Tools Comparison

There are dozens, if not hundreds, of applications, tools, and scripts available to create visualizations of large data sets. Many are very basic and have a lot of overlapping features.

But there are standouts that either have more capability for the types of visualizations they can create or are significantly easier to use than the other options out there.

Tableau (and Tableau Public)

Tableau has a variety of options available, including a desktop app, server and hosted online versions, and a free public option. There are hundreds of data import options available, from CSV files to Google Ads and Analytics data to Salesforce data.

Output options include multiple chart formats as well as mapping capability. That means designers can create color-coded maps that showcase geographically important data in a format that’s much easier to digest than a table or chart could ever be.

The public version of Tableau is free to use for anyone looking for a powerful way to create data visualizations that can be used in a variety of settings. From journalists to political junkies to those who just want to quantify the data of their own lives, there are tons of potential uses for Tableau Public. They have an extensive gallery of infographics and visualizations that have been created with the public version to serve as inspiration for those who are interested in creating their own.

• Hundreds of data import options
• Mapping capability
• Free public version available
• Lots of video tutorials to walk you through how to use Tableau
• Non-free versions are expensive ($70/month/user for the Tableau Creator software)
• Public version doesn’t allow you to keep data analyses private

Data Visualization Examples

Bottom Line

Tableau is a great option for those who need to create maps in addition to other types of charts. Tableau Public is also a great option for anyone who wants to create public-facing visualizations.

Infogram is a fully-featured drag-and-drop visualization tool that allows even non-designers to create effective visualizations of data for marketing reports, infographics, social media posts, maps, dashboards, and more.

Finished visualizations can be exported into a number of formats: .PNG, .JPG, .GIF, .PDF, and .HTML. Interactive visualizations are also possible, perfect for embedding into websites or apps. Infogram also offers a WordPress plugin that makes embedding visualizations even easier for WordPress users.

• Tiered pricing, including a free plan with basic features
• Includes 35+ chart types and 550+ map types
• Drag and drop editor
• API for importing additional data sources
• Significantly fewer built-in data sources than some other apps

Infogram is a great option for non-designers as well as designers. The drag-and-drop editor makes it easy to create professional-looking designs without a lot of visual design skill.

ChartBlocks

ChartBlocks claims that data can be imported from “anywhere” using their API, including from live feeds. While they say that importing data from any source can be done in “just a few clicks,” it’s bound to be more complex than other apps that have automated modules or extensions for specific data sources.

The app allows for extensive customization of the final visualization created, and the chart building wizard helps users pick exactly the right data for their charts before importing the data.

Designers can create virtually any kind of chart, and the output is responsive—a big advantage for data visualization designers who want to embed charts into websites that are likely to be viewed on a variety of devices.

• Free and reasonably priced paid plans are available
• Easy to use wizard for importing the necessary data
• Unclear how robust their API is
• Doesn’t appear to have any mapping capability

ChartBlocks has an excellent free plan, which is a big plus. The ease of use for creating basic charts and graphs is also outstanding.

Datawrapper

Datawrapper was created specifically for adding charts and maps to news stories. The charts and maps created are interactive and made for embedding on news websites. Their data sources are limited, though, with the primary method being copying and pasting data into the tool.

Once data is imported, charts can be created with a single click. Their visualization types include column, line, and bar charts, election donuts, area charts, scatter plots, choropleth and symbol maps, and locator maps, among others. The finished visualizations are reminiscent of those seen on sites like the New York Times or Boston Globe. In fact, their charts are used by publications like Mother Jones, Fortune, and The Times.

The free plan is perfect for embedding graphics on smaller sites with limited traffic, but paid plans are on the expensive side, starting at $39/month.

• Specifically designed for newsroom data visualization
• Free plan is a good fit for smaller sites
• Tool includes a built-in color blindness checker
• Limited data sources
• Paid plans are on the expensive side

Datawrapper is an excellent choice for data visualizations for news sites. Despite the price tag, the features Datawrapper includes for news-specific visualization make it worth it.

D3.js is a JavaScript library for manipulating documents using data. D3.js requires at least some JS knowledge, though there are apps out there that allow non-programming users to utilize the library.

Those apps include NVD3 , which offers reusable charts for D3.js; Plotly’s Chart Studio , which also allows designers to create WebGL and other charts; and Ember Charts , which also uses the Ember.js framework.

• Very powerful and customizable
• Huge number of chart types possible
• A focus on web standards
• Tools available to let non-programmers create visualizations
• Free and open source
• Requires programming knowledge to use alone
• Less support available than with paid tools

D3.js is only suitable for those designers who either have access to a programmer for help, or have programming knowledge themselves.

Google Charts

Google Charts is a powerful, free data visualization tool that is specifically for creating interactive charts for embedding online. It works with dynamic data and the outputs are based purely on HTML5 and SVG, so they work in browsers without the use of additional plugins. Data sources include Google Spreadsheets, Google Fusion Tables, Salesforce , and other SQL databases.

There are a variety of chart types, including maps, scatter charts, column and bar charts, histograms, area charts, pie charts, treemaps, timelines, gauges, and many others. These charts can be customized completely, via simple CSS editing.

• Wide variety of chart formats available
• Cross-browser compatible since it uses HTML5/SVG
• Works with dynamic data
• Beyond the tutorials and forum available, there’s limited support

Google Charts is a great option if a designer is somewhat comfortable with coding and wants a powerful, free solution. Being able to use any SQL database as a data source makes it a good option for large data sets, too.

FusionCharts

FusionCharts is another JavaScript-based option for creating web and mobile dashboards . It includes over 150 chart types and 1,000 map types. It can integrate with popular JS frameworks (including React, jQuery, React, Ember, and Angular) as well as with server-side programming languages (including PHP, Java, Django, and Ruby on Rails).

FusionCharts gives ready-to-use code for all of the chart and map variations, making it easier to embed in websites even for those designers with limited programming knowledge. Because FusionCharts is aimed at creating dashboards rather than just straightforward data visualizations it’s one of the most expensive options included in this article. But it’s also one of the most powerful.

• Huge number of chart and map format options
• More features than most other visualization tools
• Integrates with a number of different frameworks and programming languages
• Expensive (starts at almost $500 for one developer license)
• Overkill for simple visualizations outside of a dashboard environment

For creating dashboards, nothing else in this article really compares to FusionCharts. If that’s the project at hand, this is undoubtedly the most powerful choice.

Chart.js is a simple but flexible JavaScript charting library. It’s open source, provides a good variety of chart types (eight total), and allows for animation and interaction.

Chart.js uses HTML5 Canvas for output, so it renders charts well across all modern browsers. Charts created are also responsive, so it’s great for creating visualizations that are mobile-friendly.

• Responsive and cross-browser compatible output
• Very limited chart types compared to other tools
• Limited support outside of the official documentation

Chart.js is a good option for designers who need a simple, customizable, interactive visualization option. Its biggest selling points are that it’s free and open source.

Grafana is open-source visualization software that lets users create dynamic dashboards and other visualizations. It supports mixed data sources, annotations, and customizable alert functions, and it can be extended via hundreds of available plugins. That makes it one of the most powerful visualization tools available.

Export functions allow designers to share snapshots of dashboards as well as invite other users to collaborate. Grafana supports over 50 data sources via plugins . It’s free to download, or there’s a cloud-hosted version for $49/month. (There’s also a very limited free hosted version.) The downloadable version also has support plans available, something a lot of other open-source tools don’t offer.

• Open source, with free and paid options available
• Large selection of data sources available
• Variety of chart types available
• Makes creating dynamic dashboards simple
• Can work with mixed data feeds
• Overkill for creating simple visualizations
• Doesn’t offer as many visual customization options as some other tools
• Not the best option for creating visualization images
• Not able to embed dashboards in websites, though possible for individual panels

Grafana is one of the best options for creating dashboards for internal use, especially for mixed or large data sources.

Chartist.js

Chartist.js is a free, open-source JavaScript library that allows for creating simple responsive charts that are highly customizable and cross-browser compatible. The entire JavaScript library is only 10KB when GZIPped. Charts created with Chartist.js can also be animated, and plugins allow it to be extended.

• Tiny file size
• Charts can be animated
• Not the widest selection of chart types available
• No mapping capabilities
• Limited support outside of developer community

Chartist.js is a good option for designers who want simple, embeddable, responsive charts with a small file size.

Sigmajs is a single-purpose visualization tool for creating network graphs. It’s highly customizable but does require some basic JavaScript knowledge in order to use. Graphs created are embeddable, interactive, and responsive.

• Highly customizable and extensible
• Easy to embed graphs in websites and apps
• Only creates one type of visualization: network graphs
• Requires JS knowledge to customize and implement

Because of its single focus, Sigmajs is a great option for creating network graphs as long as the designer is comfortable with JavaScript.

Polymaps is a dedicated JavaScript library for mapping. The outputs are dynamic, responsive maps in a variety of styles, from image overlays to symbol maps to density maps. It uses SVG to create the images, so designers can use CSS to customize the visuals of their maps.

• Built specifically for mapping
• Easy to embed maps in websites and apps
• Only creates one type of visualization
• Requires some coding knowledge to customize and implement

Polymaps is a good option if maps are the only type of visualization required, as long as the designer is comfortable with some basic coding.

There is such a huge variety of visualization tools available to designers that it can be hard to decide which one to use. Data visualization designers should keep in mind things like ease of use and whether a tool has the features they need.

Selecting the most powerful tool available isn’t always the best idea: Learning curves can be steep, requiring more resources just to get up and running, while a simpler tool might be able to create exactly what’s needed in a fraction of the time. Remember, though, that the tool is only part of the equation in creating a data visualization; designers also need to consider what else goes into making a great data visualization.

Most data visualization tools include free trials (if the entire tool isn’t free), so it’s worth taking the time to try out a few before deciding on a single solution.

Further Reading on the Toptal Blog:

• Data Visualization: Best Practices and Foundations
• Strength in Numbers – An Overview of Data-driven Design
• If You’re Not Using UX Data, It’s Not UX Design
• Dashboard Design: Considerations and Best Practices
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Understanding the basics

What are the best data visualization tools.

The best data visualization tools include Google Charts, Tableau, Grafana, Chartist.js, FusionCharts, Datawrapper, Infogram, ChartBlocks, and D3.js. The best tools offer a variety of visualization styles, are easy to use, and can handle large data sets.

What are data visualization tools?

Data visualization tools provide designers with an easier way to create visual representations of large data sets. When dealing with data sets that include hundreds of thousands or millions of data points, automating the process of creating a visualization makes a designer’s job significantly easier.

What are data visualization techniques?

Data visualization techniques include charts (line, bar, or pie), plots (bubble or scatter), diagrams, maps (heat maps, geographic maps, etc.), and matrices. There are many variations on these specific techniques that designers can use to meet specific visualization needs based on the data they’re working with.

Why do we use data visualization?

It is almost impossible to discern information from large data sets with millions of data points unless some kind of visualization is employed, such as a basic graph or an interactive dashboard.

How important is data visualization?

Without data visualization, drawing conclusions from large data sets is almost impossible. Data visualization methods make information understandable for stakeholders.

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What Is Data Visualization: Brief Theory, Useful Tips and Awesome Examples

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By Al Boicheva

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4 years ago

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Updated: June 23, 2022

To create data visualization in order to present your data is no longer just a nice to have skill. Now, the skill to effectively sort and communicate your data through charts is a must-have for any business in any field that deals with data. Data visualization helps businesses quickly make sense of complex data and start making decisions based on that data. This is why today we’ll talk about what is data visualization. We’ll discuss how and why does it work, what type of charts to choose in what cases, how to create effective charts, and, of course, end with beautiful examples.

So let’s jump right in. As usual, don’t hesitate to fast-travel to a particular section of your interest.

Article overview: 1. What Does Data Visualization Mean? 2. How Does it Work? 3. When to Use it? 4. Why Use it? 5. Types of Data Visualization 6. Data Visualization VS Infographics: 5 Main Differences 7. How to Create Effective Data Visualization?: 5 Useful Tips 8. Examples of Data Visualization

1. What is Data Visualization?

Data Visualization is a graphic representation of data that aims to communicate numerous heavy data in an efficient way that is easier to grasp and understand . In a way, data visualization is the mapping between the original data and graphic elements that determine how the attributes of these elements vary. The visualization is usually made by the use of charts, lines, or points, bars, and maps.

• Data Viz is a branch of Descriptive statistics but it requires both design, computer, and statistical skills.
• Aesthetics and functionality go hand in hand to communicate complex statistics in an intuitive way.
• Data Viz tools and technologies are essential for making data-driven decisions.
• It’s a fine balance between form and functionality.
• Every STEM field benefits from understanding data.

2. How Does it Work?

If we can see it, our brains can internalize and reflect on it. This is why it’s much easier and more effective to make sense of a chart and see trends than to read a massive document that would take a lot of time and focus to rationalize. We wouldn’t want to repeat the cliche that humans are visual creatures, but it’s a fact that visualization is much more effective and comprehensive.

In a way, we can say that data Viz is a form of storytelling with the purpose to help us make decisions based on data. Such data might include:

• Tracking sales
• Identifying trends
• Identifying changes
• Monitoring goals
• Monitoring results
• Combining data

3. When to Use it?

Data visualization is useful for companies that deal with lots of data on a daily basis. It’s essential to have your data and trends instantly visible. Better than scrolling through colossal spreadsheets. When the trends stand out instantly this also helps your clients or viewers to understand them instead of getting lost in the clutter of numbers.

With that being said, Data Viz is suitable for:

• Annual reports
• Presentations
• Social media micronarratives
• Informational brochures
• Trend-trafficking
• Candlestick chart for financial analysis
• Determining routes

Common cases when data visualization sees use are in sales, marketing, healthcare, science, finances, politics, and logistics.

4. Why Use it?

Short answer: decision making. Data Visualization comes with the undeniable benefits of quickly recognizing patterns and interpret data. More specifically, it is an invaluable tool to determine the following cases.

• Identifying correlations between the relationship of variables.
• Getting market insights about audience behavior.
• Determining value vs risk metrics.
• Monitoring trends over time.
• Examining rates and potential through frequency.
• Ability to react to changes.

5. Types of Data Visualization

As you probably already guessed, Data Viz is much more than simple pie charts and graphs styled in a visually appealing way. The methods that this branch uses to visualize statistics include a series of effective types.

Map visualization is a great method to analyze and display geographically related information and present it accurately via maps. This intuitive way aims to distribute data by region. Since maps can be 2D or 3D, static or dynamic, there are numerous combinations one can use in order to create a Data Viz map.

COVID-19 Spending Data Visualization POGO by George Railean

The most common ones, however, are:

• Regional Maps: Classic maps that display countries, cities, or districts. They often represent data in different colors for different characteristics in each region.
• Line Maps: They usually contain space and time and are ideal for routing, especially for driving or taxi routes in the area due to their analysis of specific scenes.
• Point Maps: These maps distribute data of geographic information. They are ideal for businesses to pinpoint the exact locations of their buildings in a region.
• Heat Maps: They indicate the weight of a geographical area based on a specific property. For example, a heat map may distribute the saturation of infected people by area.

