A clustered bar chart places horizontal bars side by side within each category so you can compare values directly — ideal when the labels are long or you want a clean ranking. It is the horizontal form of the clustered column; where the total of the series matters more than the comparison, use a stacked bar. Ampler Charts builds it natively in PowerPoint.
Quick answer: Click Ampler Charts and select Clustered Bar, drag the chart to size, then enter your data — each series is drawn as its own horizontal bar, side by side within the category.
How to create it
A clustered bar chart: series shown as side-by-side horizontal bars for comparison.
- Click Ampler Charts in the ribbon and select Clustered Bar from the chart menu.
- Left-click and drag the chart to the size you want — or hold Ctrl to place it in a pre-defined position.
- Enter your data in the data sheet: each series is drawn as its own horizontal bar, side by side within each category.
When to use it
Use a clustered bar to compare individual values side by side when the labels are long or you want a ranking — competitors, products, regions. For a short time series with brief labels, a clustered column works well; if the total matters more than the comparison, use a stacked bar, and you can combine both via a category gap.
How consultants use it
The clustered bar is the go-to for ranked, long-labelled comparisons. A few practices apply:
- Rank and compare: order the categories by size and place the series side by side so the comparison reads as a clean ranking
- Keep the clusters small: two to four bars per category stays readable; more than that and the groups blur
- Colour by series, consistently: give each series one colour across every cluster so the eye tracks it without re-checking the legend
A clustered bar answers ‘which is bigger’ for long-labelled or ranked categories.
Tips & best practices
- Order the categories by size for a ranking.
- Keep to two to four bars per cluster and colour each series consistently.
- Combine comparison and total with a stacked-clustered chart via a category gap.
What you can add to this chart
Decorators and elements you can layer onto a clustered bar chart in Ampler Charts:
Availability
Part of Ampler Charts, included in Ampler for PowerPoint and the Ampler Suite, on Windows desktop PowerPoint.
Frequently asked questions
What is a clustered bar chart?
A clustered bar chart — also called a grouped bar chart — places each series as its own horizontal bar side by side within a category, so you compare their individual values directly.
How do you make a clustered bar chart in PowerPoint?
In Ampler Charts, click Ampler Charts, select Clustered Bar, drag it to size, then enter your data — each series is drawn as a side-by-side bar.
What’s the difference between a clustered bar and a clustered column chart?
They compare series side by side in the same way; the bar is horizontal, which suits long labels and ranked data, while the column is vertical and suits time series.
How many series should a clustered bar chart have?
Keep it to about two to four bars per category — beyond that the clusters get hard to read.