A spider chart — also commonly called a polygon chart, radar chart, web chart, or cobweb chart — is a two-dimensional data visualization technique used to display three or more quantitative variables simultaneously. The variables are represented on axes that radiate from a central point, and data values are connected to form a closed polygon shape.

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Spider charts are particularly effective when you need to compare multiple entities across the same set of variables. For example, a sports analyst might use a spider chart to compare two athletes across speed, strength, accuracy, endurance, and teamwork. Each axis represents one metric, and the polygon formed by a player's values shows their overall performance profile at a glance.

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When Should You Use a Spider Chart?

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Spider charts are best suited for comparing three to eight variables. Fewer than three variables don't benefit from the radial layout, and more than ten can make the chart cluttered and hard to read. They excel in performance reviews, product feature comparisons, skills assessments, and geographic fieldwork data.

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Spider charts make complex multivariate data immediately understandable — the shape of the polygon tells the story.

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How to Read a Spider Chart

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Each axis on a spider chart represents a single variable. The scale starts at zero at the center and increases outward. A data point is plotted on each axis, and these points are connected in order to form a polygon. The larger the polygon area, the higher the overall values across all dimensions. Comparing two polygons on the same chart reveals which entity performs better in which areas.

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Polygon Grid Styles: Circular vs. Angular

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Spider charts can be drawn with either a circular grid or an angular polygon grid. A circular grid (sometimes called a radar chart with circular grid) uses concentric circles as the scale reference. An angular polygon grid uses concentric polygons — a hexagon for six variables, an octagon for eight, and so on. Both styles are equally valid; your choice depends on aesthetic preference and the nature of your data.

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Best Practices for Spider Charts

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Keep the number of axes between 3 and 8 for clarity. Use consistent scales across all axes. When overlaying multiple data sets, use contrasting colors with transparency so all polygons remain visible. Always label each axis clearly and include a legend if comparing multiple entities. Avoid using spider charts for large datasets — the chart becomes unreadable beyond a handful of comparison groups.

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Spider Chart vs Bar Chart

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While bar charts are excellent for comparing a single metric across multiple categories, spider charts shine when you need to compare multiple metrics for a single subject or compare multiple subjects across many metrics simultaneously. If your question is 'which product scored highest overall?', a spider chart provides a more intuitive answer than a table of numbers or a series of bar charts.

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