Waterfall Chart
Data
| Label | Value | Type | |
|---|---|---|---|
Color Settings
General Settings
Display Settings
Free Online Waterfall Chart Maker
What is a Waterfall Chart?
A waterfall chart (also called a bridge chart) shows how an initial value rises or falls through a series of intermediate changes to reach a final total. Each bar floats at the level where the previous one ended, making it easy to trace cumulative additions and subtractions at a glance. It is the go-to chart for financial storytelling — from P&L statements and cash flow summaries to budget variance reports. Use our free AI-powered waterfall chart maker to turn your numbers into a clear, step-by-step visual in seconds.
Key Features
Four bar types
Mark each segment as Increase, Decrease, Subtotal, or Total — the chart automatically floats bars at the correct cumulative position.
Color-coded segments
Instantly distinguish gains from losses with separate, customizable colors for increases, decreases, totals, and subtotals.
Value labels on every bar
Display the exact value of each segment directly on the bar so readers never have to estimate from the axis.
Horizontal or vertical layout
Switch between vertical (time-based flows) and horizontal (category comparisons) with one click.
Custom prefixes and suffixes
Add currency symbols, percentages, or units (e.g. '$', 'k', '%') to keep labels context-aware without editing every value.
Legend and grid controls
Toggle the legend and background grid on or off to match the formality of your report or presentation.
Best For
When to Use
- You want to show how a starting value reaches a final total through a series of additions and subtractions
- You need to highlight which line items drive profit up or pull it down
- You are presenting financial results to stakeholders who need the story behind the numbers
- You need to compare budget to actuals with visible variance bars
- You want to break a large total into contributing parts while still showing the cumulative effect
- You are bridging two key figures — such as last year's revenue and this year's
Common Mistakes
- !Forgetting a Total bar at the end — without it, readers cannot see the final value clearly
- !Adding too many segments (more than 8-10), which makes the chart unreadable
- !Confusing Subtotal and Total bar types, causing bars to float from the wrong baseline
- !Omitting value labels, forcing readers to estimate amounts from the axis scale
- !Mixing units inconsistently — for example, combining thousands and millions in the same chart
- !Choosing a waterfall chart when data has no natural start-to-end progression — use a bar chart instead