- Pie or donut charts should be avoided when there are many categories.
- Too many slices make it hard to compare values accurately.
- They also become confusing if values are very similar.
- In one project, a pie chart with 15 product categories was unreadable.
- We replaced it with a sorted bar chart for clarity.
- Pie charts are also poor for showing trends over time.
- They work best for a few categories that sum to a meaningful whole.
- If exact comparison is needed, bars or columns are usually better.
When should a pie or donut chart be avoided?
Updated on February 24, 2026
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