Charts present data in the form of graphs, diagrams, and tables. They are often confused with graphs since graphs are indeed a subcategory of charts. However, there is a small difference: graphs show the mathematical relationship between groups of data and is only one of the chart methods to represent data.

Infographic Data Visualization by Madeline VanRemmen

With that out of the way, let’s talk about the most basic types of charts in data visualization.

They use a series of bars that illustrate data development.  They are ideal for lighter data and follow trends of no more than three variables or else, the bars become cluttered and hard to comprehend. Ideal for year-on-year comparisons and monthly breakdowns.

These familiar circular graphs divide data into portions. The bigger the slice, the bigger the portion. They are ideal for depicting sections of a whole and their sum must always be 100%. Avoid pie charts when you need to show data development over time or lack a value for any of the portions. Doughnut charts have the same use as pie charts.

They use a line or more than one lines that show development over time. It allows tracking multiple variables at the same time. A great example is tracking product sales by a brand over the years. Area charts have the same use as line charts.

Scatter Plot

These charts allow you to see patterns through data visualization. They have an x-axis and a y-axis for two different values. For example, if your x-axis contains information about car prices while the y-axis is about salaries, the positive or negative relationship will tell you about what a person’s car tells about their salary.

Unlike the charts we just discussed, tables show data in almost a raw format. They are ideal when your data is hard to present visually and aim to show specific numerical data that one is supposed to read rather than visualize.

Data Visualisation | To bee or not to bee by Aishwarya Anand Singh

For example, charts are perfect to display data about a particular illness over a time period in a particular area, but a table comes to better use when you also need to understand specifics such as causes, outcomes, relapses, a period of treatment, and so on.

6. Data Visualization VS Infographics

5 main differences.

They are not that different as both visually represent data. It is often you search for infographics and find images titled Data Visualization and the other way around. In many cases, however, these titles aren’t misleading. Why is that?

• Data visualization is made of just one element. It could be a map, a chart, or a table. Infographics , on the other hand, often include multiple Data Viz elements.
• Unlike data visualizations that can be simple or extremely complex and heavy, infographics are simple and target wider audiences. The latter is usually comprehensible even to people outside of the field of research the infographic represents.
• Interestingly enough, data Viz doesn’t offer narratives and conclusions, it’s a tool and basis for reaching those. While infographics, in most cases offer a story and a narrative. For example, a data visualization map may have the title “Air pollution saturation by region”, while an infographic with the same data would go “Areas A and B are the most polluted in Country C”.
• Data visualizations can be made in Excel or use other tools that automatically generate the design unless they are set for presentation or publishing. The aesthetics of infographics , however, are of great importance and the designs must be appealing to wider audiences.
• In terms of interaction, data visualizations often offer interactive charts, especially in an online form. Infographics, on the other hand, rarely have interaction and are usually static images.

While on topic, you could also be interested to check out these 50 engaging infographic examples that make complex data look great.

7. Tips to Create Effective Data Visualization

The process is naturally similar to creating Infographics and it revolves around understanding your data and audience. To be more precise, these are the main steps and best practices when it comes to preparing an effective visualization of data for your viewers to instantly understand.

1. Do Your Homework

Preparation is half the work already done. Before you even start visualizing data, you have to be sure you understand that data to the last detail.

Knowing your audience is undeniable another important part of the homework, as different audiences process information differently. Who are the people you’re visualizing data for? How do they process visual data? Is it enough to hand them a single pie chart or you’ll need a more in-depth visual report?

The third part of preparing is to determine exactly what you want to communicate to the audience. What kind of information you’re visualizing and does it reflect your goal?

And last, think about how much data you’ll be working with and take it into account.

2. Choose the Right Type of Chart

In a previous section, we listed the basic chart types that find use in data visualization. To determine best which one suits your work, there are a few things to consider.

• How many variables will you have in a chart?
• How many items will you place for each of your variables?
• What will be the relation between the values (time period, comparison, distributions, etc.)

With that being said, a pie chart would be ideal if you need to present what portions of a whole takes each item. For example, you can use it to showcase what percent of the market share takes a particular product. Pie charts, however, are unsuitable for distributions, comparisons, and following trends through time periods. Bar graphs, scatter plots,s and line graphs are much more effective in those cases.

Another example is how to use time in your charts. It’s way more accurate to use a horizontal axis because time should run left to right. It’s way more visually intuitive.

3. Sort your Data

Start with removing every piece of data that does not add value and is basically excess for the chart. Sometimes, you have to work with a huge amount of data which will inevitably make your chart pretty complex and hard to read. Don’t hesitate to split your information into two or more charts. If that won’t work for you, you could use highlights or change the entire type of chart with something that would fit better.

Tip: When you use bar charts and columns for comparison, sort the information in an ascending or a descending way by value instead of alphabetical order.

4. Use Colors to Your Advantage

In every form of visualization, colors are your best friend and the most powerful tool. They create contrasts, accents, and emphasis and lead the eye intuitively. Even here, color theory is important.

When you design your chart, make sure you don’t use more than 5 or 6 colors. Anything more than that will make your graph overwhelming and hard to read for your viewers. However, color intensity is a different thing that you can use to your advantage. For example, when you compare the same concept in different periods of time, you could sort your data from the lightest shade of your chosen color to its darker one. It creates a strong visual progression, proper to your timeline.

Things to consider when you choose colors:

• Different colors for different categories.
• A consistent color palette for all charts in a series that you will later compare.
• It’s appropriate to use color blind-friendly palettes.

5. Get Inspired

Always put your inspiration to work when you want to be at the top of your game. Look through examples, infographics, and other people’s work and see what works best for each type of data you need to implement.

This Twitter account Data Visualization Society is a great way to start. In the meantime, we’ll also handpick some amazing examples that will get you in the mood to start creating the visuals for your data.

8. Examples for Data Visualization

As another art form, Data Viz is a fertile ground for some amazing well-designed graphs that prove that data is beautiful. Now let’s check out some.

Dark Souls III Experience Data

We start with Meng Hsiao Wei’s personal project presenting his experience with playing Dark Souls 3. It’s a perfect example that infographics and data visualization are tools for personal designs as well. The research is pretty massive yet very professionally sorted into different types of charts for the different concepts. All data visualizations are made with the same color palette and look great in infographics.

My dark souls 3 playing data by Meng Hsiao Wei

Greatest Movies of all Time

Katie Silver has compiled a list of the 100 greatest movies of all time based on critics and crowd reviews. The visualization shows key data points for every movie such as year of release, oscar nominations and wins, budget, gross, IMDB score, genre, filming location, setting of the film, and production studio. All movies are ordered by the release date.

100 Greatest Movies Data Visualization by Katie Silver

The Most Violent Cities

Federica Fragapane shows data for the 50 most violent cities in the world in 2017. The items are arranged on a vertical axis based on population and ordered along the horizontal axis according to the homicide rate.

The Most Violent Cities by Federica Fragapane

Family Businesses as Data

These data visualizations and illustrations were made by Valerio Pellegrini for Perspectives Magazine. They show a pie chart with sector breakdown as well as a scatter plot for contribution for employment.

PERSPECTIVES MAGAZINE – Family Businesses by Valerio Pellegrini

Orbit Map of the Solar System

The map shows data on the orbits of more than 18000 asteroids in the solar system. Each asteroid is shown at its position on New Years’ Eve 1999, colored by type of asteroid.

An Orbit Map of the Solar System by Eleanor Lutz

The Semantics Of Headlines

Katja Flükiger has a take on how headlines tell the story. The data visualization aims to communicate how much is the selling influencing the telling. The project was completed at Maryland Institute College of Art to visualize references to immigration and color-coding the value judgments implied by word choice and context.

The Semantics of Headlines by Katja Flükiger

Moon and Earthquakes

This data visualization works on answering whether the moon is responsible for earthquakes. The chart features the time and intensity of earthquakes in response to the phase and orbit location of the moon.

Moon and Earthquakes by Aishwarya Anand Singh

Dawn of the Nanosats

The visualization shows the satellites launched from 2003 to 2015. The graph represents the type of institutions focused on projects as well as the nations that financed them. On the left, it is shown the number of launches per year and satellite applications.

WIRED UK – Dawn of the by Nanosats by Valerio Pellegrini

Final Words

Data visualization is not only a form of science but also a form of art. Its purpose is to help businesses in any field quickly make sense of complex data and start making decisions based on that data. To make your graphs efficient and easy to read, it’s all about knowing your data and audience. This way you’ll be able to choose the right type of chart and use visual techniques to your advantage.

You may also be interested in some of these related articles:

• Infographics for Marketing: How to Grab and Hold the Attention
• 12 Animated Infographics That Will Engage Your Mind from Start to Finish
• 50 Engaging Infographic Examples That Make Complex Ideas Look Great
• Good Color Combinations That Go Beyond Trends: Inspirational Examples and Ideas

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Al Boicheva

Al is an illustrator at GraphicMama with out-of-the-box thinking and a passion for anything creative. In her free time, you will see her drooling over tattoo art, Manga, and horror movies.

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The 30 Best Data Visualizations of 2024 [Examples]

Written by: Anna Glivinska

Data is beautiful; it can inspire, improve lives and bring out the best in people. To keep you inspired, we’ve gathered the best data visualizations of 2024.

The chosen works cover a variety of topics from NASA asteroids in space to environmental issue statistics and futuristic LIDAR data graphs.

With over 4.54 billion people using the Internet in 2020, we’re sure to witness even more amazing data visualizations every year. For now, get ready to dive into 2024’s best data visualization examples. Enjoy your flight of imagination!

• NASA's Eyes on Asteroids is a good data visualization example that provides a great user experience. The design is simple and intuitive, making it easy for users to navigate the site and find what they're looking for.
• The History of Pandemics is an infographic that presents a visual timeline of every known pandemic and includes information on how many people were affected, where it spread and what caused it.
• Void of the Memories is the rarest data visualization on this list. It's a great combination of calligraphy and data visualization that tells the story of human memory and experience.
• The search for dark matter is one of the most important scientific questions in physics today, and this infographic, “The Search for Dark Matter,” serves as a great introduction to the subject.
• Enhance your data storytelling skills and creatively showcase your data by signing up for Visme's data visualization tools .

1 Nasa’s Eyes on Asteroids

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If you are interested in exploring data visualization topics in space exploration, check out this striking data visualization created by NASA.

NASA's Eyes on Asteroids is one of the best data visualizations due to its exceptional design and functionality. This interactive visualization allows users to explore the asteroid belt and see the real-time positions of asteroids in our solar system.

The design of this visualization is highly engaging and visually stunning, with a sleek and modern interface that is easy to use. The visualization features a 3D solar system model, allowing users to zoom in and out to explore asteroids and other celestial bodies.

One of the key features of NASA's Eyes on Asteroids visualization is its real-time data feed, which provides up-to-date information on the positions and trajectories of asteroids. This feature makes the visualization highly informative and relevant to current events, allowing users to track potentially hazardous asteroids and see their projected paths over time.

Design your own space exploration infographic using Visme. Allowing you to create data visualizations easier and faster.

Get inspired by one of our loyal Visme users, MacKenzie Stonis , Economic Research Analyst at Greater Memphis Chamber, who said:

"I have enough complications in life; I don’t need my report-building tool to add any fuel to the fire,” she laughs.  “I personally had experience with similar applications before Visme and found their tools weren’t as user-friendly as Visme, and their tools didn’t handle data very well. They didn’t provide the solution I really wanted."

2 Selfiecity – The Science of Selfies

Selfiecity is an innovative and engaging data visualization project exploring the selfies world. It uses a variety of visualizations to analyze selfies from five cities around the world.

They collected over 120,000 selfies from the five cities and selected nearly 1,000 photos from each town. After collecting the images, they analyzed various metrics such as demographics, poses, moods and features.

The project then revealed exciting insights into the culture and social behavior of the people who take selfies. For example, the project shows that women take more selfies than men and that people tend to take selfies in public places rather than private spaces.

The study was quite complex and yielded valuable insights, which presented a challenge when it came to sharing the results . However, the team did an excellent job creating visually appealing data visualizations to present the information.

3 The Ancient Seven Wonders of the World

The civil engineering feats of humankind have reached the highest peaks of the mountains and deep into the ocean, and we have built pyramids, temples and statues that are still standing today.

The seven wonders of the ancient world are a collection of man-made structures that are considered to be remarkable feats at the time they were built.

Pranav Gavali, a Data Scientist, created this graphic using data from Encyclopedia Britannica and Wikipedia to visualize the world's seven ancient wonders along with their features and modern-day locations.

The graphic perfectly illustrates how the seven wonders were built and why they are considered a wonder of the world. The Great Pyramid of Giza is the only one of the seven wonders that still stands today.

Design an infographic like this one using Visme’s pre-designed content blocks and infographic templates . Include live data visualizations by connecting to your Google or Excel spreadsheets. When connecting your Visme charts to Excel Online, select full sheets or only a specific range. Plus, when values change in your linked sheet, the chart is This is a prime example of how creative design can bring data to life

4 The World’s Population at 8 Billion

On November 15, 2022, the world’s population reached 8 billion. This is the first time in history that there have been this many people on Earth. And there can't be a more straightforward and visually appealing way to present this data than this visualization.

What makes this big data visualization stand out is its simplicity and effectiveness in conveying the message. Using a circle to represent the earth is a powerful symbol that makes the visualization easy to understand and remember.

By using colors to represent continents and lines to separate countries, the visualization effectively conveys the complexity of the world's population in a simple and visually appealing way.

5 The Top 10 Largest Nuclear Explosions

This is a prime example of how creative design can bring data to life. Beyond the interesting data visualization, it uses a unique approach, similar to an infographic, to showcase the impact and size of the largest nuclear explosions ever detonated.

It features a series of explosion image examples that help visualize each explosion's scale and impact. The use of images effectively conveys the destructive power of each blast in a way that is easy to understand and remember.

The data is presented clearly and concisely, with each explosion listed along with its country of origin.

6 Visualizing the History of Pandemics

This is an informative graphic named Visualizing the History of Pandemics by Nicholas LePan. It tells the story of all the known pandemics in the history of mankind, including the name of the disease, death toll and the approximate date the pandemic occurred.

While the exact number of victims of every disease is still under question, we can still learn from this graphic that super-spreading infections happened across all history of mankind. Statistical data of this infographic shows some diseases scaling with the growth of the population.

Striking 3D illustrations of diseases are combined with the research data from CDC, WHO, BBC, Wikipedia, Historical records, Encyclopedia Britannica and John Hopkins University. The illustrations scale according to the recorded death toll to allow scanning and recognizing data easily. 

7 It Fell From the Sky

Created by a UK-based designer, this infographic highlights beautiful data visualization of 34,000 meteorites that have fallen on the Earth. You will discover the map and timeline of the impacts per year, wrapped up in clean, stylish graphics. The visualization also shows spikes on the records and comparing the size of the biggest meteorites recorded. 

Meteorites hit almost all of Earth’s surface, but some areas seem untouched; this phenomenon could be connected with Earth’s magnetic fields. And who knows –  the future may bring us even more meteorites to explore! 

If you’re a fan of space and astronomy, you can learn more about meteorites from NASA website or check out this database of the Meteoritical Society.

