Chart types
Sparkline maker
Small, word-sized trend lines for KPI cards, dashboards and reports.
No credit card. Free while in beta.
The basics
What a sparkline is, and when to use one.
A sparkline is a small line chart with no axes or gridlines, built to show the shape of a trend in a word-sized space. Edward Tufte coined the term and described them as small, intense, word-sized graphics.
In Lightchart, sparklines are their own chart type, tuned to read clearly at small sizes and to sit beside a KPI card.
- Next to a KPI card, to show where the number has been.
- In a row of metrics, where full charts would take too much space.
- Weekly or monthly updates where direction matters more than exact values.
- Dashboards and Slack images where space is tight.
Step by step
Make a sparkline.
- Step 1
Paste a single series
Sparklines show one series of values, like weekly signups.
- Step 2
Keep it minimal
There are no axes by default. Choose straight or smooth, and set the line width.
- Step 3
Add an area fill and export
Turn on Area Fill to make the shape easier to read, then export it as part of your card.
Styling & export
Make it match your brand, then export.
- Area fill under the line.
- Line width, point size and point style.
- Optional value labels.
- Pairs with metric cards on the same card.
Related
Other chart types.
Browse everything on the chart types hub, or start at the homepage.
Frequently asked questions
What is a sparkline?
A tiny line chart without axes that shows the shape of a trend in a word-sized space.
How are sparklines different from line charts?
A sparkline drops the axes, gridlines and labels to focus on shape. Use a full line chart when the exact values matter.
Can I put a sparkline next to a KPI?
Yes. Place a sparkline beside or under a metric card on the same card.
Make your sparkline now.
No credit card. Free while in beta.