Software Alternatives & Startups

Google Charts VS Plotly

Compare Google Charts VS Plotly and see what are their differences

Google Charts

Interactive charts for browsers and mobile devices.

Google Charts Landing page
Rating
0 reviews
Plotly

Low-Code Data Apps

Plotly Landing page
Rating
0 reviews

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, Plotly should be more popular than Google Charts. It has been mentioned 34 times since March 2021.

social mentions
10 vs 34
Data Dashboard popularity
60% vs 40%

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

Google Charts
Plotly
Website developers.google.com plotly.com
Pricing
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

Google Charts 7 features
Plotly 6 features
  • Easy Integration
    Google Charts can be easily integrated with web applications by adding a simple script tag and using JavaScript for customization.
  • Wide Variety of Chart Types
    Google Charts supports a wide range of chart types including line charts, bar charts, pie charts, and more, allowing for comprehensive data visualization.
  • Dynamic Data Handling
    The library allows for dynamic data handling and real-time updates, enabling interactive and responsive charts.
  • Cross-Browser Compatibility
    Google Charts is compatible with most modern browsers, ensuring a consistent experience across different platforms.
  • Customizable
    Offers extensive customization options such as modifying colors, labels, and tooltips, which allows developers to tailor visualizations to their specific needs.
  • Free to Use
    Google Charts is free to use, making it an appealing choice for developers looking for cost-effective data visualization solutions.
  • Comprehensive Documentation
    Provides extensive documentation and tutorials, which helps developers to quickly get started and resolve issues efficiently.

Possible disadvantages

  • Dependency on Google
    Requires an internet connection to fetch the Google Charts library, and performance can be affected if there are connectivity issues.
  • Limited Customization Compared to Alternatives
    Though customizable, it has fewer options and flexibility compared to other libraries like D3.js, which might be a limitation for advanced users.
  • Load Time
    The initial loading time of Google Charts can be slower compared to lightweight charting libraries due to the need to retrieve data from Google's servers.
  • Security Concerns
    As it relies on loading scripts from Google's servers, there might be security concerns in highly sensitive applications.
  • Not Open Source
    Google Charts is not open source, which might be a barrier for developers who prefer open-source solutions for greater control and transparency.
  • Limited Offline Support
    Static charts cannot be easily generated without an internet connection, limiting its use in offline applications.
  • Interactivity
    Plotly offers highly interactive plots that allow users to pan, zoom, and hover over data points for more information. This enhances the user experience and provides deeper insights.
  • High-quality visualizations
    It provides aesthetically pleasing and highly customizable charts, making it suitable for publication-quality visuals.
  • Versatility
    Plotly supports multiple chart types including line charts, scatter plots, bar charts, and 3D plots, making it suitable for a wide range of applications.
  • Python integration
    Plotly is well-integrated with Python and works seamlessly with other popular data science libraries like Pandas, NumPy, and Scikit-learn.
  • Web-based
    The plots can be easily embedded in web applications or dashboards, making it ideal for sharing insights over the internet.
  • Open-source
    Plotly offers an open-source version, which allows users to create and share visualizations without any cost.

Possible disadvantages

  • Performance
    Rendering very large datasets can sometimes be slow, which may not be suitable for real-time data visualization requirements.
  • Learning curve
    Even though the library is well-documented, the extensive range of features can have a steep learning curve for beginners.
  • Cost for advanced features
    While the basic functionality is free, more advanced features, such as export to certain formats and additional customizable options, require a paid subscription.
  • Dependency management
    Plotly has a number of dependencies that need to be managed properly, which can sometimes complicate the setup process.
  • Complexity
    For simple visualizations, Plotly might be overkill and simpler libraries like Matplotlib or Seaborn could be more appropriate.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

Google Charts
Plotly

Overall verdict

  • Google Charts is a highly recommended option for anyone seeking a robust, versatile, and free charting library. It combines ease of use with advanced capabilities, making it suitable for both beginners and experienced developers.

Why this product is good

  • Google Charts is a powerful and flexible tool for creating a variety of charts and graphs easily. It is well-suited for both simple and complex data visualizations, offering a wide selection of chart types. Moreover, it integrates smoothly with web applications and is highly customizable, allowing users to adjust the look and functionality to fit specific needs. The documentation provided by Google is extensive and helps users to quickly set up and utilize the tool effectively.

Recommended for

  • Web developers looking to add charts to their websites
  • Data analysts needing to visualize complex datasets
  • Business users seeking to create interactive dashboards
  • Educators and students who require data visualization for projects and presentations

Overall verdict

  • Overall, Plotly is a strong choice for those looking to create dynamic and interactive data visualizations, thanks to its range of features and ease of integration with web technologies.

Why this product is good

  • Plotly is considered good because it offers a comprehensive suite of tools for creating interactive visualizations that can be used in web applications, reports, and dashboards. It supports many different types of plots, is easy to use for both beginners and experienced developers, and integrates well with popular programming languages like Python, R, and JavaScript.

Recommended for

    Plotly is recommended for data scientists, analysts, and developers who need to create interactive and visually appealing data visualizations. It's particularly useful for those who work with Python or R and want the ability to embed their visualizations in web applications or dashboards.

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

Google Charts 3 videos + Add
Plotly 5 videos + Add

Data Visualization for the Web Using Google Charts

More videos

  • Review - Incorporating Google Charts in a FileMaker Solution | FileMaker Training
  • Review - Google Charts for Native Android Apps

Create Real-time Chart with Javascript | Plotly.js Tutorial

More videos

  • Review - Introducing plotly.py 3.0
  • Review - Is Plotly The Better Matplotlib?
  • Tutorial - Plotly Tutorial 2021
  • Review - Data Visualization as The First and Last Mile of Data Science Plotly Express and Dash | SciPy 2021

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
Google Charts
Plotly
60% 60%
40% 40%
49% 49%
51% 51%
53% 53%
47% 47%

User comments

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Reviews and articles

External articles and on-site reviews we used to compare the two products.

Google Charts no reviews yet
Plotly no reviews yet

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Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

Google Charts 10 mentions
Plotly 34 mentions
  • The top 11 React chart libraries for data visualization
    This library leverages the robustness of Google’s chart tools combined with a React-friendly experience. It is ideal for developers familiar with Google’s visualization ecosystem. - Source: dev.to / almost 3 years ago
  • Using Images in a chart?
    I tried adding the images as labels and it didn't work. If this is possible at all, it would probably require Google Charts. Source: over 3 years ago
  • What are some good graph visualization libraries?
    Google's is a bit simpler to work with but more basic in terms of features https://developers.google.com/chart. Source: over 3 years ago

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Alternatives to Google Charts and Plotly

When comparing Google Charts and Plotly, you can also consider the following products.