Bar Chart
Compare values across time periods or categories. Ideal for: Monthly revenue comparison, CAC by acquisition channel, headcount growth by quarter, feature adoption by user segment.
Best for: Discrete comparisons where the difference between values matters more than trends.
Line Chart
Track continuous trends over time. Ideal for: MRR growth trajectory, retention cohort curves, NPS trend over 12 months, daily active users over rolling 30 days.
Best for: Spotting trends, inflection points, and acceleration or deceleration in key metrics.
Gauge / Donut
Show progress toward a target or the proportion of a whole. Ideal for: Fundraising progress, roadmap completion %, ESOP utilisation, market penetration rate, compliance score.
Best for: Single-metric status against a defined target — instant visual health check.
Number / KPI Tile
Surface a single critical metric with period-over-period delta. Ideal for: Current MRR, cash balance, active customers, burn rate, runway months, open headcount.
Best for: Executive summaries where a single number tells the story at a glance.