Data visualization can be an effective way to inform, engage and persuade your audience. It has become so popular that many companies even use it in their marketing campaigns. Now, there are plenty of tools out there, but it can be challenging to find the right one. To help you get started, we put together a list of 10 free data visualization tools.
1. Datawrapper
Datawrapper is a product by a German company that specializes in data visualization. Landscape, bar and scatter charts can be created using this tool. Charts can also include trend lines, percentages, and comparisons to other datasets from the past. Users can embed their chart on their websites or share it directly as an image file.
Features
- It has up to 19 charts types.
- Has 3 map types
- Allows you to style your tables.
- You can copy and paste data from the Excel, web, or Google Sheets
- You can also upload data as CSV/XLS files
- For live-updating charts, you can connect to a URL or Google Sheet
- You can embed or download your visualizations
2. RAWGraphs
RAWGraphs is an open-source data visualization tool created in 2013 as a collaborative effort between DensityDesign, Calibro, and Inmagik. It allows users to input their data and choose what type of chart they want to create, and then it automatically generates the code for that chart. It provides links to spreadsheet applications and vector graphics softwares.
Features
- You can load your data in several ways- pasting your data, uploading data in the form of (TSV, CSV, DSV) or JSON data, loading data from URL and SPARQL.
- It has a lot of chart options to choose from, including Alluvial diagrams, bubble charts, Sankey Diagram, likert scale, Pareto Analysis Chart, etc.
- It offers several mapping options for your data
- It is customizable
3. Chart Studio Cloud by Plotly
Chart Studio provides tools for creating publication-quality plots, graphs, and charts online. The graphs can be embedded on the web or accessed from a URL and shared with anyone you choose. Chart Studio also provides a slew of other data visualization tools for their clients, which they use to produce unique, informative infographics.
Features
- You can create your charts online through the cloud tool by uploading data as Excel & CSV files.
- Export and Sharing options: You can export your graphs as images (PNG and JPEG only) or share them through a link. They also provide hosting and collaboration tools with Plotly Enterprise.
- It allows up to 1000 views a day for Public Publishing.
4. Tableau Public
Tableau Public is a free data visualization tool provided by Tableau. Users can use this tool to create interactive dashboards with multiple types of charts and maps, and geographical data. The charts can be embedded on the web or shared through URL links for viewing by anyone you choose (up to 10,000 views per month). The alternative would be to use a WordPress tables plugin and it will be easier to embed on websites.
Features
- It is available im several languages
- It has a range of data visualization tools
- You can upload your data in CSV, Google Sheets, OData, Excel, and many other formats.
- You can also use the online editor to create your charts without coding experience.
- Export options: You can export the information you've downloaded into different formats.
5. Chartbuilder
Chartbuilder is a visualization tool created by Quartz, a financial news website. It allows users to create a chart online. Quartz built the tool to enable its journalists to quickly and easily build charts and graphics for their articles.
Features
- You can create graphs by uploading your Excel & CSV data or copy and pasting it into the tool.
- It provides easy access to only 2 types of graphs- XY chart and Chart grid
- Export options: You can download your charts as images, SVG and JSON.
6. Google Data Studio
Google Data Studio is a free data visualization tool by Google. It allows users to build reports with multiple charts, maps, and pivot tables. These reports are easy to create using pre-made templates or your custom query to pull data from various sources like AdWords, YouTube Analytics, and even other Google products like Gmail and Google Drive. These reports can then be embedded into your website or blog.
Features
- It has built-in sharing, just as Google Drive allows you to share and collaborate with different people.
- It is easy to use and has a lot of pre-made templates.
- It is excellent for real-time collaboration.
- It can be integrated with several data connectors such as Googles sheets, Google Ads, Google Cloud, MySQL, and many other data sources.
7. Microsoft Power BI
Microsoft Power BI is a free business analytics tool. With this tool, users can create reports with multiple charts to analyze data, share insights and discover trends across your company in real-time. To master these features, consider enrolling in a Power BI course, which provides in-depth training on how to utilize the platform effectively.
Features
- It has built-in sharing tools and an inbuilt dashboard to give you a central overview of your company data.
- It allows users to build a wide range of visualizations from over 20 visualization options.
- The tool has a free Power BI desktop version that can be downloaded on Windows
- It is also can be cloud-deployed and has a mobile app for Android and iPhone
8. Visualize Free
Visualize Free is a free and open-source cloud-hosted data visualization tool. It allows users to create graphs and dashboards by uploading their data, building visualization, and privately or publicly sharing their visualizations.
Features
- Users can create their dashboards by uploading their data or using the simple drag and drop interface.
- It has 3 simple steps to visualize data.
- It accepts datasets in Excel, CSV, and TXT formats.
9. Piktochart
Piktochart is an infographic design tool that allows users to create infographics. It gives users access to thousands of templates, graphics, and images that they can choose from to build their designs. It also has built-in sharing tools for easy collaboration across different teams.
Features
- You have access to several templates and assets
- Easy customization.
- It has unlimited charts and maps
10. Infogram
Infogram is a visualization and infographic tool that allows users to create infographics charts.
Features
- You have access to 10 creations, custom image uploads, 30 free templates, and 10 custom image uploads.
Conclusion:
If you need to share your data with the world, these tools can help you show your data's story with ease and convenience. It would be best to create a mix of charts based on the type of information available in your dataset. You can then use different chart types to visualize what is happening over time and compare other information. This way, you can draw quick conclusions and insights to help your business navigate crucial decisions!
Author Bio:
Lori Gillen is a Blogger/Content Creator who is specialized in the field of Digital Marketing & Data Analysis with 5 years of experience. Currently working as a Senior Content Creator.