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Head-to-head · Data Visualization Software

Plotly vs Matplotlib

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 3 checks side by side
Higher score Plotly #6 in Data Visualization Software 8.6/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 2 of 2 features Visit Plotly
Matplotlib #8 in Data Visualization Software 8.4/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 2 features Visit Matplotlib

Plotly leads on 0 checks, Matplotlib on 0, and 3 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 3 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scorePlotly · 8.6/10
  • Free planboth
  • Most featuresPlotly · 2 of 2

Plotly scores higher on our rubric for data visualization software: 8.6 against 8.4 out of 10; our editors rank them #6 and #8.

On dashboard type, Matplotlib gives you Both where Plotly offers Interactive.

Plotly is the better fit for developers building interactive visual apps. Matplotlib is the better fit for python users creating publication-quality plots.

  • Plotly fits best

    Developers building interactive visual apps

  • Matplotlib fits best

    Python users creating publication-quality plots

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Side by side

Feature Plotly 8.6/10 Visit ↗ Matplotlib 8.4/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.6 8.4
Ranking #6 in Data Visualization Software #8 in Data Visualization Software
Best for Developers building interactive visual apps Python users creating publication-quality plots
Pricing model Free plan + paid Free
Starting price $290/seat/yr Free plan
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Cloud, Self-hosted, Desktop Self-hosted, Desktop
Platforms Web, Windows, macOS Web, Windows, macOS, Linux
Support Tickets, Docs, Email Community, Docs
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Plotly 2/2 · Matplotlib 1/2
Scheduled refresh ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Embedded dashboards ✓ ✓
Specs
Dashboard type Interactive Both
Data sources Snowflake, Databricks, BigQuery, PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQL Server, MotherDuck, Oracle, CSV, and anything Python can connect to Python lists, NumPy arrays
Viewer limit 10 viewers Not checked yet
Platform Web_and_desktop Web_and_desktop
Our review
Pros
  • 70+ chart and trace types with rich interactive controls
  • Open-source libraries plus Dash and self-hosted deployment
  • Broad notebook, cloud, database, and app-platform integrations
  • Publication-quality plots with extensive visual customization
  • Supports static, animated, and interactive visualizations
  • Exports to PNG, SVG, PDF, and PS formats
Cons
  • The suite spans several products rather than one packaged application
  • Enterprise governance is narrower than dedicated BI platforms
  • Plotly-branded apps are part of the Free plan
  • Requires Python-based plotting rather than a no-code workflow
  • Not positioned as a hosted dashboard service
  • No published scheduling or collaboration features
Our verdict

Plotly is a suite of open-source graphing libraries and data application tools for developers, data scientists, engineers, analysts, researchers, and organizations building interactive visualizations. Its scope includes Python and…

Read the review →

Matplotlib is an open-source Python library for creating static, animated, and interactive visualizations. It is aimed at Python developers, researchers, analysts, and scientific computing teams that need programmable charting and…

Read the review →
  1. PlotlyData Visualization Software 8.6Free plan
  2. MatplotlibData Visualization Software 8.4Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Plotly — where it wins

    • 70+ chart and trace types with rich interactive controls
    • Open-source libraries plus Dash and self-hosted deployment
    • Broad notebook, cloud, database, and app-platform integrations

    Where it doesn't

    • The suite spans several products rather than one packaged application
    • Enterprise governance is narrower than dedicated BI platforms
    • Plotly-branded apps are part of the Free plan

  • Matplotlib — where it wins

    • Publication-quality plots with extensive visual customization
    • Supports static, animated, and interactive visualizations
    • Exports to PNG, SVG, PDF, and PS formats

    Where it doesn't

    • Requires Python-based plotting rather than a no-code workflow
    • Not positioned as a hosted dashboard service
    • No published scheduling or collaboration features
  • Plotly8.6/10 · Free plan

    A flexible choice for developers building interactive charts, maps, dashboards, and data apps.

    Visit PlotlyFull verdict →
  • Matplotlib8.4/10 · Free plan

    A highly customizable Python plotting library for charts, notebooks, and scientific work.

    Visit MatplotlibFull verdict →

More comparisons

All data visualization software comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update