Donut Chart Maker

Show proportions with a clean center

A donut chart is a pie chart with a hollow center, where each ring segment is sized by its share of the whole and the empty middle can hold a summary value or label. InstaCharts is a free donut chart maker that switches between pie, donut, and semi-circle from the same data.

Example donut chart made with InstaCharts
Make a Donut Chart Free Open the Demo

A live donut chart example

An interactive donut chart built and embedded with InstaCharts.

What data you need for a donut chart

Categories A category column, the segment labels
Values Numerical values that size each ring segment

Paste your spreadsheet, upload a CSV or Excel file, or connect a Google Sheet, and InstaCharts detects your column types and builds the donut chart automatically.

When to use a donut chart

  • Show how a total splits across a few categories
  • Use the open center to display a total or KPI
  • Highlight one clearly dominant category
  • Fit a proportion chart neatly into a dashboard tile

When another chart fits better

  • More than five or six segments clutter the ring; use a bar chart
  • Similar segment sizes are hard to compare by angle
  • Changes over time suit a line or stacked bar chart
  • Donut charts cannot show negative values

How to make a donut chart

  1. 1
    Add your data: Paste a spreadsheet, or upload a CSV, Excel, TSV, or JSON file.
  2. 2
    Pick the donut chart: InstaCharts auto-suggests a chart; switch to this type in one click.
  3. 3
    Map your columns: Choose which columns drive each axis, or accept the smart defaults.
  4. 4
    Customize styling: Adjust colors, labels, and titles to match your brand or report.
  5. 5
    Export or embed: Download as PNG, SVG, or PDF, share a link, or embed a live, auto-updating chart.

Donut Chart maker FAQ

Is the donut chart maker free?

Yes. You can create and export a donut chart for free with no account. The free tier supports up to 500 rows and adds a small watermark; paid plans from $10/month remove it.

What is the difference between a donut and a pie chart?

They are functionally identical. A donut chart is a pie with a hollow center, which many people find less cluttered and which can hold a summary value in the middle. InstaCharts switches between pie, donut, and semi-circle in one click.

What data do I need for a donut chart?

One column of category labels and one column of numbers. InstaCharts turns each value into a proportional ring segment and can label segments with percentages or absolute values.

Can I put a total in the center of the donut?

Yes. The hollow center is ideal for a headline number, such as the overall total or a key metric, so the chart communicates both the breakdown and the bottom line at once.

Want the full reference? Read the donut chart documentation.

Related chart makers

Pie Chart Maker

Show part-to-whole proportions, free

Bar Chart Maker

Compare values across categories online, free

Stacked Bar Chart Maker

Show totals and composition in one chart

See every option on the chart maker page.

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