How to make a doughnut chart
- Enter one category per row with its value. Raw counts or amounts are fine, and percentages are calculated automatically.
- Open Customize → Chart options and set the hole size. Around 50–65% looks balanced.
- Choose what appears in the center: the total, custom text such as “72% renewable”, or nothing.
- Pick slice labels (percentage, value or name) and a color palette, or set individual slice colors.
- Download as PNG, JPEG, SVG or PDF.
Data format
| Column | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Text | Required |
| Value | Number (zero or positive) | Required |
Up to 200 rows. One row per slice. Values must be zero or positive; each slice shows its share of the total.
Customization options
- Hole size from a thin ring to a nearly full pie.
- Center text: the total value with a caption, or any custom label.
- Labels inside or outside the ring, with automatic leader lines when slices are small.
- Slice spacing, start angle, sorting and pull-out, as in the pie chart maker.
- Pattern fills and a colorblind-friendly palette for accessibility.
Downloading and exporting
- PNG: best for slides, documents and the web. It supports transparent backgrounds, and you can choose standard, 2×, 4× or slide-sized (1920 × 1080) output.
- JPEG: a smaller file with a solid background.
- SVG: a true vector file. It stays sharp at any size and can be edited in Illustrator, Inkscape or Figma.
- PDF: vector PDF sized to the chart, A4 or US Letter. If your labels use characters outside the standard PDF fonts (for example Chinese, Arabic or emoji), the PDF uses a high-resolution image instead and tells you.
- CSV and .json: your data, or the whole chart with its settings, to re-open later.
When to use a doughnut chart
- Dashboards and reports where a single headline number belongs in the middle.
- Showing the composition of a total with a handful of categories.
- A progress ring: two slices (“complete” and “remaining”).
When to choose a different chart
- Comparing similar-sized categories. Rings are even harder to judge than pies, so prefer a bar graph.
- Showing a single KPI against a target. A gauge chart communicates range and target more clearly.
- Nested or multi-level data, which belongs in a treemap.
Common mistakes to avoid
A hole that is too big
Above about 80%, the ring becomes so thin that slice proportions are hard to read. Keep the ring thick enough for colors and labels.
Center text that contradicts the data
If you type a custom center label, make sure it matches the values. The built-in “Total” option is always calculated from your data.
Two doughnuts to show change
Comparing two rings side by side is error-prone. For before/after comparisons use a 100% stacked bar chart.
Practical examples
Traffic by channel
Sessions from organic search, direct, referral, social and email, with the total session count in the center.
Project completion
Two rows, Done 72 and Remaining 28, with custom center text “72% complete” and a single accent color.
Energy mix
Electricity generation by source, sorted largest first, with “Name + percentage” labels outside the ring.
Doughnut chart vs. pie chart
Both show parts of a whole. Research on chart reading suggests people judge pie slices mainly by area and arc length rather than the exact angle, so removing the center doesn’t make the chart much harder to read, provided the ring stays reasonably thick. In exchange, the doughnut frees up the center for context such as a total or a label.
Choose a pie when the chart stands alone and the slices are the message. Choose a doughnut when you need a headline number, or when several small charts sit side by side in a dashboard.
Frequently asked questions
What’s the difference between a donut and a doughnut chart?
Nothing; they are two spellings of the same chart.
How do I put text in the middle?
In Customize → Chart options, set “Center text” to Total value (calculated automatically) or Custom text, then type your caption.
Can I make a progress ring?
Yes. Enter two rows, for example “Complete” and “Remaining”, set center text to Custom (“72%”), and give the Remaining slice a light gray color in the Colors section.
Can I download it with a transparent background?
Yes. Turn on Transparent background under Colors & style, then download PNG or SVG. JPEG doesn’t support transparency, so JPEG downloads use a white background.
Is there a limit on slices?
You can add up to 200, but we recommend no more than about seven for readability. Use the treemap for many categories.
Your data stays private
Charts are drawn by your browser. Your data isn’t uploaded to our servers; it is kept only in this browser’s storage, for autosave and saved charts, until you clear it. See our privacy policy.