Online chart video maker

Turn changing trends into an animated line chart race

A line chart race follows how values change over time: the rises, falls, gaps, and crossings between a few comparable series. Start with a clear question, consistent units, and a small set of trajectories your audience can follow.

Create a Line chart Try a sample request

From an idea to your first Line chart

How did internet use change in Mexico, China, and Indonesia from 2000 to 2023? Start with one metric, a few comparable series, and a period. The illustrative request below is a starting point, not a generated dataset or a promise of source coverage.

Review the request in the same tab after signing in, then choose Use this illustrative request in Generate Dataset. The fields stay editable; nothing is generated automatically, and an existing draft is kept. In an existing project, select and copy each value into its matching field using Data / Edit data → AI Assistant → Generate Dataset.

Metric to track: Individuals using the Internet (% of population), from ITU via World Bank indicator IT.NET.USER.ZS. Use annual source observations and keep source references. Flag missing observations; do not invent or fill them.
Entities to compare (optional): Mexico, China, Indonesia
Period to cover: 2000–2023

Review the proposal against the ITU via World Bank internet-use source before choosing Create Chart, or Replace current data in an existing project. Check dates, references, and the percentage unit: these are population shares, not user counts. Missing observations are not zero. AI may use credits and does not guarantee correct or complete data; a proposal only becomes chart data when you apply it voluntarily.

Then choose Chart → Chart Type → Line; the request itself does not select the type. In Fields, confirm Time Column or Order Source, Entity Column, and Value / Metric Column, with dates in chronological order. Multiple dates are needed for trajectories; Ranking snapshot is static. Motion between observations is interpolation, not extra measurements or proof of annual growth.

Review this request Adapt the request & follow the native steps →

Already have exact observations? Import your reviewed table, or watch the accepted Line example & download its starter CSV. That example uses six selected years; this request asks for annual observations if available, so it does not reproduce the example automatically.

Native Line example · starter data

Follow internet adoption over time.

A Line chart follows each country’s trend across 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, 2020, and 2023. Compare Mexico, China, and Indonesia using percent of population, with country flags and a visible source credit.

Internet use rose across three countries

Share of the population using the internet in Mexico, China, and Indonesia, across six selected years from 2000 to 2023.

This is an illustrative subset, not a representative sample or a global ranking. Values are selected World Bank observations rounded to one decimal place. Animation between observations is visual interpolation, not additional data. Selected observations are spaced equally in the animation, including the shorter 2020–2023 interval; playback speed does not measure annual growth.

Source: ITU via World Bank · CC BY 4.0. Selected and rounded for this example.

Flag graphics: Flagcdn by Flagpedia. Public-domain flags.

Make a Line chart Download starter CSV

Line chart example · 9:16 · free native export

Recreate this Line example in ChartGlow

Download the starter CSV, open New chart, and sign in if asked. In an existing chart, use Data → Add data → CSV / Excel File. Review the 18 rows and three columns, then choose Replace data.
In Fields, set Entity Column to country, Time Column to year (ascending), and Value / Metric Column to value. These numbers are percentages, not user counts.
Choose Chart Type → Line and Format → Portrait. Apply Platform Safe Zones → Universal. Set Y Min to 0, Y Max to 100, and turn Dynamic X Scale off to keep the full six-step timeline visible.
Use Data → Tools → Add country flags with country as the name column. In Fields, associate flag with Floating Image Source and Flag Pattern Source; check Mexico, China, and Indonesia in Preview.
After adding flags, return to Fields and set Decimals to 1. Use the Classic theme, rectangular flag images, a 10-second chart duration, a title, the percentage unit, and the ITU / World Bank source. The native export adds its final hold. Turn Show Summary off: adding national percentages would be misleading. Keep the free watermark.
Wait for Saved, reload, and review Preview on desktop and mobile. Export MP4 at 1080p / 30 FPS (the quality used here, offered on the free account), open the received file, and watch through crossings and the end. Brief crossings are normal when labels recover.

The CSV contains only the 18 selected observations, rounded to one decimal place. There are no interpolated rows. The years are not equally spaced in calendar time, so use the labeled observations rather than animation speed to compare change.

Preparing your own data? Read the CSV racing chart guide →

Before interpreting the race, check selected rankings, units, percentages, and interpolation. Four existing data stories show common mistakes and how to correct them.

Preparing a video to share? Follow the social video preparation & MP4 export guide for safe zones, flags, readable labels, and checks on the received file.

Line chart race or bar chart race?

Choose the format from the question you want viewers to answer. The same time-series table can tell a different story in each format.

Lines: how did the values change?

Use lines to follow trends, widening gaps, or crossings over time. Start with 2–5 comparable trajectories for a phone-sized video; this is a readability recommendation, not a product limit.

For example, compare how a rate changed in three countries. Keep the same unit for every series and show the source and period. Our US–China–India life expectancy analysis shows how lines make a narrowing gap easier to follow, with the limits of the selected observations explained.

Bars: who leads at each moment?

Use ordered bars when changes in the ranking are the main story. The native Internet and Mobile examples show six-country samples with flags, source credits, and downloadable starter CSVs.

Browse the Bar and Line example library →

Open New chart

Sign in if needed, open New chart from your dashboard, then choose Chart → Chart Type → Line after adding data. The library labels each video’s actual type; review your own preview and MP4 after importing its data.

Best for

When to use a line chart race maker

Prices, revenue, and performance trends
Scientific and economic time series
Stories built around crossovers or momentum

History stays visible

Viewers can understand how each series reached its current position, not only the final ranking.

Animated transitions

Motion between observations helps reveal change. Those intermediate frames are visual interpolation, not extra measurements.

Progressive timeline

Use Chart → Dynamic X Scale to reveal the time range progressively, or turn it off to show the full range.

Workflow

From raw data to a finished video

01
Add data and choose Line
Open New chart and import your reviewed table, choose a starter under Try real data, or adapt the sample request on this page in Generate with AI → Metric over time. Review the proposal before Create Chart. Then select Chart → Chart Type → Line and confirm the three Fields mappings, units, dates, and gaps.
02
Make the story readable
On mobile, open Open chart settings to reach the controls. Add the title, unit, period, and source in Labels. Keep country flags or relevant images with verified rights. Choose the final Chart → Format, then Platform Safe Zones → Universal for 9:16 or 4:5. Check names, axes, and sources in the preview at phone size.
03
Review the received MP4
Wait for Saved, reload, and confirm your settings. Play and seek through the preview, then Export and open the received MP4. Watch the beginning, middle, end, and dense crossings before, during, and after. Check that readability recovers and motion remains coherent.

Questions

Common questions about line chart race maker

ChartGlow keeps the workflow simple while leaving the visual and data controls in your hands.

How many lines should I start with?

For a phone-sized video, start with 2–5 trajectories and check whether each stays easy to follow. This is an editorial recommendation, not a product limit. More series can work when the labels, spacing, and story remain clear.

Can the time range reveal progressively?

Yes. Chart → Dynamic X Scale is available for Line. Turn it on to extend the time range as playback advances; turn it off for the full range. Review the axes and labels in your final preview and MP4.

What should I do with missing observations?

Check the source before filling gaps: an unknown value is not zero. Fill Missing Values carries a previous value forward, so use it only when that interpretation is justified. Explain any transformation and keep the source and licence with your chart.

Is a brief crossing a rendering problem?

A brief crossing can be normal. Watch a few moments before, during, and after it in both the preview and the exported MP4. Look for recovery of readability and coherent movement. Persistent clipping, disappearing labels, or erratic motion need correction before sharing.

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