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Chart.ts vs Highcharts
Highcharts is a commercial charting library with a long history. It is powerful and feature-rich, but costs $590 per developer per year and uses a legacy API design.
| Feature | Chart.ts | Highcharts |
|---|---|---|
| Bundle size | <15kb min+gzip (entire library) | ~80kb min+gzip |
| Tree-shaking | Full (import only what you use) | Limited (monolithic core) |
| TypeScript | Built-in, strict mode, full inference | Built-in types |
| SSR | Native SSR, works with any framework | Server-side rendering available |
| Accessibility | WCAG AA, keyboard nav, screen readers, pattern fills | Accessibility module (enterprise only) |
| Tailwind CSS | Native className on every element, dark: variants | Not supported (imperative config) |
| Chart types | 40+ built-in | ~25 built-in |
| Frameworks | React, Vue, Svelte, Solid, Angular, Vanilla JS | Wrappers for React, Angular, Vue |
| License | MIT | Commercial ($590/dev/yr) |
Why switch from Highcharts?
Chart.ts advantages
- Under 15kb gzipped, full library
- Tailwind className on every chart element
- WCAG AA accessible by default
- Works with React, Vue, Svelte, Solid, Vanilla
- Native SSR, zero config
Highcharts limitations
- $590 per developer per year licensing cost
- jQuery-era imperative API design
- Accessibility locked behind enterprise tier
- Not Tailwind-native, uses imperative config objects
- Large monolithic bundle, limited tree-shaking
Ready to switch?
Get started with Chart.ts in 30 seconds.
$
npm install @chartts/core