amCharts vs. FusionCharts – License price analysis (updated for 2024)
About this analysis
During recent months, certain information has come to our attention that compares amCharts to other libraries in terms of license cost. Since the information appeared to be manipulated, we decided to run our own – unbiased analysis. Here’s how amCharts compares to FusionCharts in terms of license fees and total cost of ownership.
Methodology used
Project scenarios
The price analysis is conducted using several common project scenarios that take project type, scope, developer count into account.
License choice
For both vendors, the most cost-effective license out of their respective offerings is chosen.
License types
At the moment of this writing:
- amCharts offers two types of licenses:
- Pay-once perpetual license. One-time fee for a lifetime usage.
- Annual subscription. Payments need to be made once a year for as long as the library is used to create new projects or update the old ones.
- FusionCharts offers only one license type:
- Pay-once perpetual license. One-time fee for a lifetime usage.
For the sake of calculating total cost of ownership, we have calculated all license types on offer – both for initial payment, and for continued usage for up to 5 years.
Product bundles
amCharts offers two main products: amCharts 5: Charts (which includes all main chart types except geographical maps) and amCharts 5: Maps (which is an add-on needed to create geographical maps).
FusionCharts offers one package – FusionCharts XT – which includes all main chart types including geographical maps.
Even though not all customers need geographical maps, we have summed up both of the amCharts products – Charts and Maps – in our calculations, to better compare to FusionCharts XT bundle.
Takeaway:
amCharts offers a more flexible pricing in terms of product bundles, as customers who do not need geographical maps can reduce the overall price by not acquiring amCharts 5: Maps add-on.
Product availability
amCharts 5: Stock Chart product was not included in calculations and scenarios because FusionCharts does not offer any stock/trading charting product with equivalent analytical capabilities, typically found in financial charts.
Product features
The aim of this document is to compare pricing of the comparable product packages from different vendors.
It does not aim to compare features of those products, as we assume someone choosing between chart library vendors has already determined that both products meet their requirements.
Limits on developer seats
| amCharts | FusionCharts |
|---|---|
| amCharts licenses are per-seat, meaning that for each actual developer working with amCharts libraries, a “developer seat” will need to be purchased. | FusionCharts limits developers working with its libraries from 1 (one) to 10 (ten) depending on the license. |
Takeaway:
amCharts provides more flexibility in terms of leveraging license costs based on actual team size, rather than pre-defined quota. Initial purchase cost might increase dramatically for FusionCharts users if the team consists of more than 5-10 developers.
Limits on projects
| amCharts | FusionCharts |
|---|---|
| amCharts licenses do not limit number of projects covered by each license. For example, purchasing a Basic license will give right to use amCharts in any number of public websites. | FusionCharts limits to 1 (one) project per license. |
Takeaway:
amCharts provides more flexibility in terms of reusing the same license for multiple projects, whereas FusionCharts would require a separate license for each new project (website, app, SaaS website, etc.)
Support service
There are certain differences in how technical support service is calculated by both vendors:
| amCharts | FusionCharts |
|---|---|
| amCharts includes free professional support for all license subscriptions (except Basic) amCharts includes free professional support for 12 months for all perpetual licenses (except Basic) | FusionCharts does not include professional support service with any of its licenses and must be acquired separately if needed. |
| Optional professional support service subscription is available. | Optional professional support service subscription is available. |
Since not all projects and teams require technical support service, we have included separate calculations of total cost of ownership when purchasing licenses alone, and with optional professional support service subscription.
Scenario #1: Interactive charts and maps on public web site
Project description
A company needs to augment its public-facing website with various charts and maps.
# of projects websites: 1
# of developers involved: 1
License choice
| Vendor | amCharts | amCharts | FusionCharts |
| Product(s) | amCharts 5: Charts + amCharts 5: Maps | amCharts 5: Charts + amCharts 5: Maps | FusionCharts XT |
| License required | Basic | Basic | Basic |
| License model | Subscription | Perpetual | Subscription |
| # of projects included | Unlimited | Unlimited | 1 |
| # of developers included | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| # of licenses/dev seats needed | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| License fee | $1601 (80 + 80) | $3601 (180+ 180) | $439 |
| License renewal fee | $1601 (80 + 80) | – | $439 |
| Annual support service fee | $3801 (190 + 190) | $3801 (190 + 190) | $499 |
Purchase / ownership cost
Without optional support subscription
| Vendor \ Cost | License | Support | Initial | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | Cost comparison |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| amCharts | Subscription | No | $160 | $320 | $480 | $640 | $800 | – |
| amCharts | Perpetual | Yes | $360 | $360 | $360 | $360 | $360 | – |
| FusionCharts | Subscription | No | $439 | $878 | $1,317 | $1,756 | $2,195 | 274% – 610% extra |
See the Pen amCharts vs FusionCharts license cost (single website) by amCharts team (@amcharts) on CodePen.