Try Visme, our all-in-one design for creating stunning visualizations on meteorites in space or other research topics you’re working on.

Get the most out of Visme’s seamless integration with Google Sheets to create visualizations of live, easy-to-update data.

Link to your Google Sheets account or import through a link. Select the page and data range and connect them to your Visme chart. When the data changes in the Google Sheet, it automatically applies to the live project. Simply press the refresh button.

Sign up to Visme for free.

8 Mars Mission 2024 Promo Reel

Vivid, rich in details. This 3D graphic uses beautiful data visualizations to share the vision of the future. Space missions and sending people into space are shown in an eye-catching red-grey palette.

The complicated animation of terrain exploration, space module flight and surface graphics are breathtaking. For a moment, you feel like a Mars mission crew member with your eyes on the stars.

9 Void of the Memories

These mesmerizing circles were brought to you by one of the best-in-class street art and calligraphy authors, Pokras Lampas. Whether you would like to decipher this canvas or refer to it as a pure visual object, the unique gothic Calligrafuturism style is an eye magnet for anyone.

The project is focused on the human consciousness and the theme of dreams in the context of human memory and experience. According to the author, the future is for global unity and harmony of cultures – and it’s visible in the fusion of styles, techniques and systems used in the project graphics. 

10 Plastic Waste Pollution 

Based on data on the distribution of total plastic waste generation by continent, Jamie Kettle created this personal project to estimate the percentage of plastic waste that was inadequately disposed of. 

The infographic provides a clear and precise picture of current surface plastic mass by ocean, measuring it in a creative way. We can see plastic waste management for every country in a colored bar chart. The names of the countries that report 100% of all their plastic waste handled properly are highlighted in bold. 

One of the major findings here is that the country's GDP and efficient plastic waste management aren’t always correlated—you can see this by the irregular patterns shown in the infographic.

If you are curious about plastic waste, here are some resources for you: a guide on plastic waste, detailed info on plastic waste pollution from the UN Environment Program and Impacts of Mismanaged Trash by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

If you’re working on a research topic like waste management, use Visme’s charts and graphs templates to highlight your findings and statistical analysis. Incorporate vertical bar graphs and align the values to the left, right or center to match your overall design.

11 Fossil Fuels

This profound and complex visualization tells us about one of the most pressing environmental issues – the increasing amount of carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere.

While CO 2 buildup is responsible for climate change, the trend is projected to continue, and the infographic provides insight into when this could happen. It’s easy to notice a steady increase in fossil fuel emissions since the Industrial Revolution and the projected sharp rise in the concentration of carbon dioxide until 2100.

Find more data on CO 2 emissions in the Our World in Data research, EPA website and Worldometer stats.

12 Price of a Pandemic: Poverty Spreads Around the Globe

In this classic data visualization by National Geographic, data is placed against the dark background for better contrast and readability. Simple, comprehensive charts show us the effect of the pandemic on the income of people in various countries.

The authors distributed three levels of income range for countries with low and middle class income to provide a clear picture of the current situation. Core findings of the report were that the pandemic pushed a tremendous amount of people to extreme poverty – projected data is 100 million of people living on $1.90 per person/day.

Based on the World Bank data, the infographic provides a wide view of the exact factors influencing people’s wellbeing – from travel restrictions and job loss to wars, displacements and higher food costs. Highlights at the beginning reveal rapid shrinking of income in examined countries across all continents on a mass scale.

13 Water Consumption 

Hidden food production costs involve a great amount of freshwater. This stunning example of visualization created by Chesca Kirkland unfolds a story of water consumption required to produce certain kinds of food. 

From chocolate to cheese, coffee and beer, every product requires a certain amount of freshwater to grow or be produced. The second part of the infographic is centered on the water resources available, including the map of the water footprint per capita per year and general availability of clean water to people. 

Nominated for two C-Change Environmental and Sustainability Awards, the project won First Class Honours in Final Design Futures. Raising awareness about water sustainability is vital as we move forward to a more intelligent, AI-driven future.

We at Visme are inviting you to take up the challenge and create informative infographics that can invite change to various industry branches. Use our amazing free infographic library to create graphics for your personal projects as well as corporate or brand presentations. 

For more detailed info on the infographic creation, watch this video on the 13 major types of infographics .

14 Icebergs and Climate Change

Dedicated to “travel adventures” of this 4,200-square-kilometer iceberg, this infographic alerts people to climate change. A giant chunk of ice the length of Puerto Rico broke off the Antarctic peninsula coast to wander into the wild – and dangerously close to South Georgia Island, packed with wildlife.

The graphic compares the size of the berg with 66 countries or territories and cites that the ice mass is so large that it cannot be captured in one photograph. Besides, we can also see impressive geodata on the wildlife from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species inhabiting the endangered South Georgia Island.

15  Cell Towers Map of the World

This stunning, elegant and creative visualization of 40 million cell towers is surely an unforgettable view. Based on OpenCelliD, the world's largest open database of cell towers, this interactive map is so far one of the most precise publicly available data sources for telecom-related projects.

We can see how the cell tower network lights up Europe and other big cities of the world; simultaneously, vast areas of “wilderness” are still present on the map. Harsh climate and low population density in the northern regions of Russia and Canada, along with central areas of Africa and Mongolia result in low quantity of cell towers in these areas.

Closeup view of this cell tower map resembles the brain structure. Similar to the neurons, axons and dendrites that create the communication network of the human body – cell towers keep humanity connected.

16  Active Satellites in Space

Created for Scientific American, this colorful and bright data visualization displays satellites in an original way. Neat and stylish satellite cluster grids sort them by country, orbit and class – business/commercial, civil, amateur/academic or defense.

The graphic details the mass of the satellites (100 kgs - 5,000 kgs), category (Test and Training, Communications, Images, Surveillance and Meteorology, Navigation and Research) and the launch date, from Nov 1974 till Aug 2020.

According to the graphic, six countries of the world control the largest amount of the satellites in orbit, and the US owns the largest share so far.

17  Covid Vaccination Tracker

Updated until July 15, 2022, this animated Covid vaccination tracker shows the percentage of people in the world given at least one dose. The infographic and data illustration displays data on the vaccination rollout plan in over 80 countries and 50 US states.

Data presented in this data visualization is sourced from the Our World in Data project at the University of Oxford. Uncluttered, simple graphs show the 7-day Covid vaccination rolling average as well. The interactive charts allow you to sort the percent of population given at least one dose by country or income.

At the bottom of the page we can see the detailed, in-depth Covid-19 vaccination statistics, with type of vaccines offered (Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Sinopharm, CanSino, Oxford-AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Covishield, Sputnik V, etc.) and vaccination priority groups for various countries separately.

If you’re working on an infographic that includes map data, like this example, try Visme’s map data visualization tool . It comes equipped with a handy hover tooltip that labels country names and square footage. If you don’t need to show this data, you can hide it in the Map settings.

Create demographic visualization easily with Visme’s map templates . If you need to edit your map infographic on the go, you can do so from the mobile app on Android and iOS.

18  Blindsight

It took 4 years to create this non-commercial self-funded project. Based on the eponymous sci-fi novel by Peter Watts, this visualization row includes breathtaking renders of the solar system, four-dimensional objects as a system of data visualization and manipulation, spacesuit interface renders, cryo capsule graphics and nonhuman species concepts.

The visualization received over a dozen awards and nominations such as Best VFX Screen Power Film Festival 2020, Outstanding Achievement Award (Sci-fi Short) Indie Short Fest LA 2020, Winner Best Sound & Music Fantasy/Sci-fi film Festival 2021, Award Winner Flickfair 2020, Official selection Miami International Sci-fi Film Festival 2021 and so on.

Space mysteries have always tempted mankind. With the outstanding talent of the team behind the project, we hope to enjoy the related movie one day.

19  Gravitational Waves

Introducing to you another captivating space-themed project – the interactive visualization of gravitational wave events. Created for Science News, this space-time ripples design is amazingly minimalistic, slick and informative.

This enchanting spiral animation is saturated with useful data about black hole mergers or cosmic smashups. You can learn about the original and final mass of the mergers, total merger size and other details of gravitational wave events. 

20  Map of the Lighthouses of Ireland

Updated my map of the lighthouses of Ireland from the #30DayMapChallenge - now with the correct timings/flash patterns etc. Thanks to @IrishLights for providing additional information pic.twitter.com/eLlicP8fw5 — Neil Southall (@neilcfd1) December 8, 2020

This great animation was created as a part of 30 Day Map Challenge and it depicts all lighthouses in Ireland according to their timing and flash patterns. Here, the author visualizes data from the IrishLights – the maritime organization delivering the safety service around the coast of Ireland. 

Aside from being a vital part of the water safety of coastal waterways, lighthouses are a symbol of hope and undying light even through the toughest circumstances. That’s one of the reasons why this minimalistic graphic is so appealing.

21  Together [Hierarchical Positions of Employees in a Corporation]

Good data visualizations are essential for conveying complex information in an easily understandable way. Look at this creative way of displaying the hierarchical organization structure in a large corporation with a presence in over 100 countries. This creative data visualization example looks fun and a bit otherworldly, with muffled but contrasting colors.

Linking C-level executives to their subordinates in every branch revealed an intricate and complex corporation structure. It’s suggested that in most cases, flat patterns would fail to represent company structures correctly because of the flexibility of human relations.

22  The Search for Dark Matter

The search for the ever elusive and intriguing dark matter continues. The problem isn’t likely to get solved any time soon – but here is a striking infographic for you to follow the lead.

Quanta Magazine created this interesting data visualization to represent the types of particles that dark matter could be made of. Axions, WIMPs, ultralight dark matter or primordial black holes – any of these could be a star candidate. 

Distributing every particle type along the scale according to their mass, the visualization also provides clear, concise descriptions for every type. Additionally, you can dive into the experiments’ data. Are you the one to solve the new puzzle in particle physics?

23  2020 Autonomous Vehicle Technology Report

Concise and lean, this comprehensive report draws focus to autonomous vehicle technology and provides an insight into the hardware & software market for self-driving vehicles. 

The report starts from the visualization explaining levels of autonomous vehicle capabilities in context of the environment. We learn that the greatest challenge for Google (Waymo), Uber and other companies building self-driving vehicles is to enable the vehicle to adjust to all driving scenarios.

Sensory technology is an essential part of autonomous vehicles, and they’re designed to build an environment map and localize themselves inside that map at the same time. This requires huge computational technologies – maps created by AI systems and humans are of great help here.

Further in the report, we see the visualization of the electromagnetic spectrum and its usage for perception sensors, graphics of the time-of-flight (ToF) principle of environment sensing and various object detection sensor types such as radars, cameras, LIDARs, MEMS, etc. The next visualization covers different sets of sensors used for autonomy by Tesla, Volvo-Uber and Waymo. 

Short, clean-cut schemes of the AI architecture of autonomous vehicles, the computation/decision making environment of an autonomous vehicle and the concept of vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication complete the report.

24  The U.S. Election Twitter Network Graph Tool

These cutting edge visuals from the U.S. Election Twitter Network Graph Tool enables a viewer to analyze social media interactions that define the online political landscape. In this case, we’re tracking the influence and connections between various political figures.

It’s clearly visible which accounts the target account is most likely to mention or reply to. The network graphs clearly show the potential of certain accounts to generate new connections and influence their followers.

You can search for specific nodes in the interactive map. All information flow between nodes is reflected in the color of the node edges. Working together with other open-source investigation tools, this graph is meant to increase transparency and help fight misinformation in social networks.

25  Map of a Fly Brain

The high-resolution nervous system map represented in the above graphic is a part of the fruit-fly’s brain – yet the complexity and harmony of the structure is astounding. 

Millions of connections between 25,000 neurons create a wiring diagram, or connectome, of connections in various parts of a fruit fly’s brain.

It’s estimated that tracking all neuron connections in the fruit fly’s brain manually would need 250 people working for 20 years at least. Google’s computational power has helped to speed up this research, and scientists are aiming to create a full fruit fly brain visualization by 2022.

26  Freight Rail Works

Our next interesting visualization highlights the advanced layers of technology Freight Rail Works uses across its infrastructure. Talented Danil Krivoruchko & Aggressive/Loop teams produced a futuristic and dynamic animation of the data-world around a train in motion.

Magnificent waves of data light up outlines of the objects and then vanish in waves as the train moves forward to the smart city. Graphics of the giant city cluster zoom out to reveal the continent routes and the beauty of a simple railway communications network. 

In the era of semi-autonomous aircrafts and drones, the simple, down-to-earth railway system looks stable but innovative in this graphic.

27  The Korean Clusters

Korean hospitals and churches experienced a burst of Covid infections among their visitors in January 2020. Having linked connections between the confirmed cases, scientists were able to trace back the first case and build a tree of contacts between the affected people.

Tracking the timeline of the first patient’s actions revealed that this person caused thousands of infections. Wandering sick for a few days resulted in over 30 more people infected. Subsequently, the Shincheonji Church cluster with 5,016 infected people accounted for at least 60% of all cases in South Korea at that time.

28  2020’s Biggest Tech Mergers and Acquisitions

Despite the fact that for most businesses 2020 was a devastating year with grim outcomes, this data visualization shows that Big Tech experienced a growth boost. It’s not surprising that people working remotely increasingly need digital services of all kinds.

The graphic shows the biggest tech mergers and acquisitions closed in 2020, together with the short description of the acquired company, acquiring company, deal amount and deal date. While the chart is visually busy, it’s also innovative and visually appealing.

If you need a market report from your industry area, grab the data from Crunchbase and build your own custom branded infographic via our data visualization tool quickly and easily. Sign up free .

29  Stolen Paintings

This wonderful visualization was created for Visual Data, a column on "La Lettura," the cultural supplement of "Corriere Della Sera."

From 1900 to the present day, the infographic reveals the details of 40 stolen paintings. Neutral, minimalistic visuals highlight the painting’s artist, the year when the painting was created and the year of theft. 

It was shocking to find out that the majority of thefts took place during the last 20 years (2000-2020) – and most of the art works have never been recovered.

30  House Of Cards LIDAR

House of Cards from Brendan Dawes on Vimeo .

Take a look at the last cool data visualization in this list – the rework of Radiohead's House of Cards video. This astonishing art was created on the basis of around one minute of the LIDAR data.

Motion graphics of particles scattered around a person’s face create an unforgettable image. The hero of the story in the video is clearly emotional – but we can’t tell anymore whether this person is even human. 

AI generated data can be beautiful, but how can you take control?

Data Visualization FAQs

What is the most popular form of data visualization.

Bar graphs, bar charts or column charts are the most popular type of data visualization.

Bar charts are best for comparing numerical values across categories using rectangles (or bars) of equal width and variable height. You can use bar graphs to compare items between different groups, measure changes over time and identify patterns or trends.

Other popular forms of data visualization include pie charts , line graphs , area charts , histograms , pivot tables, boxplots, scatter plots , radar charts and choropleth maps.

What Are the Benefits of Data Visualization?

Here’s how data visualization helps users to make the most of their data.

