amCharts vs. FusionCharts – License price analysis
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 only pay-once perpetual license. One-time fee gets a lifetime of usage.
- FusionCharts 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.
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 all calculations, so that it compares to the 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 does not limit number of developers working with its libraries with any of the licenses. | FusionCharts limits developers working with its libraries from 1 (one) to 10 (ten) depending on the license. |
Takeaway:
amCharts provides a safer fixed and future-proof pricing, whereas companies using FusionCharts might experience additional costs if/when the team grows. Initial purchase cost might increase dramatically for FusionCharts users if the team consists of more than 5-10 developers.
Support service
There are certain differences in how technical support service is calculated by both vendors:
| amCharts | FusionCharts |
|---|---|
| amCharts includes 12 months of professional support service with all licenses, except the entry level – Single website license. | 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 | FusionCharts | FusionCharts |
| Product(s) | amCharts 5: Charts + amCharts 5: Maps | FusionCharts XT | FusionCharts XT |
| License required | Single website | Basic | Basic |
| License model | Perpetual | Perpetual | Subscription |
| # of projects included | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| # of developers included | Unlimited | 1 | 1 |
| # of licenses/dev seats needed | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| License fee | $2701 (180 + 90) | $1,099 | $439 |
| License renewal fee | – | – | $439 |
| Annual support service fee | $6751 (450 + 225) | $499 | $499 |
Purchase / ownership cost
Without optional support subscription
| Vendor \ Cost | License | Support | Initial | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | Cost comparison |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| amCharts | Perpetual | No | $270 | $270 | $270 | $270 | $270 | – |
| FusionCharts | Perpetual | No | $1,099 | $1,099 | $1,099 | $1,099 | $1,099 | 407% |
| FusionCharts | Subscription | No | $439 | $878 | $1,317 | $1,756 | $2,195 | 813% |
See the Pen
amCharts vs FusionCharts license cost (single website) by amCharts team (@amcharts)
on CodePen.0
With optional support subscription
| Vendor \ Cost | License | Support | Initial | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | Cost comparison |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| amCharts | Perpetual | Yes | $945 | $1,620 | $2,295 | $2,970 | $3,645 | – |
| FusionCharts | Perpetual | Yes | $1,598 | $2,097 | $2,596 | $3,095 | $3,594 | 99% |
| FusionCharts | Subscription | Yes | $938 | $1,876 | $2,814 | $3,752 | $4,690 | 129% |
See the Pen
amCharts vs FusionCharts license cost (single website) by amCharts team (@amcharts)
on CodePen.0
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 400%-800% cheaper than FusionCharts over 5 year period of operation.
For situations which require continuous technical support subscription and assistance, both vendors come out at roughly the same 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 | FusionCharts | FusionCharts |
| Product(s) | amCharts 5: Charts + amCharts 5: Maps | FusionCharts XT | FusionCharts XT |
| License required | Application / SaaS | Enterprise 2 | Enterprise 2 |
| License model | Perpetual | Perpetual | Subscription |
| # of projects included | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| # of developers included | Unlimited | 10 | 10 |
| # of licenses/dev seats needed | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| License fee | $1,8001 (1,200 + 600) | $8,399 | $3,399 |
| License renewal fee | – | – | $3,399 |
| Annual support service fee | $6751 (450 + 225) | $499 | $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 | No | $1,800 | $1,800 | $1,800 | $1,800 | $1,800 | – |
| FusionCharts | Perpetual | No | $8,399 | $8,399 | $8,399 | $8,399 | $8,399 | 467% |
| FusionCharts | Subscription | No | $3,399 | $6,798 | $1,0197 | $1,3596 | $1,6995 | 944% |
See the Pen
amCharts vs FusionCharts license cost (single website) by amCharts team (@amcharts)
on CodePen.0
With optional support subscription
| Vendor \ Cost | License | Support | Initial | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | Cost comparison |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| amCharts | Perpetual | Yes | $1,800 | $2,475 | $3,150 | $3,825 | $4,500 | – |
| FusionCharts | Perpetual | Yes | $8,898 | $9,397 | $9,896 | $10,395 | $10,894 | 242% |
| FusionCharts | Subscription | Yes | $3,898 | $7,796 | $11,694 | $15,592 | $19,490 | 433% |
See the Pen
amCharts vs FusionCharts license cost (saas; support) by amCharts team (@amcharts)
on CodePen.0
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 1000% the total cost of amCharts in some licensing setups.
For teams bigger than 10 developers, the cost of FusionCharts license may increase by orders of magnitude, whereas amCharts no-limit licenses will retain the same fixed pricing regardless of the team size.
Scenario #3: Redistributable products
Project description
Company develops 3 re-distributable web apps that are sold and installed on customer’s premises and require charts/maps in them.
# of products: 3
# of developers involved per project: 3
License choice
| Vendor | amCharts | FusionCharts | FusionCharts |
| Product(s) | amCharts 5: Charts + amCharts 5: Maps | FusionCharts XT | FusionCharts XT |
| License required | OEM | Pro | Pro |
| License model | Perpetual | Perpetual | Subscription |
| # of projects included | Unlimited | 1 | 1 |
| # of developers included | Unlimited | 5 | 5 |
| # of licenses/dev seats needed | 1 | 3 2 | 3 2 |
| License fee | $4,4601 (2,975 + 1,485) | $14,397 (4,799 x 3) | $5,697 (1,899 x 3) |
| License renewal fee | – | – | $5,697 |
| Annual support service fee | $1,7051 (1,148 + 557) | $499 | $499 |
2 – amCharts OEM license covers any number of projects, whereas FusionCharts Pro license allows only one project, so 3 licenses would need to be purchased, multiplying the costs.
Purchase / ownership cost
Without optional support subscription
| Vendor \ Cost | License | Support | Initial | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | Cost comparison |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| amCharts | Perpetual | No | $4,460 | $4,460 | $4,460 | $4,460 | $4,460 | – |
| FusionCharts | Perpetual | No | $14,397 | $14,397 | $14,397 | $14,397 | $14,397 | 323% |
| FusionCharts | Subscription | No | $5,697 | $7,596 | $9,495 | $11,394 | $13,293 | 298% |
See the Pen
amCharts vs FusionCharts license cost (multiple redistributable products) by amCharts team (@amcharts)
on CodePen.0
With optional support subscription
| Vendor \ Cost | License | Support | Initial | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | Cost comparison |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| amCharts | Perpetual | Yes | $4,460 | $6,165 | $7,870 | $9,575 | $11,280 | – |
| FusionCharts | Perpetual | Yes | $14,896 | $15,395 | $15,894 | $16,393 | $16,892 | 150% |
| FusionCharts | Subscription | Yes | $6,196 | $8,594 | $10,992 | $13,390 | $15,788 | 140% |
See the Pen
amCharts vs FusionCharts license cost (multiple redistributable products; support) by amCharts team (@amcharts)
on CodePen.0
Scenario cost summary
Takeaway:
For a company working on redistributable products (e.g. CRM, CMS, etc.), amCharts comes at significantly less cost than FusionCharts, because amCharts flat-rate OEM license offers unlimited number of projects and developers, whereas FusionCharts Pro license limits to 1 project per license, thus requiring purchase of multiple licenses.
The FusionCharts total fees grow significantly with the number of projects (1 project per license) or the team (5 developer seats per license), whereas amCharts keep the same flat license price regardless of number of projects or developers.