head to head · open source
Apache Superset vs jfreechart
Apache Superset has 75,392 GitHub stars, 18,572 forks, 588 open issues and last shipped yesterday. jfreechart has 1,393 stars, 674 forks, 164 open issues and last shipped 12 months ago. Apache Superset leads on adoption by 5,312% (75,392 vs 1,393 stars). Apache Superset is written in Python under Apache-2.0; jfreechart is written in Java under LGPL-2.1. Apache Superset has attracted 25% as many forks as stars, jfreechart 48%. Apache Superset was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 1 topic tag (data-visualization), so they are genuine substitutes rather than adjacent tools.
Two open source projects, one decision. Both are free and self-hostable — the differences are community size, license terms, language stack and release pace.
← all 20902 open source comparisons
Side by side
| Apache Superset | jfreechart | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 75K | ★ 1.4K |
| License | Apache-2.0 | LGPL-2.1 |
| Written in | Python | Java |
| Last push | 2026-11-02 | 2025-11-22 |
| Forks | ⑂ 19K | ⑂ 674 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick Apache Superset if
- You weight community size — 75K stars and counting
- You want the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Python
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick jfreechart if
- You want the jfreechart feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the LGPL-2.1 license terms
- Your stack matches Java
- You evaluated both and jfreechart fits your workflow better
About Apache Superset
Superset A modern, enterprise ready business intelligence web application. Documentation User Guide — For analysts and business users. Explore data, build charts, create dashboards, and connect databases. Administrator Guide — Install, configure, and operate Superset. Covers security, scaling, and database drivers. Developer Guide — Contribute to Superset or build on its REST API and extension framework. Why Superset? Supported Databases Release Notes Get Involved Resources Organizations Using Superset Why Superset? Superset is a modern data exploration and data visualization platform. Superset can replace or…
read the full Apache Superset overview →
About jfreechart
JFreeChart ========== Version 2.0.0, not yet released. Overview JFreeChart is a comprehensive free chart library for the Java& 8482; platform that can be used on the client side (JavaFX and Swing) or the server side, with export to multiple formats including SVG, PNG and PDF. The home page for the project is: JFreeChart requires JDK 11 or later. For Java 8 support, check the v1.5.x branch. The library is licensed under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License (LGPL) version 2.1 or later. JavaFX JFreeChart can be used with JavaFX via the JFreeChart FX extensions: Demos A small set of demo applications…
read the full jfreechart overview →
More in Data & Analytics
Related comparisons
More Business Intelligence & Reporting projects
Compare either of these against the rest of the Business Intelligence & Reporting field.
Frequently asked questions
Is Apache Superset or jfreechart more popular?
Apache Superset has 75,392 GitHub stars and jfreechart has 1,393. Apache Superset has the larger community by that measure.
Are Apache Superset and jfreechart free?
Both are open source. Apache Superset is licensed under Apache-2.0 and jfreechart under LGPL-2.1. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between Apache Superset and jfreechart?
Apache Superset is written in Python and jfreechart in Java. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, Apache Superset or jfreechart?
Choose Apache Superset if you want the larger community (75,392 stars) or its Apache-2.0 licence terms. Choose jfreechart if its feature set, stack or LGPL-2.1 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.