• Data visualizations make data clear, concise and easy to understand. Users can easily unlock key values from massive data sets, interpret them and draw conclusions.
• Visualization allows business users to identify relationships, patterns and trends between data, giving it greater meaning. You can easily uncover fresh insights and focus areas that require more attention.
• Creative data visualization is about creating compelling narratives through the use of graphics, diagrams and visual analytics. Visualizing data helps users tell better stories and convey messages in an engaging manner.
• Data visualization can significantly increase the pace of decision-making processes since it makes it simple for us to understand visual data. It’s no surprise, as The Wharton School of Business says that data visualization can cut down on meeting time by up to 24% .

Visualizing data helps quickly spot any errors so they can be removed. If you still doubt the importance of data visualization, this article about 50 data visualization statistics might change your thought process.

What are the Best Practices of Data Visualization?

Below are data visualization best practices to help you present data in an engaging and appealing way.

• Specify the audience and their unique needs. Your data visualization should be crafted to communicate, provide real value and meet the needs of the target audience.
• Define a Clear Purpose. Specify what questions you want your data visualizations to answer or the problems you want them to solve.
• Keep your data clean. Before visualizing your data, make sure to fix or remove incomplete, duplicate, incorrect, corrupted and incorrectly formatted data within your dataset.
• Use the right visuals. With so many charts available, identify the best type for presenting the particular data type you’re working on.
• Keep your data organized. At a glance, your audience should be able to view and digest information quickly.
• Use the right color combination.

Read our article to learn more about data visualization best practices.

Create Your Own Data Visualizations

If you are feeling inspired by these cool data visualizations, use our data visualization software to convert disparate data into clean, comprehensive visuals using the best data visualization techniques . You'll find an extensive library of customizable charts and graphs including bubble charts, bar graphs , line charts , scatter plots, and much more. 

Wondering if Visme's data visualization tools are right for you? Take a look at what one of our satisfied customers, Cassandra C. | Owner, has to say:

“I also appreciate the wide range of features, including charts, graphs, and other visuals that can be used to present data in a clear and concise way. Overall, I'm very happy with Visme and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a fun, user-friendly tool to create visuals.”

To learn more about creating your own data visualizations, check out our detailed guide on data visualization types and the introduction to data viz on our blog.

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Table of Contents

What is data visualization, what are data visualization tools, what do the best data visualization tools have in common, 2. dundas bi, 3. power bi, 4. zoho reports, 5. google charts, 6. visual.ly, 8. ibm watson, 11. data wrapper, 12. highcharts, 13. fusioncharts, 14. jupyter, 15. qlikview, 16. infogram, 17. chartblocks , 19. chart.js, 20. grafana, 21. chartist.js , 22. sigma.js, 23. polymaps, choose the right program, learning data visualization tools to further your career, 23 best data visualization tools you can't miss.

According to a Fortune Business Insights report, the data visualization market in 2019 was estimated at $8.85 billion. By 2027, the market worth is expected to be $19.20 billion at a compound annual growth rate of 10.2%.

The proliferation of smartphones, growing Internet use, rapid advancements in Machine Learning, and the rising adoption of cloud computing technologies as well as the Internet of Things are driving the global data visualization market. 

In addition, the increasing inclination for smart factories and the ever-widening use of visual analytics, information visualization, and scientific visualization in both small and large organizations are also contributing to the growth of the data visualization market. 

Check out the video below that explains what Data Visualization is, Why we use Data Visualization, major considerations for Data Visualization and the basics of different types of graphs.

Data visualization is the process of graphical representation of data in the form of geographic maps, charts, sparklines, infographics, heat maps, or statistical graphs. 

Data presented through visual elements is easy to understand and analyze, effectively extracting actionable insights from the data. Relevant stakeholders can then use the findings to make more efficient real-time decisions.

Data visualization tools, incorporating support for streaming data , AI integration, embeddability, collaboration, interactive exploration, and self-service capabilities, facilitate the visual representation of data. 

Here are 15 top-notch data visualization tools that are gaining market recognition for their impressive performance and usability.

Data is becoming increasingly important every day. For any organisation, you can understand how important data is while making crucial decisions. For the same reason, data visualisation is grabbing people's attention. Modern data visualisation tools and advanced software are on the market. A data visualisation tool is a software that is used to visualise data. The features of each tool vary, but at their most basic, they allow you to input a dataset and graphically alter it. Most, but not all, come with pre-built templates for creating simple visualisations.

All of the technologies available on the market for data visualisation have something or another feature in common. The first advantage is their simplicity of usage. There are two types of software that you will most likely encounter: those that are easy to use and those that are really difficult to visualise data. Some include good documentation and tutorials and are constructed in user-friendly ways. Others, regardless of their other qualities, are missing in certain areas, excluding them from any list of "best" tools. The one thing you should ensure is that the software can handle large amounts of data and many kinds of data in a single display.

The better software can also generate a variety of charts , graphs, and maps kinds. Obviously, there will be others in the market who present the facts in a somewhat different manner. Some data visualisation tools specialise in a single style of chart or map and excel at it. Those tools are also among the "best" tools available. Finally, there are financial concerns. While a larger price tag does not inherently disqualify a tool, it must be justified in terms of greater support, features, and overall value.

Tableau is a highly popular tool for visualizing data for two main reasons: it's easy to use and very powerful. You can connect it to lots of data sources and create all sorts of charts and maps. Salesforce owns Tableau, and it's widely used by many people and big companies.

Tableau has different versions like desktop, server, and web-based options, plus some customer relationship management (CRM) software.

Providing integration for advanced databases, including Teradata, SAP, My SQL, Amazon AWS , and Hadoop, Tableau efficiently creates visualizations and graphics from large, constantly-evolving datasets used for artificial intelligence, machine learning, and Big Data applications.

The Pros of Tableau:

• Excellent visualization capabilities
• Easy to use
• Top class performance
• Supports connectivity with diverse data sources
• Mobile Responsive
• Has an informative community

The Cons of Tableau:

• The pricing is a bit on the higher side
• Auto-refresh and report scheduling options are not available

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Dundas BI offers highly-customizable data visualizations with interactive scorecards, maps, gauges, and charts, optimizing the creation of ad-hoc, multi-page reports. By providing users full control over visual elements, Dundas BI simplifies the complex operation of cleansing, inspecting, transforming, and modeling big datasets. 

The Pros of Dundas BI:

• Exceptional flexibility
• A large variety of data sources and charts 
• Wide range of in-built features for extracting, displaying, and modifying data

The Cons of Dundas BI:

• No option for predictive analytics
• 3D charts not supported

Power BI , Microsoft's easy-to-use data visualization tool, is available for both on-premise installation and deployment on the cloud infrastructure. Power BI is one of the most complete data visualization tools that supports a myriad of backend databases, including Teradata, Salesforce, PostgreSQL, Oracle, Google Analytics, Github, Adobe Analytics, Azure, SQL Server, and Excel. The enterprise-level tool creates stunning visualizations and delivers real-time insights for fast decision-making.

The Pros of Power BI:

• No requirement for specialized tech support
• Easily integrates with existing applications  
• Personalized, rich dashboard
• High-grade security 
• No speed or memory constraints
• Compatible with Microsoft products

The Cons of Power BI:

• Cannot work with varied, multiple datasets

Zoho Reports, also known as Zoho Analytics, is a comprehensive data visualization tool that integrates Business Intelligence and online reporting services, which allow quick creation and sharing of extensive reports in minutes. The high-grade visualization tool also supports the import of Big Data from major databases and applications. 

The Pros of Zoho Reports:

• Effortless report creation and modification
• Includes useful functionalities such as email scheduling and report sharing
• Plenty of room for data
• Prompt customer support.

The Cons of Zoho Reports:

• User training needs to be improved
• The dashboard becomes confusing when there are large volumes of data

Google Charts is one of the major players in the data visualization market space, coded with SVG and HTML5 , is famed for its capability to produce graphical and pictorial data visualizations. Google Charts offers zoom functionality, and it provides users with unmatched cross-platform compatibility with iOS, Android, and even the earlier versions of the Internet Explorer browser.

The Pros of Google Charts:

• User-friendly platform
• Easy to integrate data
• Visually attractive data graphs
• Compatibility with Google products.

The Cons of Google Charts:

• The export feature needs fine-tuning 
• Inadequate demos on tools
• Lacks customization abilities
• Network connectivity required for visualization

Visual.ly is one of the data visualization tools on the market, renowned for its impressive distribution network that illustrates project outcomes. Employing a dedicated creative team for data visualization services, Visual.ly streamlines the process of data import and outsource, even to third parties.

The Pros of Visual.ly:

• Top-class output quality 
• Easy to produce superb graphics
• Several link opportunities

The Cons of Visual.ly:

• Few embedding options 
• Showcases one point, not multiple points
• Limited scope

RAW, better-known as RawGraphs, works with delimited data such as TSV file or CSV file. It serves as a link between data visualization and spreadsheets. Featuring a range of non-conventional and conventional layouts, RawGraphs provides robust data security even though it is a web-based application.

The Pros of RAW:

• Simple interface
• Super-fast visual feedback
• Offers a high-level platform for arranging, keeping, and reading user data
• Easy-to-use mapping feature
• Superb readability for visual graphics
• Excellent scalability option

The Cons of RAW:

• Non-availability of log scales
• Not user intuitive

Named after IBM founder Thomas J. Watson, this high-caliber data visualization tool uses analytical components and artificial intelligence to detect insights and patterns from both unstructured and structured data. Leveraging NLP ( Natural Language Processing ), IBM Watson's intelligent, self-service visualization tool guides users through the entire insight discovery operation.

The Pros of IBM Watson:

• NLP capabilities
• Offers accessibility from multiple devices
• Predictive analytics
• Self-service dashboards

The Cons of IBM Watson:

• Customer support needs improvement
• High-cost maintenance

Regarded as one of the most agile data visualization tools, Sisense gives users access to instant data analytics anywhere, at any time. The best-in-class visualization tool can identify key data patterns and summarize statistics to help decision-makers make data-driven decisions.

The Pros of Sisense:

• Ideal for mission-critical projects involving massive datasets
• Reliable interface
• High-class customer support
• Quick upgrades
• Flexibility of seamless customization

The Cons of Sisense:

• Developing and maintaining analytic cubes can be challenging
• Does not support time formats
• Limited visualization versions

An open-source data visualization tool, Plotly offers full integration with analytics-centric programming languages like Matlab, Python , and R, which enables complex visualizations. Widely used for collaborative work, disseminating, modifying, creating, and sharing interactive, graphical data, Plotly supports both on-premise installation and cloud deployment. 

The Pros of Plotly:

• Allows online editing of charts 
• High-quality image export
• Highly interactive interface
• Server hosting facilitates easy sharing 

The Cons of Plotly:

• Speed is a concern at times
• Free version has multiple limitations
• Various screen-flashings create confusion and distraction 

Data Wrapper is one of the very few data visualization tools on the market that is available for free. It is popular among media enterprises because of its inherent ability to quickly create charts and present graphical statistics on Big Data . Featuring a simple and intuitive interface, Data Wrapper allows users to create maps and charts that they can easily embed into reports.

The Pros of Data Wrapper:

• Does not require installation for chart creation
• Ideal for beginners
• Free to use

The Cons of Data Wrapper:

• Building complex charts like Sankey is a problem
• Security is an issue as it is an open-source tool

Deployed by seventy-two of the world's top hundred companies, the Highcharts tool is perfect for visualization of streaming big data analytics. Running on Javascript API and offering integration with jQuery, Highcharts provides support for cross-browser functionalities that facilitates easy access to interactive visualizations. 

The Pros of Highcharts:

• State-of-the-art customization options
• Visually appealing graphics
• Multiple chart layouts
• Simple and flexible

The Cons of Highcharts:

• Not ideal for small organizations

Fusioncharts is one of the most popular and widely-adopted data visualization tools. The Javascript -based, top-of-the-line visualization tool offers ninety different chart building packages that integrate with major frameworks and platforms, offering users significant flexibility.

The Pros of Fusioncharts:

• Customized for specific implementations
• Outstanding helpdesk support
• Active community

The Cons of Fusioncharts:

• An expensive data visualization solution
• Complex set-up
• Old-fashioned interface

A web-based application, JupyteR, is one of the top-rated data visualization tools that enable users to create and share documents containing visualizations, equations, narrative text, and live code. JupyteR is ideal for data cleansing and transformation, statistical modeling, numerical simulation, interactive computing, and machine learning. 

The Pros of JupyteR:

• Rapid prototyping
• Visually appealing results
• Facilitates easy sharing of data insights

The Cons of JupyteR:

• Tough to collaborate
• At times code reviewing becomes complicated

A major player in the data visualization market, Qlikview provides solutions to over 40,000 clients in 100 countries. Qlikview's data visualization tool, besides enabling accelerated, customized visualizations, also incorporates a range of solid features, including analytics, enterprise reporting, and Business Intelligence capabilities. 

The Pros of QlikView:

• User-friendly interface 
• Appealing, colorful visualizations
• Trouble-free maintenance
• A cost-effective solution

The Cons of QlikView:

• RAM limitations
• Poor customer support
• Does not include the 'drag and drop' feature

Infogram is one of the most popular software programmes on the internet today. It is a web-based tool for creating infographics and visualising data. It is primarily intended to assist all users in quickly and simply creating interesting and interactive reports, infographics, and dashboards with data-driven information and captivating images. This particular solution provides customers with over 550 maps and 35 charts, 20 ready-made design templates, numerous pictures and icons, a drag-and-drop editor, and other features. Even someone who is new to the sector may quickly learn how to utilise this programme.

It has a simple editor that allows users to modify the colours and styles of their visualisations, add corporate logos, and adjust the display choices. In addition, the users will be granted the right to use over a million icons, GIFs, and photos in their visualisations. Users may add connections to generate traffic to their website using interactive charts, which allow audiences to examine data using Infogram tabs. Reports that are interactive and shareable may also be developed and incorporated, with metrics to measure audience interaction.

ChartBlocks selects the appropriate data segment to create a chart and manages the whole import process. It may import information from virtually any source. It enhances many sharing options that set the chart on the website and instantly share it. It contains hundreds of customization and design choices that influence various aspects of the chart. The Wizard feature selects and selects the appropriate data for the chart using the basic chart design wizard. ChartBlocks' data import capabilities enable data to be swiftly imported from any source. It aids in the import of proper data from the target source and the creation of the chart. And all of this happens in a matter of minutes. To create a chart, no code is necessary.

It allows for the creation of a chart in minutes, as well as the use of a chart designer and the selection of hundreds of chart kinds, which may be adjusted as needed. It can also gather data from nearly any source and use it to make visualisations. The data import wizard walks you through each step of the procedure. It easily embeds charts into any website of your choice and distributes them.

The same sharing functionality is available in the built-in social media sharing tools. It is known to interface directly with Facebook and Twitter. It also has a function that allows the charts to be exported as editable vectors and graphics.

With Data-Driven Document, you can use any browser to bind data to a DOM in a document, allowing you to manipulate documents from anywhere. Transforming data involves selecting selections of nodes and manipulating them individually. You can easily change and alter node attributes, register event listeners, change nodes, alter HTML or text content, and access the document's underlying DOM by working with functions of data (styles, attributes, and other properties). You can associate operations (updates, additions, and deletions) with nodes to improve performance. You can build new functions using the function factory, as well as using the graphical primitives included. Geographic coordinates can be retrieved using a function as opposed to a constant. Properties can be reused by having data bound to the documents.

