Polar Charts in R
How to create Polar Charts in R with Plotly.
Plotly Studio: Transform any dataset into an interactive data application in minutes with AI. Try Plotly Studio now.
Note: We are retiring documentation for R, MATLAB, Julia, and F# in November 2025. Learn more about this change here.
Polar Charts 1.0
Looking for the old polar chart docs? See legacy polar charts
Basic Polar Charts
library(plotly)
fig <- plot_ly(
type = 'scatterpolar',
r = c(0,1,2,2),
theta = c(0,45,90,0),
mode = 'markers'
)
fig
Line Polar Charts
library(plotly)
df <- read.csv("https://raw.githubusercontent.com/plotly/datasets/master/polar_dataset.csv")
fig <- plot_ly(
df,
type = 'scatterpolar',
mode = 'lines'
)
fig <- fig %>%
add_trace(
r = ~x1,
theta = ~y,
name = 'Figure8',
line = list(
color = 'peru'
)
)
fig <- fig %>%
add_trace(
r = ~x2,
theta = ~y,
name = 'Cardioid',
line = list(
color = 'darkviolet'
)
)
fig <- fig %>%
add_trace(
r = ~x3,
theta = ~y,
name = 'Hypercardioid',
line = list(
color = 'deepskyblue'
)
)
fig <- fig %>%
add_trace(
r = ~x4,
theta = ~y,
name = 'Subcardioid',
line = list(
color = 'orangered'
)
)
fig <- fig %>%
add_trace(
r = ~x5,
theta = ~y,
name = 'Supercardioid',
line = list(
color = 'green'
)
)
fig <- fig %>%
layout(
title = 'Mic Patterns',
font = list(
family = 'Arial',
size = 12,
color = '#000'
),
showlegend = F
)
fig
Area Polar Charts
library(plotly)
fig <- plot_ly(
type = 'scatterpolar',
mode = 'lines'
)
fig <- fig %>%
add_trace(
r = c(0, 1.5, 1.5, 0, 2.5, 2.5, 0),
theta = c(0, 10, 25, 0, 205, 215, 0),
fill = 'toself',
fillcolor = '#709Bff',
line = list(
color = 'black'
)
)
fig <- fig %>%
add_trace(
r = c(0, 3.5, 3.5, 0),
theta = c(0, 55, 75, 0),
fill = 'toself',
fillcolor = '#E4FF87',
line = list(
color = 'black'
)
)
fig <- fig %>%
add_trace(
r = c(0, 4.5, 4.5, 0, 4.5, 4.5, 0),
theta = c(0, 100, 120, 0, 305, 320, 0),
fill = 'toself',
fillcolor = '#FFAA70',
line = list(
color = 'black'
)
)
fig <- fig %>%
add_trace(
r = c(0, 4, 4, 0),
theta = c(0, 165, 195, 0),
fill = 'toself',
fillcolor = '#FFDF70',
line = list(
color = 'black'
)
)
fig <- fig %>%
add_trace(
r = c(0, 3, 3, 0),
theta = c(0, 262.5, 277.5, 0),
fill = 'toself',
fillcolor = '#B6FFB4',
line = list(
color = 'black'
)
)
fig <- fig %>%
layout(
polar = list(
radialaxis = list(
visible = T,
range = c(0,5)
)
),
showlegend = F
)
fig
Categorical Polar Charts
library(plotly)
fig <- plot_ly(
type = 'scatterpolar',
mode = 'lines'
)
fig <- fig %>%
add_trace(
r = c(5, 4, 2, 4, 5),
theta = c("a", "b", "c", "d", "a"),
name = 'angular categories',
fill = 'toself'
)
fig <- fig %>%
add_trace(
r = c("a", "b", "c", "d", "b", "f", "a"),
theta = c(1, 4, 2, 1.5, 1.5, 6, 5),
thetaunit = 'radians',
name = 'radial categories',
fill = 'toself',
subplot = 'polar2'
)
fig <- fig %>%
add_trace(
r = c(5, 4, 2, 4, 5),
theta = c("a", "b", "c", "d", "a"),
name = 'angular categories (w/ categoryarray)',
fill = 'toself',
subplot = 'polar3'
)
fig <- fig %>%
add_trace(
r = c("a", "b", "c", "d", "b", "f", "a", "a"),
theta = c(45, 90, 180, 200, 300, 15, 20, 45),
name = 'radial categories (w/ category descending)',
fill = 'toself',
subplot = 'polar4'
)
fig <- fig %>%
layout(
polar = list(
domain = list(
x = c(0,0.46),
y = c(0.56,1)
),
radialaxis = list(
angle = 45
),
angularaxis = list(
direction = 'clockwise',
period = 6
)
),
polar2 = list(
domain = list(
x = c(0,0.46),
y = c(0,0.44)
),
radialaxis = list(
angle = 180,
tickangle = -180
)
),
polar3 = list(
domain = list(
x = c(0.54,1),
y = c(0.56,1)
),
sector = c(150,400),
radialaxis = list(
angle = -45
),
angularaxis = list(
categoryarray = c("d", "a", "c", "b")
)
),
polar4 = list(
domain = list(
x = c(0.54,1),
y = c(0,0.44)
),
radialaxis = list(
categoryorder = "category descending"
),
angularaxis = list(
thetaunit= "radians",
dtick = 0.3141592653589793
)
)
)
fig
Polar Charts Directions
library(plotly)
fig <- plot_ly(
type = 'scatterpolar',
mode = "lines+markers"
)
fig <- fig %>%
add_trace(
r = c(1,2,3,4,5),
theta = c(0,90,180,360,0),
line = list(
color = "#ff66ab"
),
marker = list(
color = "#8090c7",
symbol = 'square',
size = 8
),
text = "sector: 135->225<br>rotation: 90<br>direction: counterclockwise"
)
fig <- fig %>%
add_trace(
r = c(1,2,3,4,5),
