Comparison
Bullet Chart
A compact bar with reference markers that replaces gauges and meters for KPI dashboards.
Sales Team Quota Progress
Closed revenue vs quarterly quota ($150K)
View data (6 rows)
| Closed | Rep | Quota | Poor | OK | Good |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 168000 | James M. | 150000 | 75000 | 112000 | 150000 |
| 155000 | Carlos D. | 150000 | 75000 | 112000 | 150000 |
| 142000 | Sarah K. | 150000 | 75000 | 112000 | 150000 |
| 130000 | Aisha T. | 150000 | 75000 | 112000 | 150000 |
| 112000 | Mike L. | 150000 | 75000 | 112000 | 150000 |
| 98000 | Priya R. | 150000 | 75000 | 112000 | 150000 |
Use a bullet chart when…
- KPI dashboards
- Showing actual vs target
- Space-constrained displays
Avoid when…
- General category comparison
- Time series data
Data it needs
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Min Rows | 1 |
| Min Columns | 3 |
| Column Types | stringnumber |
Visual anatomy
Marks
rectanglequalitative-band
Channels
lengthcolor-saturation
Axes
x-quantitative
Guiding principles
Consider instead
Common mistakes
Missing the target reference line
Not defining what the background shading zones mean
Orienting vertically when horizontal is more readable
History
Designed by Stephen Few in 2005 as a better alternative to dashboard gauges.
Accessibility notes
Provide actual vs target as text and pick band colors that remain distinguishable for color-vision-deficient readers (e.g., light-medium-dark luminance, not red-amber-green alone).
Related reading
Got data? Let's see what works.
Drop your CSV. You'll get a Bullet Chart plus four alternatives - ranked by which one actually fits your data best.