Lollipop Charts: Examples, Types, Best Practices, and How to Build One

Lollipop charts are a modern alternative to standard bar charts, designed for clear and precise comparisons. With their clean lines and focus on data points, they give you a way to present information efficiently without visual clutter.

In this guide, we explain what lollipop charts are, when to use them, how they work, design best practices, and step-by-step instructions for creating your own.

What is a lollipop chart?

A lollipop chart is a type of bar chart that uses a thin line connected to a dot to represent values across categories. The line shows the magnitude, while the dot highlights the exact value, making comparisons clear and the chart easy to read.

The visual structure is simple but effective: The line acts as a guide for your eye to follow from the category axis to the data point, while the dot highlights the specific value itself.

By emphasizing the dot and using more white space, lollipop charts reduce the visual weight found in traditional bar charts, making it easier to focus on and compare data points without overwhelming the viewer.

While it shares DNA with bar charts and dot plots, it sits comfortably in the middle. It has the structure of a bar chart but the precision and minimalism of a dot plot.

When to use a lollipop chart (and why)

Lollipop charts are versatile, but they work best for clear comparisons, especially when ranking categories, comparing multiple items, or drawing attention to individual data points.

Best use cases

Ranking categories

Just like bar charts, lollipop charts are excellent for ranking items from highest to lowest. Because the lines are thin, you can fit more categories into the same amount of space without the chart feeling cramped.

Comparing values across items

If you need to show how different sales regions, product lines, or team members are performing against each other, this chart type makes the comparison effortless. The dots align clearly, allowing the viewer to spot differences in magnitude instantly.

Emphasizing individual data points

Sometimes you want the viewer to focus on the exact value rather than the size of the bar. The “head” of the lollipop naturally draws the eye. If you add data labels inside or next to the dots, it emphasizes precision over general magnitude.

Their advantages

Lollipop charts offer several key advantages: reduced visual weight for a cleaner look, precise focus on exact values, and effective readability even with many categories.

• Reduced visual weight: By swapping a thick bar for a thin line, you strip away unnecessary “ink.” This creates a lighter, cleaner look that fits well in modern dashboards.
• Easier focus on exact values: The dot provides a clear target for the eye. It’s unambiguous where the value stops.
• Works well with many categories: If you have a data set with 20 or 30 categories, a bar chart can look like a solid wall of color. A lollipop chart maintains separation between items, keeping the data readable.

When not to use them

Avoid lollipop charts when:

• You have very small data sets: If you’re only comparing two or three items, a lollipop chart can look sparse and disconnected. A bar chart provides the necessary visual weight to make the data feel substantial.
• The bar length carries meaning beyond the end value: In some stacked charts, the thickness and volume of the bar are part of the story. Lollipop charts are generally not good for stacked data because it becomes difficult to see the segments clearly.

How lollipop charts work: The mechanics

A lollipop chart plots categories and their corresponding values on a standard Cartesian coordinate system with x and y axes, using a thin line to represent magnitude and a dot to mark the value for each category.

Axes

‍The horizontal x-axis lists your categories (nominal or ordinal data). The vertical y-axis represents the quantitative value (numerical data).

Baseline

‍The “stick” of the lollipop typically starts from a baseline of zero. This is crucial for accurate comparison. If the line doesn’t start at zero, you risk distorting the perception of the value’s magnitude, similar to truncating the axis on a bar chart.

Marker

‍The “candy” part of the lollipop marks the actual data value. While a circle is the standard shape, you can technically use other shapes like squares or diamonds, though circles are usually the most pleasing to the eye.

Orientation

‍You can orient these vertically or horizontally. Vertical lollipop charts are great when you have few categories or time-based data. Horizontal lollipop charts are often better when you have long category labels (like product names) because the text is easier to read without tilting your head.

Types and variants

Lollipop charts come in several variants, allowing you to adapt the design to match your specific data and comparison needs.

Vertical lollipop chart

This is the standard upright version. The categories are on the bottom (X-axis), and the values go up the y-axis. It works best when category labels are short and you want to emphasize height or growth.

Horizontal lollipop chart

Here, the categories are on the vertical axis, and the lines extend to the right. This is our go-to choice for ranking items with long names. It flows naturally from top to bottom, making it easy to read as a list.

Grouped lollipop chart

If you need to compare two data series side-by-side (for example, “2023 Sales” vs “2024 Sales” for different regions), you can place two lollipops next to each other for each category. You just need to ensure the colors are distinct, so the viewer knows which dot belongs to which year.

Diverging lollipop chart

This is a fantastic variation for showing positive and negative values. Imagine a chart showing profit and loss. The baseline sits in the middle at zero. Positive values extend to the right (or up), and negative values extend to the left (or down). It clearly separates the winners from the losers.

Design best practices and pitfalls

To create an effective lollipop chart, focus on thoughtful design choices that enhance clarity and keep your data easy to interpret.

Keep lines thin and dots prominent

The beauty of this chart is the contrast between the stick and the circle. If the line is too thick, it just looks like a weird bar chart. Keep the line subtle (gray is often a good choice) and make the dot larger and bolder to grab attention.

Use a consistent baseline

We mentioned this before, but it bears repeating. Unless you’re making a specific type of range plot (like a DNA chart), your lines should usually start at zero to maintain data integrity.

