# Grouped Bar Chart

**Category:** charts  
**Short Description:** A chart that displays multiple bars for each category to compare different metrics or groups side by side.  
**Last Updated:** 2026-05-30T00:00:00Z

## Definition

A grouped bar chart (also known as a clustered bar chart) arranges multiple bars side by side within each category group, allowing direct comparison of different metrics or data series across categories. Each group of bars represents a category, with individual bars showing different measurements or variables within that category. This arrangement facilitates comparison both within categories (between different metrics) and across categories (the same metric across different groups).

## Examples

- Monthly comparison of sales, returns, and exchanges over a quarter, allowing direct comparison of all three metrics for each month

## FAQs

### What is a grouped bar chart?

A grouped bar chart — also called a clustered bar chart — shows two categorical dimensions at once by placing a small cluster of bars within each main category, one bar per sub-category. For example, revenue by quarter (main) split by region (sub), with the region bars sitting side by side in each quarter. It lets readers compare sub-categories within a group and the same sub-category across groups.

### When should I use a grouped bar chart instead of a stacked one?

Group when readers need to compare the sub-categories directly — because every bar shares the same zero baseline, side-by-side bars are easy to compare. Stack when the total of the sub-categories is the main point and the parts are secondary. In short: grouped emphasizes comparison between parts; stacked emphasizes the whole and composition.

### How many groups and sub-categories can it handle?

Keep it small: roughly up to 3–4 sub-categories per group and a modest number of groups, or the clusters become a dense picket fence. Beyond that, comparisons get hard and colors blur. If you exceed it, consider small multiples (one mini bar chart per sub-category), a heat map, or a dot plot, all of which scale to more categories than clustered bars.

### How should I order the bars in each group?

Keep the sub-category order identical in every group so readers can scan the same color in the same position across groups — consistency is what makes a grouped bar chart readable. Order the main groups by their natural sequence (time) or by total value (for ranking). Use a single consistent color per sub-category across all groups, mapped via the legend.

### Grouped bar chart vs small multiples — which is clearer?

Grouped bars are compact and good when you have few sub-categories and want direct side-by-side comparison. Small multiples (a grid of separate mini charts, one per sub-category, on shared axes) scale to more categories and make within-series trends clearer, at the cost of more space. Choose grouped bars for tight comparison of a few series; choose small multiples when you have many series or care about each series' own pattern.

## Related Terms

### Alternatives

- **[Stacked Bar Chart](/resources/glossary/charts/stacked-bar-chart)**: Shows part-to-whole relationships instead of direct comparisons

### Similar Terms

- **[Horizontal Bar Chart](/resources/glossary/charts/horizontal-bar-chart)**: Alternative for showing data with many categories

## Featured in topic hubs

- [Data Visualization](/resources/topics/data-visualization)