Chart.js vs Chartist
Which should you use? A side-by-side look at what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, how hard it is to set up, and where each falls short.
Open source · MIT
A JavaScript library for drawing simple, customizable charts on web pages using canvas.
Open source · MIT
A small JavaScript library that draws simple, responsive SVG charts styled with CSS.
The short answer
Choose Chart.js if you need…
- Web developers adding standard charts such as line or bar charts to a site
- Designers who want chart styling they can configure in code
- Teams building dashboards in the browser who want an MIT-licensed library
Choose Chartist if you need…
- Web developers adding simple line, bar or pie charts to a site
- Teams that want to style charts with plain CSS
- Projects that prefer no build step, using a native ES module from a CDN
- Developers who want charts rendered on a server as SVG for PDFs or email
Side-by-side
| Chart.js | Chartist | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Library | Library |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 67.8k | 13.5k |
| Setup difficulty | Intermediate | Beginner |
| How you get it | See the README | Install with a package manager |
| Main language | JavaScript | TypeScript |
| Last code update | 14 days ago | 5 days ago |
What each one is
Chart.js
Chart.js is a JavaScript library for adding charts to web pages. It draws charts on the HTML canvas element, so you pass it data and options and it renders the graphic in the browser. People use it to show data visually on websites and dashboards without building chart rendering from scratch.
Chartist
Chartist is a JavaScript library for drawing charts on web pages. It renders charts as SVG, so they scale to fit their container, and you style them with ordinary CSS. It is aimed at people who want a lightweight, readable charting option without a large framework.
Best for
Chart.js
- Web developers adding standard charts such as line or bar charts to a site
- Designers who want chart styling they can configure in code
- Teams building dashboards in the browser who want an MIT-licensed library
Chartist
- Web developers adding simple line, bar or pie charts to a site
- Teams that want to style charts with plain CSS
- Projects that prefer no build step, using a native ES module from a CDN
- Developers who want charts rendered on a server as SVG for PDFs or email
Strengths
Chart.js
- MIT licensed, so it can be used in commercial and open-source projects
- Large community with a documentation site, samples, and a Discord server linked from the README
- Actively maintained, with a recent release (v4.6.1) and a recent last push
Chartist
- Charts are plain SVG styled with CSS, which is easy to customize
- Written in TypeScript with no dependencies, and you ship only what you import
- Works without a bundler as a native ES module
Not ideal for
Chart.js
- People who need a finished chart tool with no coding, since this is a library that requires writing JavaScript
- Projects needing chart types or features the README does not describe, since the README here gives little detail on specific chart types
- Users who need charts rendered on a server, since the README describes browser canvas usage
Chartist
- People who need many advanced chart types or built-in interactivity, since the README focuses on core simple charts
- Users of Chartist 0.x or 1.x wrappers who need a fully supported path, since the README notes some wrappers still target older versions
- Beginners with no web development experience, since the examples assume HTML and JavaScript familiarity
Trade-offs
Chart.js
- Requires JavaScript and web page knowledge to use, so it is not beginner-friendly for non-coders
- The README is short and points to external docs for details, so getting started depends on those docs
- Documentation links in the README point to version 4; older versions need separate docs URLs
Chartist
- The README says 1.x classes are deprecated and will be removed in 3.0, so migration may be needed for older code
- Some community wrappers were built for older Chartist versions and may need workarounds
- The README does not list every chart type or feature, so check the docs for specifics
Getting started
Chart.js
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/chartjs/Chart.jsFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between Chart.js and Chartist?
Chart.js: A JavaScript library for drawing simple, customizable charts on web pages using canvas. Chartist: A small JavaScript library that draws simple, responsive SVG charts styled with CSS. Chart.js suits web developers adding standard charts such as line or bar charts to a site, while Chartist suits web developers adding simple line, bar or pie charts to a site.
Are Chart.js and Chartist free?
Chart.js: Free and open source. Chartist: Free and open source.
Which is easier to set up, Chart.js or Chartist?
Chartist is easier to get started with (rated beginner); Chart.js is rated intermediate and usually needs more setup.
Is Chart.js or Chartist more popular?
Chart.js has more GitHub stars (67.8k) than Chartist (13.5k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to Chart.js and Chartist?
Other options people compare them with include Plotly.js, Frappe Charts, G2, three.js, Recharts.
Keep comparing
Built from our catalogue entries for both products: open-source details come from each project's README (AI-assisted, refreshed weekly) and GitHub data; AI-tool details are editorial. Spotted something wrong? Let us know from either product's page.