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Plotly VS CanvasJS

Compare Plotly VS CanvasJS and see what are their differences

Plotly

Low-Code Data Apps

Rating
0 reviews
Alternatives Is it good?
CanvasJS

HTML5 JavaScript, jQuery, Angular, React Charts for Data Visualization

Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Freemium Free trial $149 / Annually
Alternatives Is it good?
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Which is more popular?

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

social mentions
34 vs 12
Data Visualization popularity
83% vs 17%
alternatives listed
240+ vs 209

Base details

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

Plotly
CanvasJS
Website plotly.com canvasjs.com
Pricing
Official pricing
Freemium Free trial $149 / Annually Official pricing
Platforms —
Web
Company — 2013
Listed in
Application And Data Developer Tools App Development App Deployment Data Visualization Low Code +3
Charting Libraries Data Dashboard Javascript UI Libraries JavaScript Charts +1

About Plotly and CanvasJS

In their own words, as submitted to SaaSHub.

Plotly
CanvasJS

No description of Plotly yet.

CanvasJS is an easy to use HTML5 and Javascript Charting library which supports 30+ chart types including line, column, bar, area, pie, financial and much more. It runs across devices including iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows Phone, Microsoft Surface, Desktops, etc. This allows you to create rich...

Read more about CanvasJS

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

Plotly 6 features
CanvasJS 5 features
  • 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.
  • Easy to Use
    CanvasJS offers a straightforward API and extensive documentation, making it easy for developers to quickly integrate charts into their applications.
  • Performance
    CanvasJS uses HTML5 Canvas for rendering, which provides excellent performance, especially for large datasets or real-time updates.
  • Cross-Browser Compatibility
    Charts rendered with CanvasJS work across all modern web browsers, ensuring a consistent experience for users.
  • Variety of Chart Types
    CanvasJS supports a wide range of chart types including line, bar, pie, and more, offering flexibility for different data visualization needs.
  • Responsive Design
    Charts created with CanvasJS are responsive and adjust well to different screen sizes, which is crucial for mobile and tablet support.

Possible disadvantages

  • Licensing Cost
    While CanvasJS offers a free version, the full-featured version requires a commercial license, which may be costly for small projects or individual developers.
  • Limited Customization
    Although CanvasJS provides several customization options, it may not be as flexible as other libraries when it comes to highly specific or complex customizations.
  • Dependency on JavaScript
    Being a JavaScript library, CanvasJS requires a working knowledge of JavaScript, which could be a barrier for beginners or developers coming from other programming languages.
  • Learning Curve for Complex Features
    Although basic usage is simple, mastering all of the advanced features and customization options may take some time and effort.

Analysis

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

Plotly
CanvasJS

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.

Overall verdict

  • CanvasJS is a solid choice for developers looking for a reliable and easy-to-use charting library. Its performance, compatibility across devices, and variety of features make it suitable for personal projects as well as larger enterprise applications.

Why this product is good

  • CanvasJS is a popular JavaScript library for creating responsive and interactive charts. It is known for its performance and ease of use, allowing developers to integrate a wide range of chart types quickly. The library offers extensive documentation and a variety of customization options, making it a preferred choice for projects that require clean and visually appealing data visualizations.

Recommended for

  • Developers seeking a straightforward solution for charting without steep learning curves.
  • Projects that require responsive, interactive charts across different devices and browsers.
  • Teams or individuals working with large datasets in need of an animation-capable visualization tool.
  • Companies or developers requiring extensive support and documentation for rapid development.

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

Plotly 5 videos + Add
CanvasJS 0 videos + Add

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

More videos

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

No CanvasJS videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

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
Plotly
CanvasJS
83% 83%
Data Visualization
17% 17%
54% 54%
Charting Libraries
46% 46%
64% 64%
Data Dashboard
36% 36%
55% 55%
Development
45% 45%

User comments

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Reviews and articles

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

Plotly no reviews yet
CanvasJS no reviews yet

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We have no reviews of CanvasJS yet. Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

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

Plotly 34 mentions
CanvasJS 12 mentions

View more

  • Coordinating Tooltips Across Multiple CanvasJS Charts Using React Context
    This article outlines a concise and effective solution for coordinating tooltips in CanvasJS Charts rendered within a React application, even when these charts are defined in separate component files. The core of this approach lies in... - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
  • Smarter Axis Label Formatting Based on Zoom Level in CanvasJS
    When building time-series charts, how you format axis labels can make or break readability — especially when users zoom across seconds to years. CanvasJS provides excellent out-of-the-box support for time-based axis labels, but when... - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
  • Dynamic Highlighting of Weekends in CanvasJS Charts
    Visualizing time-series data - such as financial charts, project timelines, or event trackers - often requires contextual markers like weekends or holidays to improve insights. CanvasJS charts offer the flexibility to dynamically... - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago

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Alternatives to Plotly and CanvasJS

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

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