We must compare many things in our personal and professional lives to make decisions. Similarly, businesses rely on comparisons to asses their products, performance, etc. But performing such studies is challenging because you need to organize data so that it tells you or your audience a story. Here comes comparison charts. They help you tell convincing stories when comparing two or more products or choices. There are many comparison graph makers in the market, but not all of them are worth your time and money. Read on to find the list of tried and tested comparison chart-making tools.
What Is a Comparison Chart?
A comparison chart helps you visualize the features of product or service choices in one dimension and the name of the products/services in the other dimension. The aim is to show features and products to the audience in a way that makes sense. Comparison charts created using the right tool and methodology are a great tool for storytelling. It empowers you to tell your audience and clients that your product is better than the others by featuring and comparing functionalities against your competitors. The same comparison chart methodology is also equally functional in your personal life. You need to figure out the features of the choices in front of you and draw a table to get a holistic idea of those choices. Whether it is for personal or professional use, a comparison chart must include the following data visualization components:
A table format to visualize products/services/choices against their features/functionalities Column headers like features, product A, product B, etc. The first column of the rows should outline the features of the products or choices The successive columns of the rows should indicate whether the features are available or not using checkmarks Sometimes, comparison charts may show numbers or figures in the rows without showing any checkmarks Some comparison graphs may include both check marks and numbers You must use contrasting colors to make the comparison data pleasant to look at
Now that you have understood the definition of a comparison chart find out more about the foundational knowledge of comparison graphs.
Why Do You Need a Comparison Chart?
You must go for a comparison chart when choosing a product or service from a list of many. Especially when the choices come with features and functionalities, you can weigh the usefulness of one product against many using a comparison table. The audience can easily understand which product or service is better than all the listed items by looking at these graphs. Apart from business use cases, you may also need comparison graphs for personal use. For example, you are moving and have chosen three apartments from your neighborhood. Now, you need to finalize which one you must choose. There you go! You can use a comparison chart tool from the below list to make an informed decision. Just arrange the features of three apartments in the respective columns to get a bird’s eye view of which one is the best.
Who Requires a Comparison Chart?
Anyone who needs to decide on a given number of choices can utilize comparison graphs. Thus, if you are in the following professions, you must start familiarizing yourself with this data analysis method:
Data analysis and visualization Online and offline surveyors Mathematician Digital marketer Sales and marketing executive Product manager or owner Product developer
Apart from the above, individuals can also use the above tool to make tough decisions that are otherwise confusing when clear data is not present.
Benefits of Comparison Charts
Visualize all the features of all the products being compared in one frame or table. Picking a product or service is easy when you create a comparison graph. There are no scientific or mathematical limitations for comparison charts. Hence, you can use your creativity and imagination. A comparison chart can house unlimited products and their features and easily conclude. Hence, such tables are highly beneficial for big data projects. No learning curve. Anyone can draw a comparison graph using a table with columns and rows.
What Are the Types of Comparison Charts?
For personal usage, there are no guidelines on chart types for a comparison table. Let us consider your need to compare the career of a full-stack developer vs. a front-end developer. Use a 3-column table where compared features will be at the left-most column. However, if you need a comparison chart for business reporting, then you should use any of the following mathematical data visualization charts:
Slope charts Tornado chart Double Bar Graph Comparison Bar Charts Progress Charts Frequency Series Histogram Pie Chart Compare Venn Diagram Matrix Chart Dot Diagram Donut Chart Dual Axis Grouped Bar Chart Bubble Comparison Chart Stacked Bar Chart Time Series Histogram
If you are using any of the above comparison chart-making tools, you need not worry about creating the different charts yourself. Choose templates since most of the below platforms offer pre-designed comparison graph templates. Now, let us dig deep to explore some of the standard tools to make comparison graphs in the below sections.
Canva
Want to design a comparison graph that is clear to understand and easily readable? You must try Canva. It offers a free plan for anyone who wants to design anything online individually or within a team. Hence, you do not need to break the bank to try out this graphic designing web app for professional and personal comparison charts. The key features of this comparison chart maker tool are:
20+ standard and professional graphs to create comparison tables Ready-made comparison charts made by Canva experts No learning curve for the Canva online graphic designing workspace Create, share, approve, publish, and download: all from one app No-fuss embed options for websites, slideshows, word files, spreadsheets, and more Drag-and-drop designing suitable for non-designers
Its template library is huge and offers some of the most used comparison graphs for T-shirts, pricing comparisons, social media feature comparisons, and more.