It uses HTML, SVG and CSS to create graphics from data, for example generating a table in HTML from data. Using animated transitions and high performance, you can easily visualize data in bar charts and graphics, support large amounts of data, and enjoy dynamic interaction and animation in a 3D environment with large amounts of data.

Chart.js is a popular JavaScript charting toolkit that is open source. It is a Data Visualization Software that will help you visualise data. Because it is open-source, it is maintained by the entire community. It has support for eight various types of charts, including pies, lines, and bars. The good news is that all of these are really responsive. All you have to do is put up your chart, and the library will make sure it is readable. It has 53.7k GitHub stars and a strong ecosystem providing wrappers for Vue, React, Ember, and more frameworks. The library draws the charts on the browser canvas. It is an independent project with numerous community contributors. Chart.js provides eight different types of chart bar charts, but also bubble charts,  scatter charts, line charts, and polar charts.

Grafana open source is a free and open source visualisation and analytics tool. It enables you to query, display, alert on, and examine metrics, logs, and traces stored everywhere. It includes tools for transforming time-series database (TSDB) data into informative graphs and visualisations.

It also has a Graohana cloud component. It is an OpenSaaS logging and metrics platform that is highly available, quick, and fully controlled. The program provides all of the features you love about Grafana, but Grafana Labs hosts and manages the program for you.

Grafana Enterprise is Grafana's commercial edition, which offers capabilities not present in the open source version. Grafana Corporate includes enterprise data sources, sophisticated authentication choices, expanded permission restrictions, 24x7x365 support, and core team training.

Chartist.js is an online application that allows you to build highly customizable responsive charts that highlight important data and construct a library or libraries. Chartist.js encapsulates the given data in a library for usage in a user-friendly framework. Chartist.js is now used to create libraries in a variety of projects, including Chartist JSF (Java Server Faces Component),  node chartist (node package for server-side charts, ng-chartist.js (Angular Directive), Table press Chartist ( WordPress / tablepress extension), Ember - cli - chartist (Ember Addon), react chartist (react component), etc.

Chartist.js is user-friendly since it is compatible with a variety of browsers, making it simple to work with any of them. The browsers enable the use of several remarkable capabilities, such as general browser support, sophisticated CSS animations, SVG animations, multi-line labels, with SMIL, and responsive option override.

These are critical properties that every browser wants to have in order to provide reliable information. These capabilities allow Chartist.js to create charts that have an animation component, making them presentable and simple to read.

Sigma is a JavaScript library for drawing graphs. It enables developers to incorporate network exploration into rich online applications and makes it simple to publish networks on websites. 

• The Sigma.js layout is fantastic.
• It enables individuals to follow up with interest as soon as possible. 
• Sigma.js's performance is currently satisfactory. 
• Sigma.js support is fantastic and quite helpful.
• Good software must be tried.

Polymaps, a collaboration between Stamen and SimpleGeo, is a free JavaScript library for image and vector tiled maps that use SVG. The library enables the creation of interactive and dynamic maps in web browsers, as well as the rapid display of datasets and support for a broad range of visual presentations for vector data (tiled). Cartography from CloudMade, OpenStreetMap, Bing, and other image-based web map suppliers is supported by Polymaps. It can load data at all scales and works well for displaying information from the country level down to the local level. It displays information using Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG), which allows users to simply create data design using CSS rules. This also saves users from having to learn new scripts because they may do the majority of jobs using scripts to which they are already accustomed.

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1. What is data visualization?

Data visualization is the process of interpreting data in the form of eographic maps, charts, sparklines, infographics, heat maps, or statistical graphs. This helps make data easier to consume and understand.

2. What are the best data visualization tools?

Some really good data visualization tools are Google Charts, Tableau, Grafana, Chartist, FusionCharts, Datawrapper, Infogram, and ChartBlocks etc.

3. What are data visualization tools?

Data visualization tools are programs that help turn data into visual representations. 

4. What are data visualization techniques?

Data visualization techniques include knowing your audience, understanding your goals, choosing the right chart for your audience and dataset, using the correct layout, including comparisons, telling a tale using the data, and using the right data visualization tool.

5. Why do we use data visualization?

Data in its raw form is very messy to understand and make sense of, this is why data needs to be sorted, organized, and visually presented in a way that it makes sense. This is where data visualization comes handy.

6. How important is data visualization?

Data visualization is important as data has become an important part of every industry. Hence, learning from data is crucial for the running of business and data visualization helps us understand the data better.

7. What are the types of data visualization?

The most common data visualization types are scatter plots, bar charts, heat maps, line graphs, pie charts, area charts, choropleth maps and histograms.

8. Is Microsoft Excel a data visualization tool?

Microsoft Excel is not a type of visualization tool, but is a powerful tool to help analyze data sets. 

9. What should I look for in a data visualization tool?

The type of tool you use is dependent on your need. You will have to understand first what would you like the data to show, and then select a tool that works in tandem to help you with the result. You should also consider ease of use, flexibility of the tool, broad data platforms, cost, etc. when you consider selecting a tool.

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Best Data Visualization Tools for 2024

Data visualization is a very important part of understanding the hidden patterns and layers in the data! What sounds more interesting to you? A beautiful and descriptive bar chart or a boring spreadsheet giving the same information? In this blog, we are going to navigate through the vast landscape of data visualization tools.

Visual representation has been an enduring force that transcends language barriers and simplifies the comprehension of complex concepts. From cave drawings depicting daily life to intricate maps guiding explorers, visualizations have always been instrumental in helping humanity understand the world around them. This intrinsic connection between visuals and understanding forms the foundation of data visualization tools, which have now evolved into sophisticated instruments in the digital age.

What is Data Visualization ?

Graphical representation of any information or data is known as Data Visualization . This helps in segregating the data in an efficient manner by using various types of visuals such as graphs, maps, charts, maps, and visualization tools. In addition to this, with the help of a data visualization tool, the data can be presented in a very unique and understandable manner so that people who are not from a technical background can understand everything easily.

What are Data Visualization Tools?

Data Visualization Tools are software platforms that provide information in a visual format such as a graph , chart , etc to make it easily understandable and usable. Data Visualization tools are so popular as they allow analysts and statisticians to create visual data models easily according to their specifications by conveniently providing an interface, database connections, and Machine Learning tools all in one place! 

Top Data Visualization Tools

This article will demonstrates the Best Data Visualization Tools which you can use in 2024 . So let’s check them out! 

• Zoho Analytics
• IBM Cognos Analytics
• Microsoft Power BI
• SAP Analytics Cloud

Tableau is a data visualization tool that can be used by data analysts, scientists, statisticians, etc. to visualize the data and get a clear opinion based on the data analysis. Tableau is very famous as it can take in data and produce the required data visualization output in a very short time. And it can do this while providing the highest level of security with a guarantee to handle security issues as soon as they arise or are found by users. 

Tableau also allows its users to prepare, clean, and format their data and then create data visualizations to obtain actionable insights that can be shared with other users. Tableau is available for individual data analysts or at scale for business teams and organizations. It provides a 14-day free trial followed by the paid version.

• Ease of Use: Tableau is the program with the user-friendly interface, so easy that the person with limited technical expertise can use it simply “drag and drop”.
• Visual Appeal: In Tableau, creating visually stunning and highly interactive dashboards is a key area where it is better than the others in conveying the insights.
• Cost: What restrains scalability is the fact that Tableau can be expensive, especially in terms of enterprise deployments where there are not many free options.
• Scalability: Even though Tableau is such a strong tool, it might be a bit less optimal to cover dataset cases which are extremely large and complex due to possible performance issues.

Also Check: Tableau Tutorial Create a Dashboard in Tableau What is Tableau and its Importance in Data Visualization?

Looker is a data visualization tool that can go in-depth into the data and analyze it to obtain useful insights. It provides real-time dashboards of the data for more in-depth analysis so that businesses can make instant decisions based on the data visualizations obtained. Looker also provides connections with Redshift, Snowflake, and BigQuery, as well as more than 50 SQL-supported dialects so you can connect to multiple databases without any issues. 

Looker data visualizations can be shared with anyone using any particular tool. Also, you can export these files in any format immediately. It also provides customer support wherein you can ask any question and it shall be answered. A price quote can be obtained by submitting a form.

• Security: Data security is a primary feature emphasized by Looker, with the availability of role- based access control and data encryption to ensure that the boundless data is shielded.
• Real-Time Data: Looker emphasizes on the real time data exploration, hence so that users can find out the latest information and make quick, well-informed decisions accordingly.
• Learning Curve: Even though learning reader might be a bit difficult sometimes because it is not as easy as some simpler tools, beginners will still need some training to learn the art of data visualization.
• Limited Customization: Looker comes with pre-defined built-in visualizations; therefore, it seems a little restrictive for those users who demand more options fitting their specifications.

Also check: Difference between Looker and Tableau

3. Zoho Analytics

Zoho Analytics is a Business Intelligence and Data Analytics software that can help you create wonderful-looking data visualizations based on your data in a few minutes. You can obtain data from multiple sources and mesh it together to create multidimensional data visualizations that allow you to view your business data across departments. In case you have any questions, you can use Zia which is a smart assistant created using artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing. 

Zoho Analytics allows you to share or publish your reports with your colleagues and add comments or engage in conversations as required. You can export Zoho Analytics files in any format such as Spreadsheet, MS Word, Excel, PPT, PDF, etc. The pricing options available for this software include a basic plan with approx. A$34.1/month billed yearly. 

• Affordability: With Zoho Analytics even the entry-level costless plan lets users benefit from basic offerings which will be great for small-scale individual or organizational needs.
• Integration: Zoho analytics provides a centralized data management and analysis environment whilst synchronising with other Zoho applications which includes it within the Zoho ecosystem.
• Limited Functionality: With respect to majors tools, Zoho Analytics probably has less options for complicated data alteration or/and sophisticated representations.
• Community Support: Zoho’s support features might not be as advanced as some of the big data visualization solutions, such as Tableau or Qlik.

Sisense is a business intelligence-based data visualization system and it provides various tools that allow data analysts to simplify complex data and obtain insights for their organization and outsiders. Sisense believes that eventually, every company will be a data-driven company and every product will be related to data in some way. Therefore it tries its best to provide various data analytics tools to business teams and data analytics so that they can help make their companies the data-driven companies of the future. 

It is very easy to set up and learn Sisense. It can be easily installed within a minute and data analysts can get their work done and obtain results instantly. Sisense also allows its users to export their files in multiple formats such as PPT, Excel, MS Word, PDF, etc. Sisense also provides full-time customer support services whenever users face any issues. A price quote can be obtained by submitting a form.

• In-Memory Analytics: Sisense uses in-memory analytics for quicker data transition and visualization, which will help in the fast examination of large datasets.
• Mobile-Friendly: Sisense provides let-optimized dashboards, meaning that the user can access and analyze data in just about wherever they are.
• Pricing: Like Tableau, Sisense can be pricey for corporate use, especially given complete aquettance of pricing information.
• Deployment Options: Sisense provides on-premise and cloud deployment modes, but a reduced number of features are available for the cloud system compared to the on-premise version.  

5. IBM Cognos Analytics

IBM Cognos Analytics is an Artificial Intelligence-based business intelligence platform that supports data analytics among other things. You can visualize as well as analyze your data and share actionable insights with anyone in your organization. Even if you have limited or no knowledge about data analytics, you can use IBM Cognos Analytics easily as it interprets the data for you and presents you with actionable insights in plain language. 

You can also share your data with multiple users if you want on the cloud and share visuals over email or Slack. You can also import data from various sources like spreadsheets, cloud, CSV files, or on-premises databases and combine related data sources into a single data module. IBM Cognos Analytics provides a free trial for 30 days followed by a plan Starting at approx. A$20.87 per month.  

• AI Integration: IBM Cognos Analytics boasts of integrating AI-based features which in turn enable users to automate tasks, suggest insights, and make self-service exploration of data easy.
• Scalability: IBM Cognos Analytics is created to simplify as well as execute data processing even for big and complicated datasets that are commonly associated with enterprises.
• Complexity: Due to its complex functions, this analytics can be difficult to master so it might take some time to get up to speed with it and learn to utilize it elegantly.
• Customization: Among the customization options in the IBM Cognos Analytics, there might be less flexibility compared to open sourced and fully customized tools.

6. Qlik Sense

Qlik Sense is a data visualization platform that helps companies to become data-driven enterprises by providing an associative data analytics engine, sophisticated Artificial Intelligence system, and scalable multi-cloud architecture that allows you to deploy any combination of SaaS , on-premises, or a private cloud. 

You can easily combine, load, visualize, and explore your data on Qlik Sense, no matter its size. All the data charts, tables, and other visualizations are interactive and instantly update themselves according to the current data context. The Qlik Sense AI can even provide you with data insights and help you create analytics using just drag and drop. You can try Qlik Sense Business for free for 30 days and then move on to a paid version. 

• Associative Engine: Through the uses of associative engine, users may seamlessly access different parts of the data, and the greater insights are thus constructed.
• Self-Service Analytics: Qlik sense makes users to analyze the data by themselves without depending on persistent IT professionals for data arrangement and do graph preparations.
• Licensing Costs: Although Qlik Sense provides a free trial, the subscription fees for medium scale or large scale deployments may require agreat budget.
• Limited Collaboration Features: Qlik Sense might be less efficient in real collaboration on dashboards as they do in some competitors’ tools.

Domo is a business intelligence model that contains multiple data visualization tools that provide a consolidated platform where you can perform data analysis and then create interactive data visualizations that allow other people to easily understand your data conclusions. You can combine cards, text, and images in the Domo dashboard so that you can guide other people through the data while telling a data story as they go. 

In case of any doubts, you can use their pre-built dashboards to obtain quick insights from the data. Domo has a free trial option so you can use it to get a sense of this platform before committing to it fully. In case of any customer service inquiries, Domo is always available from 7 AM to 6 PM from Monday to Friday and you can try it for free followed by the paid version. 

• Unified Platform: Domo emphasizes an in-depth data visualization, intelligence and collaboration platform all within its easy to access dashboard.
• Storytelling Capabilities: Users Domo the function of creating data stories by combining visualizations with text and pictures, and this is hugely transformative in how they communicate data.
• Complexity: The feature-richness of Domo as well as its data visualization essence may be a hurdle for the users, who are new to the field and are not yet experienced.
• Scalability Concerns: Some users have informed of associated performance issues when working with very big datasets in Domo applications.

Also check: Difference between Tableau and Domo

8. Microsoft Power BI

Microsoft Power BI is a Data Visualization platform focused on creating a data-driven business intelligence culture in all companies today. To fulfill this, it offers self-service analytics tools that can be used to analyze, aggregate, and share data in a meaningful fashion. 

Microsoft Power BI offers hundreds of data visualizations to its customers along with built-in Artificial Intelligence capabilities and Excel integration facilities. And all this is very pocket friendly at a $9.99 monthly price per user for the Microsoft Power BI Pro. It also provides you with multiple support systems such as FAQs, forums, and also live chat support with the staff. 

