chart.js
Simple HTML5 charts using the canvas element.
12.7M weekly downloads · 66.8 KB gzip · Health 67/100
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Comparison guide
Chart.js vs Recharts
Chart.js is framework-agnostic at 213KB. Recharts is React-only at 290KB but with better composability. Compare DX, customization, and bundle size for 2026.
Quick Verdict
Smallest Bundle
Chart.js
66.8 KB gzipped
Most Popular
Recharts
57.4M weekly downloads
Best Maintained
Recharts
100/100 maintenance score
Highest Quality
Chart.js
50/100 quality score
Overall Pick
Recharts
Best all-around based on popularity, size, maintenance & quality
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Choosing between Chart.js and Recharts? 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
Recharts leads with 57.4M weekly downloads — roughly 4.5x more. Chart.js has 12.7M weekly downloads. Higher download counts generally indicate broader community adoption and a larger ecosystem of tutorials, plugins, and support.
Bundle Size
Chart.js has the smallest gzipped bundle at 66.8 KB. Recharts comes in at 148.0 KB. A smaller bundle size means faster page loads, which improves user experience and Core Web Vitals scores.
Health Score Comparison
Recharts has an overall health score of 85/100 (very good), with strong maintenance, security, popularity scores. Chart.js has an overall health score of 67/100 (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 Chart.js if you value massive community and ecosystem, strong security track record. Choose Recharts if you value massive community and ecosystem, actively maintained, strong security track record.
Our Verdict
Both Chart.js and Recharts are solid choices for JavaScript development. Recharts 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 chart.js better than recharts?
- It depends on your needs. Chart.js has a health score of 67/100 while Recharts scores 85/100. Recharts has more recorded weekly downloads (57.4M). Consider your specific requirements — bundle size, community support, and feature set — to decide which is the better fit.
- Which has a smaller bundle size, chart.js or recharts?
- Chart.js has the smaller gzipped bundle at 66.8 KB. A smaller bundle means faster load times for your users, which can positively impact SEO and user experience.
- How many developers use chart.js vs recharts?
- Recharts has more recorded weekly downloads (57.4M). Download counts reflect package installations, not unique developers.
- Which is better maintained, chart.js or recharts?
- Recharts has a maintenance score of 100/100. Chart.js scores 40/100 and Recharts scores 100/100 on maintenance.
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The 2026 JavaScript Stack Cheatsheet
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