# Datashader vs VisPy

## Key differences

- VisPy and Datashader have a similar number of GitHub stars (3.6K vs 3.6K).
- Datashader had more development activity over the last 12 months: 74 commits vs 63.
- VisPy is downloaded 1.4× as often on PyPI (151.7K vs 105.9K per week).
- Both are released under the BSD-3-Clause license.
- VisPy is the older project: its repository was created in 2013, Datashader's in 2015.

| | Datashader | VisPy |
|---|---|---|
| Description | Renders very large datasets into accurate images by rasterizing them. | High-performance scientific visualization based on OpenGL. |
| GitHub stars | 3,570 | 3,608 |
| Commits (12 months) | 74 | 63 |
| Contributors | 63 | 174 |
| License | BSD-3-Clause | BSD-3-Clause |
| Language | Python | Python |
| Status | Active | Active |
| Install | `pip install datashader` | `pip install vispy` |

Source: https://awesomedataviz.com/compare/datashader-vs-vispy/ · Data updated 2026-11-01 · Content: CC BY 4.0, Awesome Dataviz (https://awesomedataviz.com).