Horizontal bar graph maker
Bars that run left to right, with room for long category names. Perfect for rankings, survey answers and top-10 lists. Data is sorted largest-first by default.
First row = headers. First column = categories; every extra column becomes a series. Paste straight from a spreadsheet.
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How to make a horizontal bar graph
- Paste one category per line with its value, or several value columns for grouped bars.
- Direction is already set to Horizontal and Order to “Largest first”.
- Add the axis label (it runs along the bottom) and a title.
- Download PNG or SVG.
When to turn bars sideways
Horizontal bars win whenever the labels are long (“Email and calendar” fits; on a vertical chart it would be squashed or tilted) and when you are ranking many items. Readers scan top-to-bottom, so a sorted horizontal bar chart reads like a leaderboard. For time periods such as months or years, keep bars vertical, because time conventionally runs left to right.
Rules that still apply
- The value axis starts at zero, so bar length stays honest.
- Sort by value unless the categories have a natural order (like age groups or Likert answers).
- For two groups per category, add a second value column; see the double bar graph maker.
Questions
How do I make a horizontal bar graph?
Paste your categories and values, then choose Horizontal under Direction (already set on this page). Choose “Largest first” to rank them.
Is a horizontal bar graph the same as a histogram?
No. A histogram shows how often values fall into ranges of one continuous number, and its bars touch. A bar graph compares separate categories.
Can I make a horizontal stacked bar chart?
Yes. Add several value columns, choose Stacked or 100%, and keep Direction on Horizontal.