How to make a small multiples chart
Supply one ordered label, numeric position or date column followed by one to five numeric series. Every row needs a value for every selected series. Use 2–300 rows. Each value column becomes one line-chart panel; the row labels and supplied order are shared.
- Upload CSV, TSV, TXT or Excel, or paste cells from your spreadsheet. Select the sheet, row range, headers and number convention.
- Choose the labels and numeric series. Inspect the complete selection before applying it; errors preserve the current chart.
- Write a descriptive headline, unit, source credit and date. Attach an optional note to a specific row and series.
- Check the preview and source table, then choose the publication size and download format. Keep the editable project if you want to revise it later.
A shared scale makes comparisons meaningful
Every panel uses the same minimum and maximum, computed from all supplied values. A value at the same vertical position therefore means the same amount in every panel. The maker does not independently rescale panels to make weak and strong changes look similar. Include zero when the story requires absolute magnitude, or disclose a narrower scale when emphasizing variation.
Choose the horizontal spacing deliberately
Equal spacing is suitable for ordered categories. Numeric spacing reflects actual distance, including gaps between reporting years. Date spacing requires real YYYY-MM-DD dates and preserves elapsed days. Numeric and date positions must increase strictly; unsorted or repeated positions are flagged instead of being silently sorted or combined.
Keep units and definitions consistent
A shared axis is useful only when the measures can be compared. Do not place revenue in dollars beside a conversion rate in percent and interpret the heights as equivalent. Standardization or indexing can answer a different question, but must be calculated and explained explicitly before import. This maker does not normalize your input.
Inspect the shape and the levels
Read each panel’s direction, turning points and range, then compare its level with the others. The World Bank worked example uses the same axis for four countries across 2000–2023. That preserves differences in estimated life expectancy while showing changes within each country. These countries were selected for illustration; the panels are not a representative world sample.
Choose a finished design
Explore four editable small multiples chart examples, with source data, interpretation and downloads. Replace the data while retaining the design.
Try a sourced example
Start with the World Bank life expectancy comparison. It includes source values, the selected years and countries, calculations, download files and the limitations of each view.
Questions before publishing
Are small multiples also called trellis or panel charts?
Yes. Those terms describe a related repeated-chart arrangement. Here the repeated design is specifically a line chart with shared scales, one numeric series per panel.
Can I use a separate axis range for each panel?
This maker deliberately uses one shared range. Independent ranges can be useful for other questions but would make absolute heights incomparable. Use separate charts with explicit scales if that is what your analysis requires.
What happens to missing values?
The complete selected table is validated before it replaces the chart. Missing values are not filled with zero or connected across. Correct the data or explicitly select a complete comparable range; the importer does not delete incomplete observations for you.
What can I download?
Vector SVG, fixed-size PNG, a PDF containing a raster chart, source CSV, a versioned editable JSON project, and self-contained static HTML with a caption and data table. HTML has no chart scripts or tracking and can be hosted by your publication. See the publishing and accessibility guide. Spreadsheet files are limited to 8 MB, 2,000 preview rows and 100 columns; the smaller chart-specific limits above apply to the selected data.
Built by SupaMakers. Inspect and reuse the source code. Compare the editorial chart types. Reviewed September 9, 2026.