Chart.js vs Frappe Charts
A data-driven comparison of two JavaScript charting libraries: popularity, development activity, licensing and installation. Updated .
Chart.jsCharts with the canvas tag.
Frappe ChartsSimple, responsive SVG charts with zero dependencies.
Key differences
- Chart.js has 4.5× as many GitHub stars as Frappe Charts (67.7K vs 15.1K).
- Chart.js had more development activity over the last 12 months: 21 commits vs 0.
- Chart.js is downloaded 149× as often on npm (15.7M vs 105.5K per week).
- Both are released under the MIT license.
- Chart.js is the older project: its repository was created in 2013, Frappe Charts's in 2017.
- Frappe Charts has had no commits since Dec 12, 2024.
By the numbers
- Chart.js
- Frappe Charts
Show data as a table
| Metric | Chart.js | Frappe Charts |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | 67,736 | 15,088 |
| npm downloads / week | 15,712,249 | 105,496 |
| Commits, last 12 months | 21 | 0 |
| Contributors | 426 | 47 |
| Forks | 11,948 | 752 |
Development activity
Commits per month to each default branch, last 12 complete months.
- Chart.js
- Frappe Charts
Show data as a table
| Month | Chart.js | Frappe Charts |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 6 | 0 |
| Nov 2025 | 3 | 0 |
| Dec 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| Jan 2026 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 2026 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 2026 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 2026 | 1 | 0 |
| May 2026 | 1 | 0 |
| Jun 2026 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 2026 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 2026 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 2026 | 10 | 0 |
Side by side
| Attribute | Chart.js | Frappe Charts |
|---|---|---|
| Description | Charts with the canvas tag. | Simple, responsive SVG charts with zero dependencies. |
| Category | JavaScript charting libraries | JavaScript charting libraries |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language | JavaScript | JavaScript |
| Status | Active | Inactive |
| Latest release | v4.5.1 () | v1.6.3 () |
| Last commit | ||
| Repository created | ||
| Open issues | 499 | 129 |
| Install | npm install chart.js | npm install frappe-charts |
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.
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Frappe Charts
Simple, responsive SVG charts with zero dependencies.