Free tool
Pie Chart Maker for Budgets, Shares and Survey Results
Paste a list of labels and numbers, and a pie or donut chart is drawn beside it as you type. Pick the colours, choose how the slices are labelled, and save the picture for a slide, a report or a web page.
Paste columns straight from a spreadsheet, drop a CSV file on the box, or type Label, 42. Only the first number on each line is used.
The chart is drawn in your browser and your numbers are never uploaded. The last data and settings you used are kept on your own device so they are there next time.
Getting your numbers in
The data box takes one slice per line, with a label and a number. The separator can be a comma, a semicolon, a tab or a colon, which means columns copied from a spreadsheet land correctly without any tidying. You can also open a CSV file with the button below the box or drop one onto it.
- Only the first number on each line is used, because a pie shows one value per slice.
- Numbers can carry symbols and thousands separators, so $1,250 reads as 1250.
- A first line that holds only names is treated as a header and skipped.
- Rows with zero, a negative or no number are left out, and a note under the chart says how many.
When a pie is the right chart
A pie answers one question: how is a whole split up. It works for a budget, a traffic source split or a vote count, where the parts add up to something that matters. It stops working when there are many slices that are close in size, because the eye cannot compare angles well.
| Situation | Better choice |
|---|---|
| Three to six parts of one whole | Pie or donut |
| Many categories of similar size | A bar graph, sorted |
| Change over months or years | A bar or line graph |
| Parts that do not add to a whole | A bar graph |
If you are unsure, tick the box that puts the biggest slice first. A sorted pie is easier to read, since the order runs clockwise from the top.
Controls that change how it looks
- Labels on slices can show the percent, the value, both, or nothing. Slices under 4% of the total are left unlabelled so the text does not crowd, and the legend still lists them with their share.
- Donut cuts a hole in the middle, and the total can be printed inside it.
- Before and after numbers add a symbol such as a currency sign or a unit to every value.
- Colours offers Violet, Bright, Calm, Greys, or your own list of HEX codes in order.
- Background can be white, dark or see-through, which suits a slide with its own colour.
Slice colours are picked so label text stays readable on each one, switching between light and dark text as needed.
Slips that make a pie chart misleading
A chart is only as honest as the data behind it, and a few habits spoil it before the colours are chosen.
- Slices that do not form a whole. If your numbers are separate measures, such as visits and sales, a pie has no meaning. Use a bar graph.
- Too many small slices. Merge the tiny ones into a single line called Other, so the picture keeps a few clear shapes.
- Mixed units. Dollars and counts on the same chart cannot share one circle. Convert first, then paste.
- Hidden totals. A donut with the total printed inside lets readers check the whole at a glance, which is why that box is ticked by default.
- Colour only for meaning. Pick the Greys set when the chart will be printed in black and white.
Type a short title above the data, since the chart carries it into every saved file.
Saving and reusing the chart
Five buttons sit under the chart. Save PNG gives a picture, SVG gives a vector file that stays sharp at any size, and PDF gives a page. Copy picture puts the image on the clipboard to paste into a document, and CSV saves your data back out. The SVG option is the one to choose for a website, since it scales cleanly on every screen. Our web design and UI/UX page covers how we place charts like this so they stay readable on a phone.
Very long labels are shortened in the legend with an ellipsis, so keep names brief if the legend matters.
Frequently asked questions
How do I make a pie chart from a spreadsheet?
Select the label column and the number column, copy them, and paste into the data box. The tool reads the tab between them.
Can I make a donut chart instead?
Yes. Tick the donut box and the middle is cut out. You can also show the total inside it.
Why is a slice missing?
A row is left out when its number is zero, negative or missing. A note under the chart tells you how many rows were dropped.
Can I use my own brand colours?
Choose My colours in the Colours menu and type HEX codes separated by commas. They are applied to the slices in the order you list them.
Which file type should I save for a website?
SVG is usually best because it stays sharp at every size. Use PNG when a tool does not accept SVG.
Is my data uploaded?
No. The chart is drawn in your browser, and the data stays on your device.
More free tools
- bar graph maker: Make bar, horizontal bar, stacked bar and line graphs from pasted data and save them as PNG, SVG or PDF.
- percentage calculator: Percent of, percent change, difference, percentage points, reverse percent, discount and tax, with the steps shown.
- Scatter plot maker: Plot x and y numbers with groups, a trend line and its equation, then save a PNG, SVG or PDF.
- Venn diagram maker: Draw a two or three circle Venn diagram by typing items into each part, then save it as PNG, SVG or PDF.
- Colour palette generator: Generate website colour palettes by harmony, check text contrast, and export CSS, Tailwind, SVG or PNG.