• Cost-Effectiveness: Power BI is composed of the free version and the paid version that is reasonable for many users, which results in higher popularity among users.
• Integration with Microsoft Ecosystem: Power BI enhances the efficiency of performing the functions of transfer of data from and within other MS products, for example, Excel, and the workflow of analysis.
• Limited Customization: Among other things, Power BI may have fewer customization alternatives than some open-source or custom correctly developed data visualization tools.
• Vendor Lock-In: The trusting long term use of Microsoft software for analyzing the data possibly can confine users who are in favor of the less platform centric way.

Also check: Power BI – Dashboard Introduction Power BI Tutorial Power BI – Practical Applications Power BI – Rise of Microsoft Power BI as a Data Analytics powerhouse

9. Klipfolio

Klipfolio is a Canadian business intelligence company that provides one of the best data visualization tools. You can access your data from hundreds of different data sources like spreadsheets, databases, files, and web services applications by using connectors. Klipfolio also allows you to create custom drag-and-drop data visualizations wherein you can choose from different options like charts, graphs, scatter plots, etc. 

Klipfolio also has tools you can use to execute complex formulas that can solve challenging data problems. You can obtain a free trial of 14 days followed by $49 per month for the basic business plan. In the case of customer inquiries, you can get help from the community forum or the knowledge forum. 

• Focus on KPIs: It is worth noting that Klipfolo does an excellent job in creating KPI (key performance indicator) based dashboards that enables organizations to get a glimpse of their business performance.
• Drag-and-Drop Simplicity: Klipfolio comes with a simple, functional drag-and-drop feature that allows users to create new visualizations without having to spend much time. Thus, gaining the benefits that visualization could provide to beginner users too.
• Limited Offline Access: Klipfolio main functionality online in turn can reduce it connectivity when an internet connection is unstable.
• Limited Data Source Options: Probably, Klipfolio may be limited in the variety of data sources supported against some capabilities of comprehensive instruments.

10. SAP Analytics Cloud

SAP Analytics Cloud uses business intelligence and data analytics capabilities to help you evaluate your data and create visualizations in order to predict business outcomes. It also provides you with the latest modeling tools that help you by alerting you of possible errors in the data and categorizing different data measures and dimensions. SAP Analytics Cloud also suggests Smart Transformations to the data that lead to enhanced visualizations. 

In case you have any doubts or business questions related to data visualization, SAP Analytics Cloud provides you with complete customer satisfaction by handling your queries using conversational artificial intelligence and natural language technology. You can try this platform for free for 30 days and after that pay $22 per month for the Business Intelligence package.

• Enterprise-Grade Security: SAP , as it relates to cloud platform security, puts data protection as top priority offer solid features to ensure data safety within the cloud.
• Predictive Analytics: The capability to perform predictive analytics is included in SAP Analytics Cloud, among other things, which empowers users to identify prospective trends and make data-backed decisions.
• Cost: SAP Analytics Cloud can be a costly analytics solution for small business and individual users, which is licensed with a pricing group depending on the set of functionalities and how data is deployed.
• Learning Curve: In the light of SAP Analytics Cloud’s capabilities and cloud-based nature, proper training of users might be needed so as not to miss out on the advantages that it has to offer.

11. Yellowfin

Yellowfin is a worldwide famous analytics and business software vendor that has a well-suited automation product that is specially created for people who have to take decisions within a short period of time. This is an easy-to-use data visualization tool that allows people to understand things and act according to them in the form of collaboration, data storytelling, and stunning action-based dashboards.

Yellowfin provides complete customer satisfaction with its five core products which have been integrated properly in order to manage analytics properly across the whole enterprise. You can try this platform for free for 30 days and after that pay $250 per month for the paid package.

• Automation Features: Yellowfin has a built-in automation tools for tasks like data preparation and report creation where the quickness will be achieved reducing the manual efforts.
• Collaboration Tools: Yellowfin, the feature is based on collaboration on reports and dashboards, and therefore will allow to Cc and share knowledge within the teams.
• Limited Free Version: While Yellowfin provides a free trail it only covers basic stuff, and upgrades are necessary to get access to more complicated features.
• Limited Customization Options: Open-source and the most configurable tools may offer greater customization options for visualizations in comparison to the one I am describing, however it is still a good tool.

12. Whatagraph

Whatagraph is a seamless integration that provides marketing agencies with an easy and useful way of sharing or sending marketing campaign data with clients. With this platform, you can create the data in a way that the result is easy to understand and comprehend. This Data visualization tool has numerous customization options which can be picked virtually and help in creating reporting widgets or creating your own methods of presenting data.

Whatagraph also helps in comparing data of different marketing platforms and their performance in one single report. You can try this platform for free for 30 days and after that pay $199 per month for the paid package.

• Marketing Focus: Whatagraph as a marketing data analysis tool is engineered for marketing teams. The tool has in-built features that are designed to take care of marketing data as it was meant for the marketing team.
• Ease of Use: Whatagraph concerns itself with the user friendliness of its software, thereby making it possible for a marketer without much data visualization experience to create a report and share insights anytime.
• Limited Data Analysis Capabilities: Whatagraph will probably not be as experienced as general-purpose data visualization tools in terms of- depth analysis of data or complex analysis of statistic.
• Scalability: Suchployment differs from enterprise marketing analytics but may not be suitable for processing an extremely large dataset.

13. Dundas BI

Dundas Bi is a flexible business intelligence and analysis tool. One can create and display animated dashboards, reports or scorecards. This platform can be used for data analysis can be used flexibly, openly and completely configurable. Dundas BI is capable of being a portal for data or it can be integrated with the existing website.

Dundas BI offers a wide range of data visualization options, including charts, graphs, maps, and gauges, allowing users to represent their data in a visually appealing and informative manner. It caters to the demands of users ranging from business analysts to data scientists, providing them with tools to derive actionable insights from their data.

• Customization Flexibility: DLIve can be one of the most customizable tools in terms of data visualizations, so it is possible for users to create specially designed graphs and charts.
• Open Architecture: Dundas BI employs the open architecture approach which acts as a base for integration with diverse data sources, data import and data export functions as well as for embedding within existing applications.
• Learning Curve: When compared to easy-to-use tools, Dundas BI presents more of a challenge in getting accustomed to it; therefore, the learning curve can be steeper and more likely to require training or technical assistance.
• Limited Free Options: Dundas might offer a trail period, but its pricing is not ready that can be accessed online, and this can mean that Dundas is at a higher cost than some competitors who allow potential customers to access their pricing plan details online.

Hence, these were some of the Top Data Visualization tools which will help you to work efficiently without any time wastage. Also, if you want to try any of them, the trial versions are available which you can use according to your need and without any hassle. 

What are the five data visualization techniques?

Five data visualization techniques are: Bar Charts Line Charts Scatter Plots Pie Charts Heatmaps

What are the uses of data visualization?

Uses of Data Visualization: It helps to identify trends and patterns in data. It effectively convey the complex information. It facilitates the informed decision making. It discovers insights and relationships in data. It monitors performance and changes over time.

What are the best data visualization tools for Data Scientists ?

The best data visualization tools for Data scientists are Tableau and Power BI. Both of these tools offer powerful visualization and analytics capabilities.

Free Data Visualization Tools

Several free data visualization tools, including RAWGraphs, Looker Studio, Tableau Public, Microsoft Power BI, Visualize Free, Plotly, Datawrapper, Flourish, Dygraphs, and Highcharts, offer diverse options for creating interactive and visually appealing visualizations, enabling users to explore and communicate insights from their data effectively.

Best Open Source Data Visualization Tools

Matplotlib Seaborn Plotly Bokeh D3.js

Best Python Data Visualization Tools

Some of the Python Data Visualization Tools are as follows: Matplotlib Seaborn Plotly GGplot Altair Bokeh Pygal

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17 Data Visualization Techniques All Professionals Should Know

• 17 Sep 2019

There’s a growing demand for business analytics and data expertise in the workforce. But you don’t need to be a professional analyst to benefit from data-related skills.

Becoming skilled at common data visualization techniques can help you reap the rewards of data-driven decision-making , including increased confidence and potential cost savings. Learning how to effectively visualize data could be the first step toward using data analytics and data science to your advantage to add value to your organization.

Several data visualization techniques can help you become more effective in your role. Here are 17 essential data visualization techniques all professionals should know, as well as tips to help you effectively present your data.

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What Is Data Visualization?

Data visualization is the process of creating graphical representations of information. This process helps the presenter communicate data in a way that’s easy for the viewer to interpret and draw conclusions.

There are many different techniques and tools you can leverage to visualize data, so you want to know which ones to use and when. Here are some of the most important data visualization techniques all professionals should know.

Data Visualization Techniques

The type of data visualization technique you leverage will vary based on the type of data you’re working with, in addition to the story you’re telling with your data .

Here are some important data visualization techniques to know:

• Gantt Chart
• Box and Whisker Plot
• Waterfall Chart
• Scatter Plot
• Pictogram Chart
• Highlight Table
• Bullet Graph
• Choropleth Map
• Network Diagram
• Correlation Matrices

1. Pie Chart

Pie charts are one of the most common and basic data visualization techniques, used across a wide range of applications. Pie charts are ideal for illustrating proportions, or part-to-whole comparisons.

Because pie charts are relatively simple and easy to read, they’re best suited for audiences who might be unfamiliar with the information or are only interested in the key takeaways. For viewers who require a more thorough explanation of the data, pie charts fall short in their ability to display complex information.

2. Bar Chart

The classic bar chart , or bar graph, is another common and easy-to-use method of data visualization. In this type of visualization, one axis of the chart shows the categories being compared, and the other, a measured value. The length of the bar indicates how each group measures according to the value.

One drawback is that labeling and clarity can become problematic when there are too many categories included. Like pie charts, they can also be too simple for more complex data sets.

3. Histogram

Unlike bar charts, histograms illustrate the distribution of data over a continuous interval or defined period. These visualizations are helpful in identifying where values are concentrated, as well as where there are gaps or unusual values.

Histograms are especially useful for showing the frequency of a particular occurrence. For instance, if you’d like to show how many clicks your website received each day over the last week, you can use a histogram. From this visualization, you can quickly determine which days your website saw the greatest and fewest number of clicks.

4. Gantt Chart

Gantt charts are particularly common in project management, as they’re useful in illustrating a project timeline or progression of tasks. In this type of chart, tasks to be performed are listed on the vertical axis and time intervals on the horizontal axis. Horizontal bars in the body of the chart represent the duration of each activity.

Utilizing Gantt charts to display timelines can be incredibly helpful, and enable team members to keep track of every aspect of a project. Even if you’re not a project management professional, familiarizing yourself with Gantt charts can help you stay organized.

5. Heat Map

A heat map is a type of visualization used to show differences in data through variations in color. These charts use color to communicate values in a way that makes it easy for the viewer to quickly identify trends. Having a clear legend is necessary in order for a user to successfully read and interpret a heatmap.

There are many possible applications of heat maps. For example, if you want to analyze which time of day a retail store makes the most sales, you can use a heat map that shows the day of the week on the vertical axis and time of day on the horizontal axis. Then, by shading in the matrix with colors that correspond to the number of sales at each time of day, you can identify trends in the data that allow you to determine the exact times your store experiences the most sales.

6. A Box and Whisker Plot

A box and whisker plot , or box plot, provides a visual summary of data through its quartiles. First, a box is drawn from the first quartile to the third of the data set. A line within the box represents the median. “Whiskers,” or lines, are then drawn extending from the box to the minimum (lower extreme) and maximum (upper extreme). Outliers are represented by individual points that are in-line with the whiskers.

This type of chart is helpful in quickly identifying whether or not the data is symmetrical or skewed, as well as providing a visual summary of the data set that can be easily interpreted.

7. Waterfall Chart

A waterfall chart is a visual representation that illustrates how a value changes as it’s influenced by different factors, such as time. The main goal of this chart is to show the viewer how a value has grown or declined over a defined period. For example, waterfall charts are popular for showing spending or earnings over time.

8. Area Chart

An area chart , or area graph, is a variation on a basic line graph in which the area underneath the line is shaded to represent the total value of each data point. When several data series must be compared on the same graph, stacked area charts are used.

This method of data visualization is useful for showing changes in one or more quantities over time, as well as showing how each quantity combines to make up the whole. Stacked area charts are effective in showing part-to-whole comparisons.

9. Scatter Plot

Another technique commonly used to display data is a scatter plot . A scatter plot displays data for two variables as represented by points plotted against the horizontal and vertical axis. This type of data visualization is useful in illustrating the relationships that exist between variables and can be used to identify trends or correlations in data.

Scatter plots are most effective for fairly large data sets, since it’s often easier to identify trends when there are more data points present. Additionally, the closer the data points are grouped together, the stronger the correlation or trend tends to be.

10. Pictogram Chart

Pictogram charts , or pictograph charts, are particularly useful for presenting simple data in a more visual and engaging way. These charts use icons to visualize data, with each icon representing a different value or category. For example, data about time might be represented by icons of clocks or watches. Each icon can correspond to either a single unit or a set number of units (for example, each icon represents 100 units).

In addition to making the data more engaging, pictogram charts are helpful in situations where language or cultural differences might be a barrier to the audience’s understanding of the data.

11. Timeline

Timelines are the most effective way to visualize a sequence of events in chronological order. They’re typically linear, with key events outlined along the axis. Timelines are used to communicate time-related information and display historical data.

Timelines allow you to highlight the most important events that occurred, or need to occur in the future, and make it easy for the viewer to identify any patterns appearing within the selected time period. While timelines are often relatively simple linear visualizations, they can be made more visually appealing by adding images, colors, fonts, and decorative shapes.

12. Highlight Table

A highlight table is a more engaging alternative to traditional tables. By highlighting cells in the table with color, you can make it easier for viewers to quickly spot trends and patterns in the data. These visualizations are useful for comparing categorical data.

Depending on the data visualization tool you’re using, you may be able to add conditional formatting rules to the table that automatically color cells that meet specified conditions. For instance, when using a highlight table to visualize a company’s sales data, you may color cells red if the sales data is below the goal, or green if sales were above the goal. Unlike a heat map, the colors in a highlight table are discrete and represent a single meaning or value.

13. Bullet Graph

A bullet graph is a variation of a bar graph that can act as an alternative to dashboard gauges to represent performance data. The main use for a bullet graph is to inform the viewer of how a business is performing in comparison to benchmarks that are in place for key business metrics.

In a bullet graph, the darker horizontal bar in the middle of the chart represents the actual value, while the vertical line represents a comparative value, or target. If the horizontal bar passes the vertical line, the target for that metric has been surpassed. Additionally, the segmented colored sections behind the horizontal bar represent range scores, such as “poor,” “fair,” or “good.”

14. Choropleth Maps

A choropleth map uses color, shading, and other patterns to visualize numerical values across geographic regions. These visualizations use a progression of color (or shading) on a spectrum to distinguish high values from low.

Choropleth maps allow viewers to see how a variable changes from one region to the next. A potential downside to this type of visualization is that the exact numerical values aren’t easily accessible because the colors represent a range of values. Some data visualization tools, however, allow you to add interactivity to your map so the exact values are accessible.

