Matplotlib vs Plotly

Struggling to choose between Matplotlib and Plotly? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

Matplotlib is a Photos & Graphics solution with tags like plotting, graphs, charts, visualization, python.

It boasts features such as 2D plotting, Publication quality output, Support for many plot types (line, bar, scatter, histogram etc), Extensive customization options, IPython/Jupyter notebook integration, Animations and interactivity, LaTeX support for mathematical typesetting and pros including Mature and feature-rich, Large user community and extensive documentation, Highly customizable, Integrates well with NumPy, Pandas and SciPy, Output can be saved to many file formats.

On the other hand, Plotly is a Data Visualization product tagged with python, r, javascript, excel, data-analysis, data-visualization, interactive, charts, graphs, dashboards.

Its standout features include Interactive data visualization, Support for Python, R, JavaScript, Excel, 2D and 3D plotting, Statistical charts, Dashboards, Collaboration tools, Exporting and sharing, and it shines with pros like User-friendly, High-quality visualizations, Cross-platform compatibility, Open source and free, Large gallery of examples, Active community support.

To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison of these two products, delving into their features, pros, cons, pricing, and more. Get ready to explore the nuances that set them apart and determine which one is the perfect fit for your requirements.

Matplotlib

Matplotlib

Matplotlib is a comprehensive 2D plotting library for Python that allows users to create a wide variety of publication-quality graphs, charts, and visualizations. It integrates well with NumPy and Pandas data structures.

Categories:
Photos & Graphics Data Visualization
plotting graphs charts visualization python

Matplotlib Features

  1. 2D plotting
  2. Publication quality output
  3. Support for many plot types (line, bar, scatter, histogram etc)
  4. Extensive customization options
  5. IPython/Jupyter notebook integration
  6. Animations and interactivity
  7. LaTeX support for mathematical typesetting

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

Mature and feature-rich

Large user community and extensive documentation

Highly customizable

Integrates well with NumPy, Pandas and SciPy

Output can be saved to many file formats

Cons

Steep learning curve

Plotting code can be verbose

3D plotting support is limited

Cannot do web visualization (unlike Bokeh or Plotly)

Plotly

Plotly

Plotly is an open-source graphing library for Python, R, JavaScript, and Excel. It allows users to create interactive, publication-quality graphs, charts, and dashboards that can be embedded in websites and apps. Plotly is useful for data analysis and visualization.

Categories:
Data Visualization Interactive Charting
python r javascript excel data-analysis data-visualization interactive charts graphs dashboards

Plotly Features

  1. Interactive data visualization
  2. Support for Python, R, JavaScript, Excel
  3. 2D and 3D plotting
  4. Statistical charts
  5. Dashboards
  6. Collaboration tools
  7. Exporting and sharing

Pricing

  • Freemium
  • Subscription-based

Pros

User-friendly

High-quality visualizations

Cross-platform compatibility

Open source and free

Large gallery of examples

Active community support

Cons

Steep learning curve

Limited customization compared to matplotlib

Online dependency for full functionality

Freemium pricing model limits features