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Area charts are best if:
  • you want to show how values develop over time. If you want to show how values differ in different categories, consider a (stacked) bar, or horizontal bar chart instead.
  • the total is as important as its parts. If the total (= the height of all your stacked areas) is not important, consider a line chart instead. Many readers will have an easier time understanding a line chart than an area chart.
  • there are big differences between your values. If the differences between your values are very small, consider a line chart instead. Compared to an area chart, the y-axis of a line chart doesn’t need to start at zero. This means that your y-axis can be stretched to show the tiny differences.
  • you’re showing multiple series over time. If you just want to show one value over time, also consider a line chart instead; especially if you don’t want your y-axis to start at zero. If you only have a few dates, you can also consider using a column chart. In both cases, labelling will be better.
  • you have many data points. If you have less than ten or so data points, consider a stacked bar chart instead.
You can see more details about area chart configurations here.