Limit color usage

You don’t need a different color for every single lollipop. That creates a “confetti” effect that’s distracting. Instead, use one primary color for all the dots, or use color strategically to highlight specific categories (like the top performer or your own company).

Avoid excessive labels and gridlines

Since the chart is minimal, your supporting elements should be too. You likely don’t need heavy gridlines. A light gray grid or no grid at all often works best. If you label the values directly on the dots, you might not even need an axis with numbers.

Sort categories intentionally

Unless there’s a natural order to your categories (like months of the year), you should almost always sort your data. Ranking from highest to lowest (or lowest to highest) makes the chart instantly more readable and useful.

Examples and storytelling tips

Lollipop charts are effective tools for compelling data storytelling because they make comparisons and trends easy to see without the visual weight of full bars. They work especially well when you want to highlight small differences, emphasize top performers, or show direction around a baseline.

Example 1: Revenue by product line

‍Imagine you have 15 different products. A bar chart would look dense and heavy. A horizontal lollipop chart, sorted by revenue, allows you to clearly see the rankings: the highest earners at the top and lower performers appear below. You could color the top three products in a bold blue and leave the rest in a neutral gray to tell the story: “These three products are driving our growth.”

Example 2: Performance scores by team

‍If you’re comparing customer service scores across 10 different teams, a lollipop chart works perfectly. When scores are close together (e.g., 4.2 vs 4.5), the dots make seeing the small gaps between teams easier than bars would. The chart helps the viewer quickly spot which teams are slightly ahead and which are slightly behind.

Example 3: Customer satisfaction by region (diverging chart)

‍If you’re measuring Net Promoter Score (NPS), which can be both positive and negative, a diverging lollipop chart is a powerful tool. Because of the central zero line, you can clearly see which regions are detractors (extending left or down) and which are promoters (extending right or up). This makes the overall balance of positive and negative performance across regions easy to understand at a glance.

Storytelling tips

• Annotate the outliers: If one lollipop is significantly longer or shorter than the rest, add a small text box explaining why. Context is king.
• Use color to draw attention: If you’re talking about a specific region in your presentation, highlight just that one lollipop in a bright color. It guides the audience’s eye exactly where you want it.
• Maintain white space: Don’t fear the empty space between the lines. That breathing room is what makes this chart type so elegant.

How to create a lollipop chart

Most spreadsheet tools don’t offer a dedicated lollipop chart option, but you can easily create one with a few extra steps.

Data setup

First, organize your data simply. You need two columns:

1. Category: The names of the items (e.g., Months, Products, Teams).
2. Value: The numbers associated with them.

Steps in spreadsheets (like Excel)

Creating this in Excel isn’t hard to do. Here is a simplified way to do it:

1. Select your data: Highlight your two columns.
2. Insert a chart: Go to the Insert tab. Don’t look for “Lollipop”; instead, insert a “Line Chart with Markers.”
3. Remove the connecting lines: Right-click on the line connecting the dots and choose “Format Data Series.” You want to set the “Line” option to “No Line.” Now you should just have floating dots.
4. Add Error Bars: This is the trick. With the series selected, add “Error Bars.”
5. Configure Error Bars: Go to the Error Bar options. Set the direction to “Minus” (so they go down/left toward the axis). Set the “End Style” to “No Cap.”
6. Set the percentage: For the error amount, choose “Percentage” and set it to 100 percent. This draws a line from your dot all the way down to zero.
7. Format: Now, thicken up those error bar lines to make them look like sticks, and increase the size of your markers (dots) to make them pop. You just built a lollipop chart!

Customization for dashboards

If you’re using BI tools like Domo, the process is often easier. For instance, you can use a dual-axis feature. You create one bar chart and one circle chart using the same measure, synchronize the axes, and then make the bars very thin.

Limitations and when to use alternatives

Lollipop charts aren’t ideal for every data set. They don’t work well for part-to-whole relationships, stacked or cumulative data, or situations where values are nearly identical and require precise comparison. Consider your data and goals before choosing this chart type.

Not ideal for part-to-whole relationships

‍If you’re trying to show how different segments make up a total (like market share), a stacked bar chart or a treemap is usually better. A stacked lollipop chart is hard to read because the “sticks” gets broken up, and the visual flow is lost.

Less effective for slight differences in large numbers

‍If you’re comparing values that are almost identical (e.g., 10,001 vs 10,005), the visual difference in the line length will be negligible. While the dot helps, sometimes a table is actually better for this level of precision.

Alternatives to consider

• Bar charts: Use these when you need heavy visual emphasis or have very few categories. They are substantial and familiar.
• Dot plots: Use these if the baseline (zero) matters less and you just want to compare the distribution of values along a scale.
• Line charts: Use these exclusively for trends over time with many time points. If you have 12 months of data, a line chart connects the narrative of “change” better than lollipops do.

Conclusion and key takeaways

Lollipop charts are a clear, space-saving alternative to traditional bar charts. Their simple design keeps the focus on data points, making them an excellent choice for readable, modern reports and presentations.

To recap the main points:

• Lollipop charts combine clarity and visual simplicity. They strip away the “ink” of a heavy bar chart to focus on what matters: the data point.
• They are best for ranking and comparison. Use them when you have many categories and need to show how they stack up against one another.
• Design matters. Keep your lines thin, your dots big, and your colors intentional to get the most impact.

Choose lollipop charts when you want a lighter, more precise look in your reports; they’ll make your data easier to understand and your presentations more effective.