Area Chart Maker
Show trends with volume emphasis
An area chart is a line chart with the region below the line filled in, so it shows both the direction of a trend and the volume beneath it. InstaCharts builds one from your time-series data in seconds, ready to style and embed.
A live area chart example
An interactive area chart built and embedded with InstaCharts.
What data you need for a area chart
Paste your spreadsheet, upload a CSV or Excel file, or connect a Google Sheet, and InstaCharts detects your column types and builds the area chart automatically.
When to use a area chart
- Show a trend while emphasizing magnitude with the filled area
- Communicate a cumulative or accumulated total over time
- Track a single continuous metric like revenue or page views
- Make the gap between two values tangible with a filled region
When another chart fits better
- Overlapping series hide each other; use a grouped line chart
- Unordered categories belong in a bar chart
- Negative values are misleading in a fill starting at zero
How to make a area chart
- 1Add your data: Paste a spreadsheet, or upload a CSV, Excel, TSV, or JSON file.
- 2Pick the area chart: InstaCharts auto-suggests a chart; switch to this type in one click.
- 3Map your columns: Choose which columns drive each axis, or accept the smart defaults.
- 4Customize styling: Adjust colors, labels, and titles to match your brand or report.
- 5Export or embed: Download as PNG, SVG, or PDF, share a link, or embed a live, auto-updating chart.
Area Chart maker FAQ
Is the area chart maker free?
Yes. Creating and exporting an area chart is free with no account. The free tier supports up to 500 rows and adds a watermark; paid plans from $10/month remove it.
When should I use an area chart instead of a line graph?
Use an area chart when the volume beneath the trend matters, such as cumulative revenue or total downloads. Use a line graph when you only care about the direction and rate of change.
What data do I need for an area chart?
A date or ordered column for the X-axis and a numeric column for the values. To break it down by category, add a breakdown column for a grouped area chart.
Can I stack multiple categories?
Yes. Add a breakdown column and InstaCharts produces a grouped area chart that stacks each category's contribution into a cumulative total.
Want the full reference? Read the area chart documentation.
Related chart makers
Grouped Area Chart Maker
Stack category trends over time
Line Graph Maker
Plot trends over time online, free
Bar Chart Maker
Compare values across categories online, free
See every option on the chart maker page.
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