theta = c(0,90,180,360,0),
line = list(
color = "#ff66ab"
),
marker = list(
color = "#8090c7",
symbol = 'square',
size = 8
),
text = "sector: 135->225<br>rotation: 90<br>direction: counterclockwise",
subplot = 'polar2'
)
fig <- fig %>%
layout(
polar = list(
domain = list(
x = c(0,0.4),
y = c(0,1)
),
radialaxis = list(
tickfont = list(
size = 8
)
),
angularaxis = list(
tickfont = list(
size = 8
),
rotation = 90,
direction = 'counterclockwise'
)
),
polar2 = list(
domain = list(
x = c(0.6,1),
y = c(0,1)
),
radialaxis = list(
tickfont = list(
size = 8
)
),
angularaxis = list(
tickfont = list(
size = 8
),
rotation = 90,
direction = 'clockwise'
)
),
showlegend = F
)
fig
Polar Charts Sector
library(plotly)
fig <- plot_ly(
type = 'scatterpolar',
mode = "lines+markers"
)
fig <- fig %>%
add_trace(
r = c(1,2,3,4,5),
theta = c(0,90,180,360,0),
line = list(
color = "#ff66ab"
),
marker = list(
color = "#8090c7",
symbol = 'square',
size = 8
)
)
fig <- fig %>%
add_trace(
r = c(1,2,3,4,5),
theta = c(0,90,180,360,0),
line = list(
color = "#ff66ab"
),
marker = list(
color = "#8090c7",
symbol = 'square',
size = 8
),
subplot = 'polar2'
)
fig <- fig %>%
layout(
polar = list(
domain = list(
x = c(0,0.4),
y = c(0,1)
),
sector = c(150,210),
radialaxis = list(
tickfont = list(
size = 8
)
),
angularaxis = list(
tickfont = list(
size = 8
)
)
),
polar2 = list(
domain = list(
x = c(0.6,1),
y = c(0,1)
),
radialaxis = list(
tickfont = list(
size = 8
)
),
angularaxis = list(
tickfont = list(
size = 8
)
)
),
showlegend = F
)
fig
Polar Charts Subplot
library(plotly)
fig <- plot_ly(
type = 'scatterpolar',
mode = 'lines'
)
fig <- fig %>%
add_trace(
r = c(1,2,3),
theta = c(50,100,200),
marker = list(
symbol = 'square'
)
)
fig <- fig %>%
add_trace(
r = c(1,2,3),
theta = c(1,2,3),
thetaunit = 'radians'
)
fig <- fig %>%
add_trace(
r = c("a", "b", "c", "d"),
theta = c("D","C","B","A"),
subplot = 'polar2'
)
fig <- fig %>%
add_trace(
r = c(50,300,900),
theta = c(0,90,180),
subplot = 'polar3'
)
fig <- fig %>%
add_trace(
r = c(3,3,4,3),
theta = c(0,45,90,270),
fill = 'toself',
subplot = 'polar4'
)
fig <- fig %>%
layout(
polar = list(
domain = list(
x = c(0,0.46),
y = c(0.56,1)
),
radialaxis = list(
range = c(1,4)
),
angularaxis = list(
thetaunit = 'radians'
)
),
polar2 = list(
domain = list(
x = c(0,0.46),
y = c(0,0.42)
)
),
polar3 = list(
domain = list(
x = c(0.54,1),
y = c(0.56,1)
),
sector = c(0,180),
radialaxis = list(
type = 'log',
angle = 45
)
),
polar4 = list(
domain = list(
x = c(0.54,1),
y = c(0,0.44)
),
radialaxis = list(
visible = F,
range = c(0,6)
)
),
showlegend = F
)
fig
Webgl Polar Charts
library(plotly)
df <- read.csv("https://raw.githubusercontent.com/plotly/datasets/master/hobbs-pearson-trials.csv")
fig <- plot_ly(
type = 'scatterpolargl',
mode = 'markers'
)
j = 1
k = 2
for (i in 1:(length(df)/2)){
fig <- add_trace(
fig,
r = df[,j],
theta = df[,k],
name = paste('Trial ', i),
marker = list(
size = 15,
line = list(
color = '#FFF'
),
opacity = 0.7
)
)
j <- j + 2
k <- k + 2
}
fig <- layout(
fig,
title = "Hobbs-Pearson Trials",
showlegend = F,
paper_bgcolor = "rgb(223, 223, 223)",
polar = list(
bgcolor = "rgb(223, 223, 223)",
angularaxis = list(
tickwidth = 2,
linewidth = 3,
layer = 'below traces'
),
radialaxis = list(
side = 'counterclockwise',
showline = T,
linewidth = 2,
tickwidth = 2,
gridcolor = '#FFF',
gridwidth = 2
)
)
)
fig
Reference
See https://plotly.com/r/reference/#polar for more information and options!
What About Dash?
Dash for R is an open-source framework for building analytical applications, with no Javascript required, and it is tightly integrated with the Plotly graphing library.
Learn about how to install Dash for R at https://dashr.plot.ly/installation.
Everywhere in this page that you see fig, you can display the same figure in a Dash for R application by passing it to the figure argument of the Graph component from the built-in dashCoreComponents package like this:
library(plotly)
fig <- plot_ly()
# fig <- fig %>% add_trace( ... )
# fig <- fig %>% layout( ... )
library(dash)
library(dashCoreComponents)
library(dashHtmlComponents)
app <- Dash$new()
app$layout(
htmlDiv(
list(
dccGraph(figure=fig)
)
)
)
app$run_server(debug=TRUE, dev_tools_hot_reload=FALSE)