Donut Chart vs Pie Chart: Which Is Actually Better?
Neither is a strong choice for anything but the simplest comparison — both ask viewers to judge angle or arc length, which people are measurably worse at than comparing bar height or position. The donut chart's one real advantage is the hole in the middle, which is useful only if you put a total or key number in it.
Quick answer: Use a pie or donut chart only for 2-3 categories where one is clearly dominant (e.g. "70% yes, 30% no") — beyond that, switch to a bar chart, which is easier to read accurately. If you do use one, a donut chart is the slightly better pick because its center can hold the total, and its ring shape avoids the pie's angle-judgment problem at the center point.
Why are pie and donut charts hard to read accurately?
Both rely on the viewer estimating angle (pie) or arc length (donut) to judge magnitude, and a large body of perception research shows people are reliably worse at that than at comparing the length or position of bars. Once a pie has more than 3-4 slices, or any two slices are close in size, most viewers can't rank them correctly without reading the data labels.
What's the actual difference between a donut and a pie chart?
A donut chart is a pie chart with the center removed, which does two things: it eliminates the pie's sharpest angle-judgment point (the center, where slices meet), and it opens up space for a total or headline number. Functionally the two charts communicate the same information the same way; the donut's hole is a styling choice with one legitimate use.
| Pie chart | Donut chart | |
|---|---|---|
| Angle judgment | Required at the center point | Avoided (no visible center) |
| Center space | Wasted | Can hold a total or key metric |
| Readable slice count | 2-4 comfortably | 2-4 comfortably |
| Better alternative past 4 slices | Bar chart | Bar chart |
When is a pie or donut chart actually the right choice?
When there are only 2-3 categories, the point is "roughly what share," not precise ranking, and the audience is non-technical and expects the familiar part-to-whole visual. A single "% complete" or "yes/no split" donut works fine because there's nothing to misjudge with only two segments.
What should I use instead once I have more than 3-4 categories?
Switch to a horizontal bar chart sorted by value — it shows the same part-to-whole relationship (especially if you add a percent-of-total label) but lets viewers accurately rank and compare every category at a glance. See pie chart alternatives for a fuller comparison including stacked bars and treemaps, and sorting chart data for how to order the bars.
Common mistakes
- Using a pie chart for 8+ categories, producing a ring of slivers no one can compare.
- 3D pie charts, which distort slice size perception even further through perspective.
- Multiple pie charts side by side meant for comparison — bar charts handle that comparison far better.
- Donut charts with an empty, unused center — if you're not putting a total there, use a pie or just a bar chart.
Pro Tip: If you're attached to the pie/donut look for stakeholder familiarity, cap it at 3 slices and always add data labels with the exact percentage on each slice — that removes the angle-judgment problem entirely, since viewers read the number instead of estimating the shape.
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