Last update 8/31/2019

Excel Data Visualization Tools
Open Source Data Visualization Tools

10 Free Data Visualization Tools. Data visualization can change not only how you look at data but how fast and effectively you can make decisions. But investing in these tools can be expensive for. CDAT (Climate Data Analysis Tools) is an open-source, Python-based environment for scientific calculations and graphics with focus on the needs of climate modelers.It is coordinated by the Program for Climate Model Diagnosis and Intercomparison. Chart Tools for Mac is is a professional Excel solution to create advanced live charts and widgets. Chart Tools for Mac is is a professional Excel solution to create advanced live charts and widgets. QueryTree is a completely web-based tool focused on building powerful data visualization with a simple drag and drop interface. It’s very easy to set up and doesn’t require any code – you simply connect to your MySQL, PostgreSQL, or Microsoft SQL database (it only needs read-only access).

Software designed for ease of use

DataGraph

Compatibility: Cocoa-based. Older versions compatible with 10.4.
Version: 4.4
Price: $90 (free trial with some features disabled)
Listing updated 8/2019. Software updated 8/2019.
Published by: VisualDataTools.com

Developer David Adalsteinsson wrote this $40 program in Cocoa, so it is native to OS X. It grew out of DataTank and shares underlying graphics code, but is limited to two-dimensional graphing; the design is “simple and powerful,” with an emphasis on publication-quality output. Amazingly, DataGraph reads in CricketGraph files, creates animations, and can be called from Automator or the command line. Version 4 is increasingly able to work with R.

Thunderplot

Version: 1.15
Listing updated 8/2019. Software updated 2018.
64-bit. Signed.
Published by: Thunderplot

Thunderplot, a native Mac program, was created for quick data visualization; a native Mac program. Its programmer, Vadim Kalinsky, wrote: “It parses contaminated data (like ‘64 bytes from 8.8.8.8’), supports numeric and time axis, expressions, multiple datasets, multiple curves, works quickly with large datasets, has simple and responsive interface, and exports to jpeg/png/etc. It is available in the Apple Store (not currently in the US), and a non-sandboxed (but signed) version is available.”

Our initial impressions are that it is very easy to use, and the snapshot feature should prove very handy to web publishers. The program takes up just 4 MB of space and around 25 MB of RAM, other than data. Despite our poor snapshot, it is capable of sophisticated graphics and has numerous controls.

Kaleidagraph

Configurations: 68000 (older versions); PowerPC (older versions); Intel; Mac OS 10.4 - 10.13.x
Current Version: 4.5.4
Price: $200 (academic $140); crossgrades $100; upgrades $60
Listing updated: 11/12/2018
Software last updated: March 2018

Kaleidagraph is a (dual-platform) data analysis and graphing application published by Synergy Software. A demo is available. Kaleidagaph's promotional materials promise essentially everything offered by DeltaGraph and then some. The Universal Binary update did not appear until August 2009, but it came with Intel-Mac optimization at long last, along with the use of QuickTime for export, which provides extra features.

Users have written in to say that Kaleidagraph can easily tabulate, normalize, and combine data sets, make numerical calculations of theoretical expressions for comparisons with the measured data points, make publication-quality graphs with little effort.

James P. Conner pointed out, 'KaleidaGraph can handle 1,000 columns and one million rows, while Delta Graph is (last time I looked) limited to 256 columns and 32K rows. Also, K-Graph's statistical functions have been expanded significantly in the last two releases, and are much more useful than D-Graph's.'

The program has been kept updated, despite a web site with a 2013 copyright date; when we checked in November 2018, the last update had been in March. However, it’s hard to take the company seriously if it does not have signed software, or any mention of the current operating system after it’s been out for over a month (even if it’s just saying “don’t upgrade yet.”)

Lively Logic

Configurations: OS X Mavericks, El Capitan, and Sierra
Price: $20 (Mac App Store)
Version: 1.5.4
Listing updated: 11/2018 (software updated 2018) https://cleverti.weebly.com/blog/spotify-premium-free-ios-132.

From Ripeware, Lively Logic imports data from CSV files to create line graphs, scatter plots, bar graphs, bubble graphs, candlestick charts, pie charts, and tables. It has 75 functions, automatic updating of when data changes, and customization of graph elements. Available in the Mac App Store, it gained axis auto-scaling, better graph panning/scaling by dragging axes, best-fit curves, and support for Retina displays with version 1.1.

MagicPlot

Configurations: Windows, Mac OS X, Linux; 2 MB and does not require installation (Java program)
Student version: Free but limited. Pro: $198, trial available; includes custom fit equations, data and batch processing, vector export, and more.
Version: 2.8
Listing updated: 11/12/2018. Software updated: sometime after Jan. 2017
Appears to be under active development.

MagicPlot is used for scientific and engineering data analysis, graphing, nonlinear curve fitting, and multi-peak fitting. The Pro version program has publication quality customizable plots with multiple axes, text table import with previews, data manipulation, FFT, integration, differentiation, histograms, and other statistics, with multiple undos (some of these features are on the free student version as well).

The software is relatively easy to use and nicely featured, but as a Java program, does not use standard Mac open/close dialogue boxes, so finding files may be hard depending on your file structure. The system is simple enough — fill a table with data, add formulas if desired, choose the type of table you want, and select a large number of options from the dialogue boxes which appear next. It takes a short time to get acquainted but is far easier to learn than many graphing programs; basic statistics are provided. The program can guess the most appropriate fit line, but lets users choose a method if desired.

pro Fit

Configurations: OS X 10.8 or later
Current Version: 7.0.9
Price: $95; upgrade, $55
Report updated: 1/5/2017

pro Fit is a data analysis and plotting software package from QuantumSoft. Dave [not me] wrote: '..it has an extensive Applescript dictionary, ability to handle large data sets well (I've done graphs with hundreds of thousands of points), can be extended by writing plug ins or adding formulas that you create, does great curve fitting. I consider it much more feature complete than Kaliedagraph and far more intuitive than Igor Pro. They have excellent customer support, usually getting back to you within 24 hours if you have a bug report or feature request.' We have observed that ProFit is frequently updated which indicates it is well supported (2010).

“pro Fit is a Macintosh (Mac OS) application for data/function analysis, plotting, and curve fitting. It is used by scientists and engineers to analyze their measurements and the mathematical models they use to describe them. Scientists or students can define any mathematical function and use it to model their data, finding by linear or nonlinear curve fitting the function parameters that best describe their observations. Moreover, they can use a number of tools for the mathematical and statistical analysis of functions and data sets, and they can produce aesthetically pleasing graphical representations for their scientific reports.”

Version 6.1 changes: now Universal Binary; new tool for multidimensional curve fitting; revamped rendering engine for plots with native Core Graphics, PDF, and PostScript support; additions to the scripting language; more. Version 6.2: Python support, extended fitting, more data processing, higher performance.

PublishPlot

MacOS 10.6 (Snow Leopard) through 10.9
Current version: 1.2
Price: $10
Report updated: January 2, 2017

PublishPlot was created to turn any collection of data (in flexible plain-text formats) into publication-quality plots, written by a journal editor. The writer claims that all features of the plot can be customized, and that it can be scaled while conserving relative sizes; plots can be annotated with labels and arrows; and simple transformations are included. Available from the Mac

Data Visualization Tool For Mac