Adobe Express
It offers a 30-day trial to try out premium comparison chart templates that look even better than online shopping sites. And, if you already have a subscription plan for Adobe Express, you are adding value to the money you spend on this app. Notable features of this graphic designing platform are:
Ready-made comparison chart template library Filter to choose between free and premium templates Graphic design elements like logos, texts, photos, shapes, backgrounds, and more Single-click content size editing AI-based design suggestions Project scheduling for collaborative editing Downloadable comparison charts
Some popular templates you can try are local photo studio comparison, Covid-19 mask comparison, etc.
EdrawMax
EdrawMax comes with a full-service artboard for anything related to drawing flowcharts, tables, blueprints, and more. Hence, if you are a perfectionist and always want to create unique comparison charts, you should try this online drawing tool. One of the best things about this platform is the drawing takes place in vector art mode. Hence, you can scale up or scale down the comparison graph according to the website or slideshow without losing the quality. Not to mention, resizing your graph only requires you to select the content and extend it up, down, left, or right. Other key features of EdrawMax are:
Template library filters like recent and popular Vast template library of useful comparison charts Template metrics like views, likes, and times copied Ready to use infographics to make comparison charts more engaging Dedicated publish and share button on the artboard
You can try it using its free-trial plan that lets you use up to three templates per account.
Piktochart
If you want to create quick comparisons of choices to decide on a life goal, career, purchase, etc., you must try Piktochart. Furthermore, you can make do’s and don’ts for any activity in your professional or personal life. Moreover, business users can create engaging price comparisons, product comparisons, subscription comparisons, and more using the online comparison chart maker from Piktochart. Here are the salient features of this platform:
Import brand assets from favorite folders like Marketing, Design, etc. Using the sharing feature, you can create a comparison graph with your family, friends, and colleagues. Use custom font to match the comparison table with your brand’s typeface Similarly, use brand assets like logos, color palettes, etc., to customize comparison charts Stock images, infographics, and vector icons to beautify your charts
Piktochart also offers pre-designed templates. The popular template examples are Fixed vs. Growth Mindset, Cats and Dogs, Annual Report Comparison, etc.
ChartExpo
Businesses looking for actionable and valuable insights from a comparison graph often use ChartExpo’s templates. It has a continuously expanding library of comparison charts for Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets. Essentially, ChartExpo is an add-in for Microsoft Excel and an add-on for Google Sheets. You can download the apps from the respective extension marketplaces for Google and Microsoft. Though the download is free, you need to purchase in-app monthly subscriptions that start from $10 per user per month. There is a 7-day free trial as well. Once you install the add-on and start a subscription, the app lets you convert meaningful table data on your Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel worksheets into engaging comparison charts. The process is fully automatic. You can customize the formatting and formulas to create unique comparison graphs. It does not just let you create comparison tables. You can create other data analytics and financial modeling graphs as well.
DesignCap
If you are concerned about your privacy and want an online comparison table maker that does not force you to sign up, then DesignCap is just for you. You can access its template library to choose a comparison chart that meets your requirement. Then, click on it to start customizing the template in the DesignCap workspace. No need to sign up or pay. Once you modify the template, take a screenshot of the content and crop the image on the Windows Paint app. However, if you sign up, you can use convenient features like Save, Download, Print, and Share. Other tool features that truly useful are:
Template filtering option Ready-to-use graphic elements like Lines, Shapes, Frame Mask, Arrows, Speech bubbles, etc. Stock photos Ready-to-use charts that you can drag and drop into your content Graphic Modules Background color changer Text modifications
SmartDraw
Are you looking for a feature comparison chart software for business? Then you should check out SmartDraw. It offers free access to its artboard for trial purposes. In the trial mode, you will get access to a generic feature comparison table. However, you can get better ones when you buy a subscription. Its key features and functionalities are:
Template-based comparison table creation Drag-and-drop editing Custom themes and styles Share content with the team Upload content to cloud storage like Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, and more Add vector shapes Various text formatting options
Moreover, SmartDraw offers an extended list of content export options like Export for Office, Visio export, PDF, JPEG, SVG, PNG, and SDR.
Final Words
So far, this article has explained comparison charts, their requirements, benefits, and types in concise language. Then, you have also explored some famous comparison chart makers that can take on any tasks you throw at them. You already know the features and functionalities of the tools mentioned above through this article. All you need to do is use some or all the tools mentioned above to find the most suitable one according to your needs. These tools will fit both professional and personal use cases. Now you know that comparison chart drawing and publishing is a cakewalk when you use any of the tools mentioned in this article. You may also be interested in the best financial charting libraries for web, mobile, and computer applications.
