How to Make a Radar Chart (Spider Chart)
Learn when a radar or spider chart works, how to set up categories and series, and how to read one honestly, with a free radar chart maker.
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Free tool: Radar Chart MakerA radar chart, also called a spider chart or web chart, shows several measurements on axes that spread out from a center like the spokes of a wheel. Joining each item's values makes a shape, so you can compare profiles at a glance: one player is fast but weak, another strong but slow. This guide explains when radar charts help, how to set up your data and how to make one with the free Radar Chart Maker.
When to use a radar chart
Radar charts work best when:
- You're comparing one to three items across the same set of qualities, such as two players, products or job candidates.
- There are about 3 to 8 categories, all measured on the same scale, such as scores out of 100.
- The overall profile matters more than exact values: strengths, weaknesses and balance.
For precise comparisons, or for many items, a bar graph is clearer.
Example: comparing two players
Two players are scored out of 100 on five skills:
| Skill | Player A | Player B |
|---|---|---|
| Speed | 80 | 70 |
| Strength | 90 | 80 |
| Agility | 70 | 90 |
| Endurance | 85 | 75 |
| Power | 75 | 85 |
On a radar chart, Player A's shape bulges toward speed, strength and endurance, while Player B's reaches further on agility and power. Their totals are similar (400 vs 400), but their profiles are very different, which is exactly what radar charts are good at showing.
How to make a radar chart with Graph Maker
- Open the Radar Chart Maker.
- Type a chart title, such as "Player Comparison".
- List the categories, separated by commas:
Speed,Strength,Agility,Endurance,Power - Enter each series as a name, a colon and its values in the same order as the categories, with a semicolon between series:
Player A:80,90,70,85,75;Player B:70,80,90,75,85 - Set the background and title colors. Each series gets its own color, with a semi-transparent fill so overlapping shapes stay visible, and a legend appears when there's more than one series.
- Download the chart as a PNG, JPG or SVG.
Hover over the chart to see each series' value for a category.
Tips for an honest radar chart
- Use the same scale for every axis. Mixing a 0–10 score with a 0–100 score makes one category dominate the shape.
- Keep higher values better on every axis. If one category is "lower is better", such as price or time, flip it (for example, use "value for money") so the shape stays easy to read.
- Order the categories deliberately. The shape changes with the order, so group related qualities together.
- Limit the number of series. More than three overlapping shapes turn into a tangle.
- Don't judge by area alone. Shapes with the same values can look larger or smaller depending on the order of the axes, so check the actual values too.
Frequently asked questions
What is a radar chart used for?
Comparing a few items across several qualities measured on the same scale, such as skills, product features or survey ratings, to see their strengths and weaknesses at a glance.
What's the difference between a radar chart and a spider chart?
Nothing; they're two names for the same chart. It's also called a web chart, star chart or polar chart.
How many categories should a radar chart have?
Usually between 3 and 8. Fewer than three doesn't make a useful shape, and more than about eight crowds the labels and makes the shape hard to read.