Chart.js vs Apache ECharts
A data-driven comparison of two JavaScript charting libraries: popularity, development activity, licensing and installation. Updated .
Chart.jsCharts with the canvas tag.
Apache EChartsHighly customizable and interactive charts ready for big datasets.
Key differences
- Chart.js and Apache ECharts have a similar number of GitHub stars (67.7K vs 67.4K).
- Apache ECharts had more development activity over the last 12 months: 266 commits vs 21.
- Chart.js is downloaded 2.3× as often on npm (15.7M vs 6.7M per week).
- Chart.js is licensed under MIT; Apache ECharts under Apache-2.0.
- Chart.js is written primarily in JavaScript, Apache ECharts in TypeScript.
By the numbers
- Chart.js
- Apache ECharts
Show data as a table
| Metric | Chart.js | Apache ECharts |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | 67,733 | 67,449 |
| npm downloads / week | 15,670,895 | 6,709,995 |
| Commits, last 12 months | 21 | 266 |
| Contributors | 426 | 274 |
| Forks | 11,947 | 19,817 |
Development activity
Commits per month to each default branch, last 12 complete months.
- Chart.js
- Apache ECharts
Show data as a table
| Month | Chart.js | Apache ECharts |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 6 | 26 |
| Nov 2025 | 3 | 22 |
| Dec 2025 | 0 | 42 |
| Jan 2026 | 0 | 21 |
| Feb 2026 | 0 | 15 |
| Mar 2026 | 0 | 45 |
| Apr 2026 | 1 | 39 |
| May 2026 | 1 | 34 |
| Jun 2026 | 0 | 1 |
| Jul 2026 | 0 | 8 |
| Aug 2026 | 0 | 2 |
| Sep 2026 | 10 | 11 |
Side by side
| Attribute | Chart.js | Apache ECharts |
|---|---|---|
| Description | Charts with the canvas tag. | Highly customizable and interactive charts ready for big datasets. |
| Category | JavaScript charting libraries | JavaScript charting libraries |
| License | MIT | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | JavaScript | TypeScript |
| Status | Active | Active |
| Latest release | v4.5.1 () | 6.1.0 () |
| Last commit | ||
| Repository created | ||
| Open issues | 499 | 1,294 |
| Install | npm install chart.js | npm install echarts |
Which should you choose?
Popularity and activity are only part of the story. Consider which ecosystem you work in, the chart types and interactions you need, how much data you render, and whether the license fits your project. Both tool pages list alternatives if neither is quite right.
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Chart.js
Charts with the canvas tag.
-
Apache ECharts
Highly customizable and interactive charts ready for big datasets.