15. Word Cloud

A word cloud , or tag cloud, is a visual representation of text data in which the size of the word is proportional to its frequency. The more often a specific word appears in a dataset, the larger it appears in the visualization. In addition to size, words often appear bolder or follow a specific color scheme depending on their frequency.

Word clouds are often used on websites and blogs to identify significant keywords and compare differences in textual data between two sources. They are also useful when analyzing qualitative datasets, such as the specific words consumers used to describe a product.

16. Network Diagram

Network diagrams are a type of data visualization that represent relationships between qualitative data points. These visualizations are composed of nodes and links, also called edges. Nodes are singular data points that are connected to other nodes through edges, which show the relationship between multiple nodes.

There are many use cases for network diagrams, including depicting social networks, highlighting the relationships between employees at an organization, or visualizing product sales across geographic regions.

17. Correlation Matrix

A correlation matrix is a table that shows correlation coefficients between variables. Each cell represents the relationship between two variables, and a color scale is used to communicate whether the variables are correlated and to what extent.

Correlation matrices are useful to summarize and find patterns in large data sets. In business, a correlation matrix might be used to analyze how different data points about a specific product might be related, such as price, advertising spend, launch date, etc.

Other Data Visualization Options

While the examples listed above are some of the most commonly used techniques, there are many other ways you can visualize data to become a more effective communicator. Some other data visualization options include:

• Bubble clouds
• Circle views
• Dendrograms
• Dot distribution maps
• Open-high-low-close charts
• Polar areas
• Radial trees
• Ring Charts
• Sankey diagram
• Span charts
• Streamgraphs
• Wedge stack graphs
• Violin plots

Tips For Creating Effective Visualizations

Creating effective data visualizations requires more than just knowing how to choose the best technique for your needs. There are several considerations you should take into account to maximize your effectiveness when it comes to presenting data.

Related : What to Keep in Mind When Creating Data Visualizations in Excel

One of the most important steps is to evaluate your audience. For example, if you’re presenting financial data to a team that works in an unrelated department, you’ll want to choose a fairly simple illustration. On the other hand, if you’re presenting financial data to a team of finance experts, it’s likely you can safely include more complex information.

Another helpful tip is to avoid unnecessary distractions. Although visual elements like animation can be a great way to add interest, they can also distract from the key points the illustration is trying to convey and hinder the viewer’s ability to quickly understand the information.

Finally, be mindful of the colors you utilize, as well as your overall design. While it’s important that your graphs or charts are visually appealing, there are more practical reasons you might choose one color palette over another. For instance, using low contrast colors can make it difficult for your audience to discern differences between data points. Using colors that are too bold, however, can make the illustration overwhelming or distracting for the viewer.

Related : Bad Data Visualization: 5 Examples of Misleading Data

Visuals to Interpret and Share Information

No matter your role or title within an organization, data visualization is a skill that’s important for all professionals. Being able to effectively present complex data through easy-to-understand visual representations is invaluable when it comes to communicating information with members both inside and outside your business.

There’s no shortage in how data visualization can be applied in the real world. Data is playing an increasingly important role in the marketplace today, and data literacy is the first step in understanding how analytics can be used in business.

Are you interested in improving your analytical skills? Learn more about Business Analytics , our eight-week online course that can help you use data to generate insights and tackle business decisions.

This post was updated on January 20, 2022. It was originally published on September 17, 2019.

About the Author

Data Visualization: How Can It Improve Data Analysis?

Data visualization has become an essential tool in my work, transforming raw data into visual formats like charts, graphs, and maps. This approach makes it much easier for me to interpret complex information. By presenting data visually, I can quickly identify trends, patterns, and outliers that might be missed in text-based data. This not only enhances my data analysis but also supports better decision-making. In this comprehensive guide, I’ll delve into the key benefits of adopting data visualization, discuss how I handle specific file formats like PDFs and explore best practices for designing effective data visualization web interfaces.

Top 4 Benefits of Adopting Data Visualization

1. optimal visualization accelerates data understanding.

• Simplifies Complex Data: I’ve found that visualization condenses large, intricate datasets into digestible visual formats, making it easier for me to quickly grasp and interpret the information, which leads to more effective analysis and understanding.
• Speeds Up Decision-Making: Visual data presentations enable me to identify key insights more quickly, allowing me to act promptly and make informed choices, thus improving overall efficiency and responsiveness in critical situations.
• Reduces Cognitive Load: By representing data visually, I minimize cognitive effort, enabling myself to process information at a glance, reducing the likelihood of errors and increasing the speed of comprehension and analysis.

2. Allows Me to Process Large Amounts of Information

• Consolidates Data: Visualization tools allow me to aggregate vast amounts of data into a single, cohesive view, enabling me to analyze information from various sources simultaneously and leading to more comprehensive and informed insights.
• Facilitates Comparative Analysis: I can easily compare multiple datasets side by side, making it easier to spot differences, trends, or correlations across time periods, categories, or other dimensions, which enhances my overall analytical accuracy.
• Improves Efficiency: Presenting large datasets visually allows me to process and analyze information far more efficiently than traditional text-based methods, significantly reducing the time required to draw meaningful conclusions. For example, when I work with password-protected PDFs, I often use unlock PDF tools to streamline the data visualization process, allowing me to modify and enhance the content as needed.

3. Enhanced Data Storytelling

• Creates Engaging Narratives: I use visualization to transform raw data into compelling stories that resonate with audiences, making complex data more relatable and easier to communicate, fostering deeper understanding and engagement.
• Improves Audience Retention: Visual stories are processed more effectively by the brain, increasing the likelihood that the information will be remembered and understood, which is crucial for long-term knowledge retention.
• Supports Persuasive Communication: Effective data visualization helps me persuade stakeholders by clearly illustrating the impact of data-driven decisions, making it easier to gain buy-in and support for proposed actions.

4. Quickly Identify Trends and Patterns

• Highlights Key Insights: Visualization tools automatically spotlight significant trends, patterns, and anomalies within the data, directing my attention to critical areas that require further exploration or immediate action.
• Facilitates Predictive Analysis: By visualizing trends over time, I can more accurately predict future outcomes, enabling proactive decision-making and strategic planning based on anticipated trends and developments.
• Supports Real-Time Monitoring: Data visualization allows me to track trends in real-time, enabling quick responses to emerging issues or opportunities, ensuring I stay agile and competitive in dynamic environments.

Best Practices for Data Visualization Web Design

1. keep the design clean and simple.

• Avoid Clutter: I maintain a clean design by using white space effectively to prevent clutter, ensuring that key data points are the primary focus and easily distinguishable for all users, enhancing overall readability.
• Limit Color Use: I stick to a limited color palette to prevent overwhelming users, using color strategically to emphasize important data points or distinctions, which can significantly improve the clarity and impact of the visualization.
• Use Readable Fonts: I choose simple, legible fonts that maintain clarity, especially when dealing with large datasets or detailed graphs. Consistent typography across the visualization ensures that users can easily interpret the data.

2. Prioritize Interactivity to Boost Engagement

• Incorporate Interactive Elements: I allow users to interact with the visualization by hovering, clicking, or zooming, enabling them to explore data in greater depth and uncover insights that might not be immediately apparent.
• Enable Filtering Options: I provide filtering tools that let users narrow down the data they view, helping them focus on specific areas of interest and personalize their experience to derive the most relevant insights.
• Include Drill-Down Capabilities: I offer drill-down features that allow users to explore more detailed views of the data, enabling a deeper understanding of the underlying information and facilitating more thorough analysis.

3. Take Advantage of Colors to Differentiate Data

• Use Color Consistently: I apply a consistent color scheme throughout the visualization to maintain clarity and prevent confusion, helping users easily associate colors with specific data points or categories across the visualization.
• Leverage Color Contrast: I utilize contrasting colors to differentiate between datasets or highlight important trends, making the visualization more intuitive and ensuring that critical insights stand out and are easily recognized.
• Be Mindful of Color Blindness: I choose color palettes that are accessible to all users, including those with color vision deficiencies, ensuring that the visualization remains effective and inclusive for a diverse audience.

4. Adopt the Right Data Visualization Technique

• Choose the Appropriate Chart Type: I select the chart or graph type that best represents the data, such as bar charts for comparisons, line charts for trends, or pie charts for proportions, to effectively convey the intended message.
• Consider the Audience: I tailor the visualization technique to the audience’s level of data literacy, ensuring that the information is accessible and understandable, which can lead to better engagement and decision-making.
• Test Different Formats: I experiment with various visualization formats to find the one that best conveys the message clearly and effectively, ensuring that the final presentation is both informative and visually appealing.

5. Make Content Accessible for All Users

• Provide Text Alternatives: I offer text descriptions or transcripts for visual content to ensure that all users, including those with disabilities, can access the information, making the visualization inclusive and compliant with accessibility standards.
• Ensure Keyboard Navigation: I design the visualization to be fully navigable via keyboard controls, ensuring accessibility for users who cannot use a mouse, thus broadening the reach and usability of the visualization.
• Use Accessible Web Standards: I follow web accessibility standards (such as WCAG) to ensure my visualization is usable by people with various disabilities, including those with visual, auditory, or motor impairments.

6. Use PDF for Data Visualization

• Add PDF as a Visualization Tool: I find that PDFs can be a practical format for sharing data visualizations, especially when dealing with comprehensive reports that need to be easily distributed and printed for offline use.
• Unlock PDF Files for Editing: When I work with password-protected PDFs, I often use unlock PDF tools to streamline the data visualization process, allowing me to modify and enhance the content as needed for better presentation.
• Ensure PDF Accessibility: I ensure that PDFs are accessible by using tags and other features that make the content readable by screen readers, catering to a wider audience.

Final Thoughts

Data visualization has proven to be a powerful tool in my work, enhancing data analysis by enabling me to quickly process large amounts of information, identify trends, and tell compelling data-driven stories. By adhering to best practices in web design, such as keeping the design clean, prioritizing interactivity, adopting the right visualization techniques, and effectively using PDFs, I can create visualizations that are both effective and engaging. Ultimately, successful data visualization balances clarity, usability, and accessibility, ensuring that insights are easily understood and actionable for all users.

• Project management

How to use data visualization in project management (with examples)

September 04, 2024

Having access to effective data visualization tools is crucial. It will help understand and communicate complex project management information. 

Transforming raw data into clear, compelling visuals that tell a story is a must. Why? Because your team will stay proactive, and it will mitigate risk. Yet, it can also ensure that project deliverables get submitted on time, every time!

Let’s review some diverse data visualization options offered by project management tools. Also, we’ll cover how project teams can bring data to life in creative and insightful ways. Later, we’ll discuss some practical examples in different industries. This will showcase the full range of data visualization tools.

Why data visualization matters in project management 

Do you know why marketing teams use heat maps? They use them to track rage-clicking and lead-generation campaigns. On that note, project teams use various data visualizations to track their metrics. These metrics include project performance, sustainability, and health.

What’s one of the top benefits of data visualization in project management? It’s the ability to communicate complex data in a clear and engaging way. The process is seamless and accessible to all teams involved.

Data visualization can also enhance data storytelling. The art of using data to tell a compelling story inspires action. Data storytelling can help PMs convey the value and impact of their projects and persuade stakeholders to support their decisions. 

For example, a project manager can use data storytelling to present relevant data. This data includes improved customer satisfaction, increased revenue, or reduced costs. An effective data storytelling tool allows PMs to create interactive and customizable dashboards. Later, they can share these dashboards with others.

( Image Source )

You should filter through numerical values, project names, and other categorical variables. This will help you create custom charts and graphs . 

Finally, your marketing team can leverage data visualization in another way. It can bring your product or service closer to your ideal buyer persona via social media posts . 

Common types of data visualizations in project management 

Some of the most common types of visuals used in project management include:

• Gantt charts
• Kanban boards
• timeline views

Yet project scopes can become more dense and complex. When this happens, teams use a variety of visual tools to help tell stories, plan deliverables, and track timeline progress. 

These include:

• Complex charts
• Workload views
• Calendar views
• Simple graphs
• Cards views
• Table views 
• Files views

Depending on your data visualization tool, you can choose or add your view style. Then, the software will generate a custom data representation for you:

How data visualization improves project management performance

There are many ways data visualization improves project management. Here are three common examples.

1. Gain project clarity

In project management, data visualization has emerged as a game-changer. It influences project performance in a big way. The human brain processes visual information more effectively than it does with raw data, making data visualization a powerful tool for better understanding and decision-making. 

Clarity is paramount in project management. That’s where tools like SAP Analytics Cloud come into play. They enable companies to transform complex datasets into interactive visual stories with ease.

( Image Source ) 

These tools help track project milestones , resource allocation , and budgetary trends in real-time. Moreover, they’re fostering transparency and informed choices.

The true potential of data visualization can only be visible when accuracy is upheld. 

Inaccurate or misleading data can lead to misguided decisions and compromised project outcomes. Properly configuring the SAP Analytics Cloud will reflect precise information.

Enter expert SAP consulting solutions. These consultants ensure proper data source integration with accurate design visualization models. Also, the insights drawn are meaningful and reliable.

2. Time tracking

Modern-day project management teams are using employee apps for internal communication. This helps them to ensure projects stay on track. Moreover, they use time trackers to measure resource capacity levels. Additionally, they can log time spent on individual project tasks. 

Some of these apps also come with enhanced data visuals. This helps Project Management System (PMS) users streamline time-tracking management. They can also see an overview of lunch hours and shift changes. Delegating resources is yet another benefit.

TL;DR: Various view styles offer various perks. Calendar views and card views allow project managers to track resource availability. They can also measure the entire project team’s bandwidth. Which further allows them to ensure equal shift and task distribution.

3. A holistic view of stakeholders 

What’s the purpose of data visualization? It makes information understandable and easy to read but also improves stakeholder management . 

Project management teams use data visualization to identify new opportunities and insights. These might not be visible when examining the data from a single source. Yet, with the right tools, it’s possible to do so.

Have you ever thought of what you can get when integrating data from many sources through a CDP ? What if you visualize it on a single platform? Project management teams can get comprehensive and holistic views of customers and stakeholders. This task would be impossible with standard dashboards and reports.

CDPs can boost clarity and help teams manage responsibilities across stakeholders. They can also help mitigate risks like scope creep and project cost overruns. 

3 data visualization examples in project management

Data visualization applies to all project management-based industries. Here are three concrete examples:

1. Managing fleet delivery

In the realm of logistics, seamless resource coordination is paramount. Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs) have emerged as invaluable tools. These devices ensure compliance with regulations by automating hours-of-service tracking. Also, they contribute to the broader field of project management through data visualization.

( Image Source ) ELDs capture real-time data on vehicle locations, routes taken, and fuel consumption. When integrated into a comprehensive data visualization system, this information transforms into:

• dynamic maps,
• interactive dashboards,
• and insightful charts.

Project managers can visualize vehicle progress, identify bottlenecks , and optimize routes. This leads to efficient resource allocation and timely deliveries. Because of that, ELDs play a dual role:

• They simplify regulatory adherence
• and enrich project management strategies with meaningful visual insights.