With optional support subscription
| Vendor \ Cost | License | Support | Initial | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | Cost comparison |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| amCharts | Perpetual | Yes | $740 | $1,120 | $1,500 | $1,880 | $2,260 | – |
| amCharts | Subscription | Yes | $540 | $1,080 | $1,620 | $2,160 | $2,700 | – |
| FusionCharts | Subscription | Yes | $938 | $1,876 | $2,814 | $3,752 | $4,690 | 174% – 208% extra |
See the Pen amCharts vs FusionCharts license cost (Basic, with subscription) by amCharts team (@amcharts) on CodePen.
Scenario cost summary
Takeaway:
With a single developer implementing interactive charts and maps into a public website without optional technical support subscription, amCharts comes out at astonishingly 270%-610% cheaper than FusionCharts over 5 year period of operation.
For situations which require continuous technical support subscription and assistance, amCharts comes out at 170%-270% cheaper over 5-year cost of ownership.
Scenario #2: An SaaS tool
Project description
An online customer management platform with multiple users/servers/developers. Displays multiple reports with various charts and maps.
# of projects websites: 1
# of developers involved: 3
License choice
| Vendor | amCharts | amCharts | FusionCharts |
| Product(s) | amCharts 5: Charts + amCharts 5: Maps | amCharts 5: Charts + amCharts 5: Maps | FusionCharts XT |
| License required | SaaS | SaaS | Enterprise 2 |
| License model | Subscription | Perpetual | Subscription |
| # of projects included | Unlimited | Unlimited | 1 |
| # of developers included | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| # of licenses/dev seats needed | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| License fee | $5601 (280 + 280) | $1,3001 (650+ 650) | $3,399 |
| License renewal fee | $5601 (280 + 280) | – | $3,399 |
| Annual support service fee | $0 | $3801 (190 + 190) | $499 |
2 – Enterprise license chosen for FusionCharts because Pro license does not allow SaaS usage
Purchase / ownership cost
Without optional support subscription
| Vendor \ Cost | License | Support | Initial | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | Cost comparison |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| amCharts | Perpetual | 1st year | $3,900 | $3,900 | $3,900 | $3,900 | $3,900 | – |
| amCharts | Subscription | Yes | $1,680 | $2,240 | $2,800 | $3,360 | $3,920 | – |
| FusionCharts | Subscription | No | $3,399 | $6,798 | $10,197 | $13,596 | $10,6995 | ~430% extra |
See the Pen amCharts vs FusionCharts license cost (saas) by amCharts team (@amcharts) on CodePen.
With optional support subscription
| Vendor \ Cost | License | Support | Initial | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | Cost comparison |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| amCharts | Perpetual | Yes | $3,900 | $4,470 | $5,040 | $5,610 | $6,180 | – |
| amCharts | Subscription | Yes | $1,680 | $2,240 | $2,800 | $3,360 | $3,920 | – |
| FusionCharts | Subscription | Yes | $3,898 | $7,796 | $11,694 | $15,592 | $19,490 | 300% – 500% extra |
See the Pen amCharts vs FusionCharts license cost (saas; support) by amCharts team (@amcharts) on CodePen.
Scenario cost summary
Takeaway:
For a small team working on an SaaS product, amCharts licenses come a few times cheaper than FusionCharts, both with or without support subscription.
The above calculations show that FusionCharts subscription model can come at almost staggering 500% the total cost of amCharts in some licensing setups.
For teams working on more projects, the cost of FusionCharts license may increase by orders of magnitude because their license includes only 1 (one) project, whereas amCharts no-project-limit licenses will retain the same fixed pricing regardless of the number of projects.