Flow Matrix Input
Define connections between entities in a simple row-by-column matrix — each cell sets the flow strength from one entity to another.
Chord Diagram Chart
Free Online Chord Diagram Chart Maker
What is a Chord Diagram Chart?
A chord diagram chart arranges entities as arcs around a circle and draws chords between them to show the magnitude of flow or relationship between each pair. It is ideal for revealing bidirectional or asymmetric flows — such as trade between regions, migration between cities, or interactions between departments. Use a chord diagram when you need to show both how large each entity is and how it connects to every other entity in a single, compact view.
Key Features
Color-Coded Arcs and Chords
Each entity gets a distinct color that carries through its outgoing chords, so you can trace any flow back to its source at a glance.
Adjustable Chord Opacity
Control how transparent overlapping chords appear, keeping the diagram readable even when many entities share strong connections.
Arc Thickness and Padding Controls
Fine-tune the visual weight of each arc segment and the gap between entities to match the density of your data.
Optional Flow Value Labels
Toggle numeric labels directly on chords to show exact quantities alongside the proportional visuals.
AI-Powered Generation
Describe your relationships in plain language and MakeCharts builds the full flow matrix and chord diagram for you instantly — no manual data entry required.
Best For
Trade flows between countries or world regions
Migration patterns between cities or continents
Cross-category interactions in survey or market research data
Interdepartmental budget or resource flows
Network relationship strength between teams or stakeholders
Passenger or traffic flows between hubs
When to Use
- When you have bidirectional or asymmetric flows between 3 to 12 entities
- When the relative magnitude of each flow matters as much as which entities connect
- When a Sankey diagram would have too many crossing paths to stay readable
- When you want to show both inflows and outflows for every entity in one view
- When your data naturally forms a matrix where each row-column pair has a meaningful value
Common Mistakes
- Adding more than 12 entities — the diagram becomes too dense to read and chords overlap badly
- Using near-identical colors for adjacent entities, causing arcs and chords to blend together
- Treating asymmetric flows as symmetric when the direction of flow carries real meaning
- Leaving zero-value cells in the matrix, which creates phantom chords and misleads viewers
- Omitting clear entity labels, forcing viewers to guess what each arc on the circle represents
Templates
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