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Apexcharts vs Highcharts

Side-by-side NPM package comparison

Quick Verdict

Smallest Bundle

Apexcharts

2.6 MB gzipped

Most Popular

Highcharts

2.2M weekly downloads

Best Maintained

Apexcharts

100/100 maintenance score

Highest Quality

Apexcharts

50/100 quality score

Overall Pick

Apexcharts

Best all-around based on popularity, size, maintenance & quality

apexcharts icon

apexcharts

Very Popular

Version 5.10.6

0
85
Excellent

A JavaScript Chart Library

Weekly Downloads
1.8M
2%Stable
Bundle (gzip)
2.6 MB
Updated
Vulns
0

Health Score Breakdown

Maintenance
100
Popularity
100
Quality
50
Security
100
Stability
70
highcharts icon

highcharts

Very Popular

Version 12.5.0

0
73
Good

JavaScript charting framework

Weekly Downloads
2.2M
1%Stable
Bundle (gzip)
18.9 MB
Updated
Vulns
0

Health Score Breakdown

Maintenance
60
Popularity
100
Quality
50
Security
100
Stability
70

Choosing between Apexcharts and Highcharts? Here's a data-driven comparison based on real npm data — downloads, bundle size, health scores, and more — to help you decide which package fits your project best.

Downloads & Popularity

Highcharts leads with 2.2M weekly downloads — roughly 1.2x more. Apexcharts has 1.8M weekly downloads. Higher download counts generally indicate broader community adoption and a larger ecosystem of tutorials, plugins, and support.

Bundle Size

Apexcharts has the smallest gzipped bundle at 2.6 MB. Highcharts comes in at 18.9 MB. A smaller bundle size means faster page loads, which improves user experience and Core Web Vitals scores.

Health Score Comparison

Apexcharts has an overall health score of 85/100 (very good), with strong maintenance, security, popularity scores. Highcharts has an overall health score of 73/100 (good), with strong security, popularity scores. Health scores are calculated from maintenance activity, code quality, security posture, popularity, and stability metrics.

When to Choose Each

Choose Apexcharts if you value large community support, actively maintained, strong security track record. Choose Highcharts if you value large community support, strong security track record.

Our Verdict

Both Apexcharts and Highcharts are solid choices for JavaScript development. Apexcharts has the edge in overall health score (85/100), while each package brings unique strengths to the table. Evaluate them based on your project's priorities — whether that's community size, bundle efficiency, or maintenance activity — and choose the one that aligns best with your requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is apexcharts better than highcharts?
It depends on your needs. Apexcharts has a health score of 85/100 while Highcharts scores 73/100. Highcharts has more weekly downloads (2.2M), suggesting broader adoption. Consider your specific requirements — bundle size, community support, and feature set — to decide which is the better fit.
Which has a smaller bundle size, apexcharts or highcharts?
Apexcharts has the smaller gzipped bundle at 2.6 MB. A smaller bundle means faster load times for your users, which can positively impact SEO and user experience.
How many developers use apexcharts vs highcharts?
Based on npm download statistics, Apexcharts has approximately 1.8M weekly downloads and Highcharts has approximately 2.2M weekly downloads. These numbers reflect package installations, not unique developers, but they indicate relative adoption levels.
Which is better maintained, apexcharts or highcharts?
Apexcharts currently has the higher overall health score at 85/100. Apexcharts has a maintenance score of 100/100 and Highcharts scores 60/100 on maintenance.

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