They look similar, but the hollow center of a donut chart changes more than you might think — here is what matters for your data.
A donut chart is a pie chart with the center cut out. Both show parts of a whole and read the same way; the donut leaves room in the middle for a total or a label, and some people find arc length easier to judge than slice area. Pick a pie chart when you want the plainest, largest slices, and a donut when you want a number in the center or a lighter look.
| Feature | Pie Chart | Donut Chart |
|---|---|---|
| Shows part-to-whole | ||
| Center space for labels or KPIs | ||
| Easy to compare slice sizes | Moderate | Slightly harder |
| Works well in dashboards | Good | Excellent |
| Visual emphasis on individual slices | ||
| Supports nested rings | ||
| Modern aesthetic | Classic | Contemporary |
| Audience familiarity | Very high | High |
Use the editor below to create your own pie chart. Customize colors, labels, and export to any format.
Pie charts are the default choice. In this site's download log, 79.0% of downloaded charts were pies and 19.5% were doughnuts, so about four in five people keep the classic shape and one in five switch to the ring.
The editor draws either from the same data. Switching between them is one click, so you can try the donut and go back without re-entering anything.
| Pie charts | 79.0% | of downloads |
|---|---|---|
| Doughnut charts | 19.5% | of downloads |
| Median slices per chart | 4 |
Source: this site's own download log (15,737 chart downloads from January 29 to October 3, 2026), counted by us on October 3, 2026. Anonymous: no chart contents are stored.