# How to Make a Graph in Notion — Both Kinds

> "Graph" means two things in Notion: data charts (native — /chart, five types, one free) and the graph of connections (not native at all). Step-by-step for both, plus limits nobody mentions.

- Source: https://ivgraph.com/journal/how-to-make-a-graph-in-notion/
- Author: [Andrii Danylchenko](https://ivgraph.com/team/#Andrii-Danylchenko), Founder / CTO, IVGraph
- Published: 2026-07-31
- Type: Guide
- About: Notion ([Wikidata Q60747998](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q60747998)); Chart ([Wikidata Q28923](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q28923))
- Mentions: Graph drawing ([Wikidata Q739462](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q739462)); Mermaid ([Wikidata Q110961986](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q110961986)); Backlink ([Wikidata Q373952](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q373952)); [IVGraph](https://ivgraph.com/)

## TL;DR

"Graph in Notion" means two different things. If you mean **charts** — bar, line, donut — Notion has them natively: type `/chart`, link a database, configure the axes (one chart free, unlimited on paid plans). If you mean a **graph of connections** — your pages and links as a network — Notion can't draw that; you build the links with backlinks and relations, and render them with IVGraph. This guide covers both, step by step.

## Part 1: Charts — Visualizing Numbers

### Create a chart in 30 seconds

1. On any page, type `/chart` — or click `+` next to an existing database's view names and pick **Chart**.
2. Choose the type: **vertical bar, horizontal bar, line, donut, or number**.
3. Link an existing database (or create one on the spot).
4. Open the settings menu (top right) and configure the **X axis** (which property, sort order, hide groups) and **Y axis** (count, sum, group-by, cumulative toggle).

### What to know before you rely on them

- **Pricing:** the Free plan includes *one* chart to try; unlimited charts need any paid plan.
- **Scale limits:** up to 200 groups and 50 subgroups per chart — long time-series get truncated.
- **Read-only:** you can't edit database entries from a chart view — keep a table view alongside.
- **Axis restrictions:** rollups, buttons, files, and some formulas can't be plotted.

For flowcharts and diagrams (rather than data charts), a Mermaid code block covers most needs — we walk through it in the [Notion mind map guide](https://ivgraph.com/journal/notion-mind-map/).

## Part 2: The Other Graph — Visualizing Connections

The second meaning has nothing to do with numbers: a graph as a **network** — pages as nodes, links as edges, the way Obsidian users mean it. Notion collects all the raw material for this constantly (every @-mention creates a [backlink](https://ivgraph.com/journal/notion-backlinks/), every [database relation](https://ivgraph.com/journal/notion-database-relations/) is a typed edge, every sub-page is a branch) — but as we covered in [Does Notion Have a Graph View?](https://ivgraph.com/journal/does-notion-have-graph-view/), it has no way to draw any of it.

### Build it in three steps

1. **Create the edges** — link pages with @-mentions as you write; connect databases with relations where structure matters. No special discipline needed; normal Notion usage builds the network.
2. **Connect IVGraph** — [sign in with Notion](https://ivgraph.com/api/integrations/auth/notion/); the sync reads pages, databases, backlinks, mentions, and relations through the official API (about 5 minutes for ~2,000 pages).
3. **Explore** — the workspace renders as an interactive 3D graph: clusters show your real topics, hub pages stand out by size, orphaned pages float free. Search, filter, and click through to any page.

![A Notion workspace in the IVGraph Radial view: a dense core of linked pages, with databases grouped around the edges](https://ivgraph.com/assets/img/shots-2026-10/v3-overview-b-1440w.webp)

*The graph Notion can't draw: a whole workspace, 3,389 nodes and 6,107 links, as a network instead of a folder tree.*

## Which One Do You Actually Need?

| You want to see… | Use | Where |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Tasks by status, sales over time, budget split | Chart view | Native (/chart) |
| A process or hierarchy diagram | Mermaid code block | Native (code block) |
| How your pages, ideas, and projects connect | [Knowledge graph](https://ivgraph.com/journal/what-is-a-knowledge-graph/) | IVGraph (via API) |

## FAQ

### How do I add a graph to a Notion page?

For a data chart: `/chart`, pick a type, link a database. For a diagram: Mermaid code block. For a network of your pages: connect IVGraph.

### Can you make a line graph in Notion for free?

Yes — one chart is included on the Free plan; more require a paid plan.

### Why can't my chart use a rollup as an axis?

Chart axes don't support rollups, buttons, unique IDs, files, or formulas that output lists — plot the underlying property instead, or add a simpler helper property.

### How do I get an Obsidian-style graph of my Notion?

That's the connections graph from Part 2: build links normally, connect [IVGraph](https://ivgraph.com/), and the workspace renders as an interactive 3D network — free up to 500 nodes.