The Best Highcharts Alternative Charting Libraries for Your Projects
Highcharts is a widely recognized charting library, written in pure JavaScript, offering an easy way to add interactive charts to your website or web application. It supports a variety of chart types like line, column, pie, and scatter, and boasts broad browser compatibility, including older versions of Internet Explorer. However, for various reasons, including licensing costs for commercial use or the desire for more specialized features, many developers seek a robust Highcharts alternative. This article explores some of the top charting libraries that can serve as excellent substitutes for Highcharts, catering to different needs and preferences.
Top Highcharts Alternatives
Whether you're looking for open-source flexibility, advanced data visualization capabilities, or a simpler integration, there's a Highcharts alternative out there for you. Dive into our curated list to find the perfect fit for your next project.
D3.js
D3.js is a powerful JavaScript library for manipulating documents based on data, excelling at bringing data to life using HTML, SVG, and CSS. As a free and open-source Highcharts alternative, D3.js offers unparalleled flexibility for creating custom and highly interactive charts and graphs. It runs on Web and Self-Hosted platforms, making it a versatile choice for complex visualizations.
RAWGraphs
RAWGraphs is an open-source web application designed to simplify the visualization of complex data, particularly for designers and data enthusiasts. It's a free, open-source Highcharts alternative that runs on Web and Self-Hosted platforms. Its key features include charts, drag-and-drop functionality, Gantt charts, graphs, and the ability to work offline, even supporting SVG Editors, making it highly accessible for quick visualizations.
Plotly
Plotly offers an easy way to graph and share data online, with open-source libraries available for JavaScript, Python, and other languages. This Freemium and Open Source Highcharts alternative is available across multiple platforms including Mac, Windows, Linux, Web, iPhone, and Chrome OS. It provides robust features for creating charts and graphs, with specific Python integration for data scientists.
Google Charts
Google Charts is an exceptionally simple, free, and web-based tool that allows users to easily create and embed charts from their data into a webpage. As a straightforward Highcharts alternative, it focuses on charts and data analytics, making it ideal for quick and easy visualizations without complex setup or extensive coding.
Bokeh
Bokeh is a Python interactive visualization library designed to target modern web browsers for presentation. This free and open-source Highcharts alternative runs on Mac, Windows, Linux, and Web platforms. Its key features include strong Python integration and capabilities for qualitative data analysis, making it a preferred choice for data scientists and developers working primarily with Python.
NVD3
NVD3 is an attempt to build re-usable charts and chart components for D3.js, aiming to simplify chart creation while retaining D3.js's power. As a free and open-source Highcharts alternative available on Mac, Windows, Linux, and Web, it focuses purely on creating various types of charts, offering a more structured approach to D3.js visualizations.
Vis.js
Vis.js is a dynamic, browser-based visualization library designed to be easy to use, handle large amounts of dynamic data, and enable manipulation. This free and open-source Highcharts alternative is available for Self-Hosted environments, specializing in features like network graphs, making it an excellent choice for visualizing complex relationships and data flows.
Vizzlo
Vizzlo allows users to create professionally designed charts and business graphics for presentations in seconds, directly from their browser. As a Freemium and web-based Highcharts alternative, it offers features such as charts, Gantt charts, graphs, group collaboration, and teamwork functionalities, making it ideal for business users and teams needing quick and polished visualizations.
AnyChart
AnyChart is a flexible, cross-platform, and cross-browser JavaScript (HTML5) charting library that enables the creation of interactive bar, pie, line, spline, area, Gantt, stock, and other chart types. This commercial Highcharts alternative is available across Mac, Windows, Linux, Web, Android, iPhone, and Self-Hosted platforms. It provides an extensive range of features, including box charts, bubble maps, charts, dot maps, and Gantt charts, making it a comprehensive solution for various charting needs.
Each of these Highcharts alternative charting libraries brings its unique strengths to the table, from open-source flexibility to powerful data manipulation and ease of use. Evaluating your project's specific requirements for licensing, features, platform compatibility, and desired level of customization will guide you in choosing the best fit. We encourage you to explore these options further to find the perfect visualization solution for your web application or project.