Chart.js vs nivo
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
React chart components for building data visualizations, built on d3.
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 nivo if you need…
- React developers who need charts in a web app
- Teams that want charts rendered on the server as well as in the browser
- Projects that want animated transitions via react-spring
- Developers who want SVG, HTML, or canvas chart options from one library
Side-by-side
| Chart.js | nivo | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Library | Library |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 67.8k | 14.1k |
| Setup difficulty | Intermediate | Intermediate |
| How you get it | See the README | Install with a package manager |
| Main language | JavaScript | TypeScript |
| Last code update | 14 days ago | 4 months 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.
nivo
nivo is a set of React components for drawing charts and other data visualizations on web pages. It is built on top of the d3 library and offers declarative charts, meaning you describe what you want and the component draws it. According to the README, it also supports server-side rendering and an HTTP API.
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
nivo
- React developers who need charts in a web app
- Teams that want charts rendered on the server as well as in the browser
- Projects that want animated transitions via react-spring
- Developers who want SVG, HTML, or canvas chart options from one library
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
nivo
- Covers many chart types across SVG, HTML, and canvas renderers
- Supports server-side rendering and theming, per the README
- Large community with active discord and an interactive playground
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
nivo
- People who do not write code, since it requires React components to be assembled in a project
- Projects not using React, because the components are React-specific
- Users who need a ready-made dashboard application rather than building blocks
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
nivo
- Requires working knowledge of React and JavaScript/TypeScript
- README does not fully list every component, so the Components Explorer must be consulted
- Each chart type is a separate package, so setup involves choosing the right ones
Getting started
Chart.js
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/chartjs/Chart.jsnivo
Install core and a chart package
yarn add @nivo/core @nivo/barFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between Chart.js and nivo?
Chart.js: A JavaScript library for drawing simple, customizable charts on web pages using canvas. nivo: React chart components for building data visualizations, built on d3. Chart.js suits web developers adding standard charts such as line or bar charts to a site, while nivo suits react developers who need charts in a web app.
Are Chart.js and nivo free?
Chart.js: Free and open source. nivo: Free and open source.
Is Chart.js or nivo more popular?
Chart.js has more GitHub stars (67.8k) than nivo (14.1k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to Chart.js and nivo?
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.