Comparison
MakeCharts vs Datawrapper
Datawrapper is the default in newsrooms: careful typography, responsive embeds and accessible defaults, for charts, maps and tables. MakeCharts is narrower — charts only, no maps — and is built around editing by conversation and exporting vector for free.
Feature by feature
| Feature | MakeCharts | Datawrapper |
|---|---|---|
| SVG export on the free plan | Yes | No, PNG only; SVG and PDF need Pro |
| Attribution on the free plan | A small watermark on exports | 'Created with Datawrapper' must stay |
| Editing | Plain-language chat | A guided four-step wizard |
| Maps | Not offered | A major strength |
| Tables | Not offered | Yes |
| Sankey diagrams | The flagship, with financial presets | Not a core type |
| Responsive web embeds | An embed, sized by you | Responsive by design, the reason newsrooms use it |
| Accessibility of the output | Data table published beside every library example | Accessible palettes and non-overlapping labels by default |
| Paid pricing | €19.90 a month | $21 per user a month for Pro |
Plans and limits read from Datawrapper in August 2026. Pricing changes — check theirs before deciding.
When Datawrapper is the better choice
For journalism, for maps, for tables, and anywhere a chart has to be responsive and accessible on someone else's website, Datawrapper is the better tool and it is not close. Its defaults encode more chart-design judgement than most teams have time to apply themselves.
The short version
Datawrapper if you publish charts on the web, need maps, or want opinionated defaults doing the design thinking. MakeCharts if you need vector export without paying, a Sankey that understands a P&L, or an editor you can talk to.
Questions people ask
- Can I export SVG for free?
- In MakeCharts, yes — SVG, PNG and PDF are all on the free plan, with a small watermark that paid plans remove. Datawrapper's free plan exports PNG only; SVG and PDF require the Pro plan.
- Does MakeCharts do maps?
- No. If you need choropleths or locator maps, Datawrapper is the right tool.
- Do I need an account to try MakeCharts?
- No. The editor opens and works without signing up — import data, edit by chatting and export. An account is only needed to save charts to the cloud and to collaborate with a team.