2. Healthcare industry

In the healthcare industry, visualization has a significant impact on project management. It plays a huge role in efficient patient flow. Patient flow effectiveness is critical for providing timely care and improving patient outcomes.

Patient flow systems help optimize and visualize patients’ movements through different hospital departments. The data visualization system can present parameters like:

• admission and readmission rates,
• average treatment costs,
• and many other valuable data.

It’s particularly useful in emergency departments. These departments need fast and efficient patient flow. This will ensure that the patients get the best and most timely care possible.

This flow diagram showcases all interactions with each healthcare provider. It also shows waiting times, average costs, and other useful details.

When a patient arrives at the ER, the data flow will visualize their movements through:

• diagnostic testing,
• eventual discharge,
• or admission to the hospital.

This visual data flow system usually includes data such as:

• decision points,
• roles of different healthcare professionals,
• any others.

All this affects the patient’s journey. Yet, it’s helpful to visualize the entire patient data flow each step of the way.

Data visualization in healthcare is beneficial. It helps improve the project management performance with:

• Visualization: Visual map plays a huge part. It allows hospital administrators and staff to see each patient’s journey. The information will help them streamline it. This will make the process easier, faster, and more convenient for both parties.
• Optimization: Helps streamline processes, reducing wait times and improving patient care. If the diagram shows that diagnostic testing is a bottleneck, no worries. The hospital can divide more resources into that area. This would help speed up the whole process.
• Data-Driven Decisions: Supports data-driven decisions to enhance operational efficiency. By analyzing the data, hospitals can identify trends and make informed decisions. These decisions include process improvements, deciding on resource allocation, and staffing.

Electronic Health Records (EHRs) and Length of Stay (LOS) are pretty helpful. They can help hospitals get valuable information on administrative and financial activities.

Patient data flow can enhance the patient’s experience. Yet, it allows hospitals to be more effective in treating more patients. Thus increasing their capacity and revenue.

3. Creating a construction risk management plan

Data visualization also plays a crucial role in construction risk management plans. 

Always leverage the power of visual representation. By doing so, construction project management teams can identify potential scope creep. Besides, they’ll learn from past construction project data. 

Visualizing data allows construction teams several advantages. They can spot patterns, trends, and anomalies indicating risks and potential issues. With this valuable insight, teams can address and mitigate risks. This will help construction projects stay on track and within budget. 

One more thing. Data visualization can help with presenting learning opportunities. You’ll understand better from successes, failures, and lessons learned from previous projects. Data visualization is crucial. It allows teams to communicate critical takeaways and best practices. This will help improve future project outcomes.

How to keep data visualizations safe

Having access to data tools comes with an entire host of benefits. Working with project data can create cybersecurity risks and contribute to information silos. 

Information silos refer to isolated pockets of data or information. These pockets are locked to specific departments, teams, or individuals within an organization. When information isn’t shared across different parts of the organization, it will lead to:

• potential duplication of efforts,
• a lack of collaboration,
• and inefficiency.

Information silos can hinder the flow of information and impede decision-making processes. That’s why limiting important insights to a few might be a better solution. Allowing the entire organization to use them can cause safety or accessibility issues.

Breaking down information silos is crucial. It will assist in promoting communication, collaboration, and knowledge sharing within an organization. This will lead to improved efficiency and better decision-making.

Ensuring the teams have access to robust data means the potential for more data leaks. 

That’s why it’s essential to secure your data visualizations and user access. 

Here are two ways to work with data in a safe manner and prevent project information silos:

Secure data visualizations with cloud backup

Companies seek more advanced tools to improve their ability to visualize data. Yet, many have turned to services like AWS or Amazon Quicksight. These services are very popular for interactive visualizations. This tool has revolutionized the way many companies approach project management. It offers unprecedented clarity on critical metrics. 

Data dependence is on the rise, so it’s essential to ensure its protection and security. Data backup and recovery solutions are critical for this.

A backup option like AWS is an excellent choice. It guarantees that project data will remain safe and accessible. This is true even if various challenges or unforeseen events arise.

Use authentication protocols

Nowadays, project teams are turning to authentication protocols. These help team members access important platforms and apps safely and securely.

Some project teams may need to use different authentication protocols. By doing so, they can access data from different sources, such as OIDC . These protocols have different advantages and disadvantages depending on the use case. Project managers must know of them when determining who needs access to project data.

With the right authorization protocols set, team members can do a lot. One thing they can do is log in to cloud-based project planning tools. Yet, they won’t have to sacrifice company data or personal data.

Final thoughts

Data visualization plays a pivotal role in enhancing project management. Leveraging the power of visual representation has its perks. It allows project managers to gain valuable insights, identify trends, and track progress. 

Data visualizations support clear communication and understanding of project metrics, timelines, and goals while fostering collaboration and alignment among team members. From dynamic charts and graphs to interactive dashboards and Gantt charts—you name it—data visualization transforms complex data into digestible and actionable information. 

Project managers can make informed decisions, mitigate risks, and drive successful project outcomes. All they need is comprehension and improved visibility.

TL;DR: Embrace the power of data visualization in your project management strategies. It will unlock new levels of efficiency and success.

Are you ready to witness the power of data visualization? 

PS: Need to create stunning visualizations to help your project team thrive? Explore our data visualization features today.

Ryan Robinson. I’m a blogger, podcaster, and (recovering) side project addict who teaches 500,000 monthly readers how to start a blog and grow a profitable side business at ryrob.com .

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Mastering the art of storytelling style presentations

Get your team on prezi – watch this on demand video.

Anete Ezera August 30, 2024

Presentations offer an opportunity to share your ideas and inspire others. However, it can be challenging to catch your audience’s attention and keep it. While there are many different presentation styles , the storytelling style offers specific benefits when it comes to sharing your ideas while engaging your audience. By embracing the power of storytelling, you can transform your delivery into a captivating and engaging experience that leaves your audience wanting more. What really is a storytelling style presentation and what makes it so different from other presentation styles , you ask? In this article, we’ll explain everything you need to know about storytelling style presentations and show you how Prezi, a groundbreaking presentation tool, can assist you in engaging your audience. 

What is a storytelling style presentation?

The storytelling style presentation is the merger of the principles of storytelling with the structure of a presentation. Information isn’t just passed on in a narrative or bullet points but woven into a story. It may be a formal story that’s either the traditional arc (beginning, middle, and end) or another structure that continuously involves the audience through a series of minor stories or anecdotes leading to key points.

The core of storytelling style presentations is the ability to deliver content in a way that can be related to and remembered. There’s no doubt that by casting information into a story, presenters can evoke emotions, paint mental pictures vigorously, and strike a chord with their audience in ways that more formal styles of presentation often fail to.

Why is storytelling style presentation unique?

The reason why storytelling style presentations stand out from other formats is how well they can humanize content. It doesn’t force the audience to gulp down loads of information, facts, figures, and data points. Instead, it enables the presenters to infuse life into the content. It transforms dry data into a story wherein the audience can visualize themselves. This makes the content not only more consumable but also more impactful.

A key element that makes this style unique is its flexibility . Traditional presentations are bound to follow a strictly linear path; on the other hand, storytelling style presentations can be nonlinear . You have the ability to jump between different points in your narrative, allowing the story to be revealed in a way that best serves the message. This is very effective when using tools like Prezi since they allow nonlinear presentations by use of a zoomable canvas, where the presenter can glide thematically through different parts of the story visually.

When is a storytelling style presentation useful?

The storytelling style presentation can be used in a wide range of scenarios. Here are some specific instances where such a style is particularly effective:

• Persuasive presentations : Whether making a new idea known, seeking investment, or standing up for something, telling a story can make your case more convincing. Weave what you have to say into a story and you’ll more fully convince those listening.
• Educational settings : It’s possible for teachers and educators to apply storytelling when explaining intricate topics so that these topics become more familiar to the learners. In addition, this approach is likely to enable students to preserve information by tying new ideas back to stories they can recall.
• Corporate communications : In the case of internal communications like sharing company visions or updates, the use of storytelling can be quite effective in aligning the team with a given message by making it more engaging and emotionally resonant.
• Marketing and sales : Storytelling is a powerful tool in marketing and sales presentations. This is because establishing an emotional connection with the audience has the potential to create a monumental effect on decision-making.

Techniques for effective storytelling in presentations

Developing a storytelling style presentation that’ll inspire your audience involves the use of specific techniques. Let’s explore some techniques that can make your storytelling pop!

The hero’s journey

The hero’s journey is a classic storytelling presentation style where the protagonist (your product, idea or audience) is challenged, shown obstacles, and then attains some goal. This structure is known to all and gets the audience emotionally involved, hence ideal for leading your audience through a story that has a clear path.

Three-act structure

This method breaks your story into three parts: the establishment, the confrontation, and the resolution. It’s how a simple presentation should be structured so that as the story is revealed, it remains interesting for the audience right up until its satisfying ending.

Conflict and resolution

Inject a problem or conflict at the beginning of your presentation and then gradually lead your audience to where the solution lies. By building tension throughout, you’ll hold the listeners’ attention as they become more invested in how it all pans out, rendering your presentation more dynamic and memorable.

Analogies and metaphors

The use of analogies and metaphors enables complex ideas to be broken down and delivered in a way that’s easily recognizable. This technique not only makes the content more engaging but also allows the audience to understand difficult ideas more easily.

The Story Spine

The Story Spine is a straightforward storytelling framework that helps structure your narrative clearly. It typically follows this sequence: “Once upon a time… Every day… But one day… Because of that… Until finally… And ever since that day….” This technique creates a cohesive story that flows logically and resonates emotionally with the audience.

Nested Loops

Nested Loops is a technique where you introduce multiple narratives within one another, like stories within a story. You start with a central narrative, then introduce another related story, before eventually circling back to conclude each one. This method keeps the audience intrigued and engaged as each loop is closed, leading back to the main point.

Tips for creating a storytelling style presentation

Know your audience.

Shape your story to reflect the experiences and emotions of your listeners. Knowing who they are and what they value most will enable you to weave a tale that resonates with them in a more profound way.

Start off strong

As with any good story, your presentation will have to begin with a hook. Something that immediately captures the audience. It could be a surprising fact or a thought-provoking question. Maybe even a personal anecdote. All designed to set the tone for the rest of your presentation.

Use visuals strategically

Your visuals should complement the story , not take it over. Tools such as Prezi foster dynamic visualization that not only improves the storytelling experience by adding layers of meaning but also keeps the audience engaged throughout the presentation.

Keep It simple

While it might be tempting to include every little detail in your story, simplicity is key. Zero in on the core message and build a narrative around it. An excess of information dilutes the impact of your story; therefore, trim your content down while keeping it clear and focused.

Practice delivery

How you tell your story is as important as the story itself. Practice delivering it several times to get your pacing, tone and gestures right so that they blend well with the narrative. This enables you to connect with the audience and pass your message on effectively.

Engage the senses

In your storytelling, try to include sensory details—sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and textures. This’ll paint a more vivid picture and pull your readers in more intensely. When people can visualize and experience what they’re being told, the message is much more likely to hit home. 

Leveraging Prezi for storytelling presentations

Prezi is most known for creating storytelling style presentations. The nonlinear format of Prezi enables the presenter to drift along their story freely, zooming at specific points or pulling back for a broader view when needed during the narration. This freedom mimics how stories flow naturally .

Plus, Prezi has features that make storytelling more effective through visual immersion. Users can insert videos, pictures, and animations into their stories to drive home and reiterate the main points, enabling the audience to easily follow and remain engaged.

A closer look: 6 ways Prezi scores in storytelling style presentations

Prezi stands out as a powerful tool for creating storytelling style presentations, offering unique features that enhance the narrative experience. Here are six ways Prezi is particularly useful for storytelling:

1. Nonlinear navigation

The nonlinear structure of Prezi enables you to present your story in any way you desire, transitioning freely between various parts of the narrative. It helps your story to flow naturally, and you can even go back and forth between important points, themes, or events, knowing your audience is following along with you. 

2. Zoomable canvas

The zoomable canvas in Prezi lets you focus on specific details or zoom out for a broader overview. Allowing you to control the pacing and emphasis of your story. This means you can bring out important points in your narrative, drawing the attention of your audience to exactly where you want it and then making a smooth transition to the next part of the story.

3. Dynamic visuals

What makes Prezi particularly good at storytelling is its capacity to work with dynamic visuals like images, videos, and animations. You can strategically place these multimedia elements in your presentation to support your story. This helps bring your story to life and allows your audience to visualize the message you’re delivering. 

4. Pathway customization

Using Prezi, you can fine-tune the route of your presentation so that you’re able to craft a special journey for your audience. You have the ability to adjust how information flows to fit your narrative, be it by going in a straight line or hopping around different points of the story as and when necessary.

5. Collaborative features

The Prezi collaborative tools let you work with a team in developing your storytelling style presentation. More than one contributor is able to go over and perfect the narrative so that varying views and ideas can be tied into one story. It’s especially helpful in building intricate presentations that draw on the input of different stakeholders.

6. Engaging transitions

Prezi has many interesting transitions that make your story flow better. Instead of going from one slide to another like the standard progression, Prezi allows for transitions between slides that are visually appealing. With these transitions, moving from one part of your story to another feels very natural and continuous. It’s a great way to keep your audience’s attention without disruptions, such as those created by a conventional change of slides. Here’s an example of a Prezi presentation that scores in storytelling and transitions:

By using these features, Prezi doesn’t just uphold a storytelling style presentation but enriches it for a better-informed, more memorable, and effective narrative. Be it a corporate, educational, or creative situation, the tools of Prezi can really enhance your storytelling to make it more effective.

Answering common questions about storytelling in presentations

What are the four types of storytelling.

The four types of storytelling often referred to in the context of presentations are:

• Personal stories : Sharing a personal experience to connect with the audience on a human level.
• Anecdotes : Brief stories that illustrate a point or concept.
• Case studies : Real-world examples that demonstrate how something works in practice.
• Metaphorical stories : Using analogies or metaphors to explain complex ideas in a relatable way.

How to start a storytelling presentation?

To start your storytelling presentation, initiate it with a hook that captures the focus of your audience. This may be by asking an interesting question, stating a surprising statistic, or sharing a personal anecdote. The aim is to draw the audience into the story. For more ideas on how to start a presentation, read this article .

How do you write a storytelling style?

In presentation storytelling, you need to structure the content like a story. First, work on an outline of the key points to be made and fit them into some kind of arc. Use the hero’s journey or three-act structure to help guide your story flow toward its conclusion, and include elements that would resonate with your audience.

Bring your next storytelling style presentation to life with Prezi

Storytelling style presentations provide an exciting way of engaging, informing, and convincing your audience. The conversion of your content into a story can render your message more memorable and powerful. Nonlinear storytelling is supported by tools like Prezi, where you’re allowed the freedom to shape a presentation that really inspires. No matter whether your goal is to educate, persuade or inspire, storytelling can take your presentation one step higher.

By mastering storytelling techniques and applying them to your presentations, you’ll be better equipped to connect with your audience, convey your message effectively, and leave a lasting impression.

Did you know that there are 5 more presentation styles to discover? To learn about other styles and their use cases, go to our must-read article on presentation styles .

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