Word clouds, also known as tag clouds or text clouds, are simply word visualizations. Like other visualization types – charts, graphs, maps – they help you understand and communicate data. More specifically, text-based data.
Word clouds display words in different sizes, colors, and even fonts. The most frequent ones get displayed in larger sizes and bolder fonts.
This type of data visualization is most valuable to digital marketers, website owners, and online businesses in general. In terms of SEO, for example, word clouds can help you uncover the most popular keywords from customers’ search entries.
Creating a word cloud is easy, thanks to the many online word cloud generator tools. Listed below are some of the best free word cloud generators.
Best Word Cloud Generators
1. MonkeyLearn
MonkeyLearn is an AI-powered text-analytics platform. It features a free word cloud generator that you can use without registering an account.
To create a word cloud, you can either type in your source text or upload a text file. For the latter, the file must be in TXT format.
Other document formats, like DOC, for example, will automatically convert to TXT format. In most cases, the result after the automatic conversion is incomprehensible symbols and numbers.
After generating your word cloud with MonkeyLearn, you can download it to your device as .SVG, .PNG, or .CSV. However, you can edit before you download.
You can change the word cloud theme, which affects the background, text color, and fonts. In addition, you can edit each one – background color, text color, and fonts – individually.
You’ll find all the relevant words in your text data in a list in the right-aligned sidebar. You can sort the list by relevance or frequency. It’s a quick way to scan the most popular words in your text.
The MonkeyLearn free word cloud integrator integrates with other MonkeyLearn tools, including sentiment analysis, keyword extractor, and NPS feedback analysis tools. However, you must create an account to access these integrations.
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2. WordClouds.com
WordClouds is an upscale, feature-rich word cloud generator website. However, it’s free to use.
With WordClouds, you can enter text directly or upload a TXT file. You can also extract text from PDFs, MS Office documents (.odt, .docx, .doc, .pptx, .ppt, .xlsx, .xls), and webpages with their URLs.
Before creating your word cloud, you can choose to ignore stop words or ignore word cases. After generating your word cloud, the tool lets you edit the texts with options to add, clone, or delete.
You can generate word clouds in different shapes and designs, including abstract icons, colored icons, maps, and text. Notably, you can upload your own shape with a transparent or white background.
Furthermore, WordClouds supports hundreds of fonts in different languages for you to use. You can edit the direction of the word cloud with different vertical, horizontal, diagonal, uphill, downhill, and random styles.
Other editing options include colors, themes, masks, drawing, padding, word margin, and text shadow.
You can save your generated word cloud visualization as a CSV or image in SD or HD. It’s worth mentioning that WordClouds lets you save the entire process as a video, although it takes time.
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3. JasonDavies
The JasonDavies word cloud generator features a basic GUI, but it does the job. In essence, it features many options to help you create the perfect word cloud.
With this word cloud generator, you can’t import text as TXT, DOC, or any other format. You must enter it directly into the featured box.
Nevertheless, the tool is fast. You get your word cloud visualization immediately as you click the “Go!” button. You can then customize the word cloud and see the changes in real-time.
The JasonDavies word cloud generator lets you create an archimedean or rectangular spiral word cloud. You can adjust the orientations from different angles and change the scale between log n, n, and sqrt n.
If your text data has many words, you can limit the number that your word cloud will contain.
Furthermore, you can change the font type, but the website doesn’t actually feature a font list. You’ll have to type in the correct font name for it to load. You won’t see any change if you type in an incorrect or unrecognized font name.
When done, you can download your word cloud as an SVG file.
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4. WordArt
You can create professional word clouds on the WordArt website for free. The website features a scalable word cloud generator and editor that’s also easy to use.
WordArt lets you import text data from two primary sources: text files and the web. For text files, you can directly type or paste text or import from CSV and MS Excel files. For the latter, you only need a URL.
After importing the words, you get your word cloud by clicking on the “Visualize” button. WordArt takes about five seconds to generate a word cloud.
Notably, you can customize your word cloud before generating it. However, you can’t see the changes in real-time. They only update when you click the visualize button.
You can customize the word cloud’s shape, fonts, layout, and style. When you switch from Animate to Edit mode, you can rearrange the words in the word cloud, change their individual colors, fonts, etc.
WordArt lets you download your word cloud in PNG, JPEG, SVG, PDF, HTML, ZIP, and CSV formats. You can also share it directly on Facebook, Twitter, or email or embed it on a webpage.
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5. Free Word Cloud Generator
It’s clear-cut from the description that you won’t pay to use this word cloud generator. The tool aims to help non-data scientists transform texts into “powerful word cloud visualizations.”
You can import a CSV file or directly paste or type your text into the Free Word Cloud Generator. It’s a minimalist tool as it only features a few customization options – the basic customization options you’ll need, including fonts and colors.
You can add six different colors to your word cloud. While you can choose these colors manually, the tool features pre-made color palettes that you can use. By default, the most important words have the darkest colors and vice versa.
For fonts, there are close to thirty different styles to use. All are relatively modern fonts, including those like Roboto and Poppins. You won’t find overused fonts like Arial and Times New Roman.
With the slider bar, you can adjust the number of words in your word cloud between zero and one hundred.
Free Word Cloud Generator lets you download your word cloud in three formats: PNG, JPEG, and SVG.
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6. TagCrowd
You won’t find many word cloud generators better than TagCrowd in terms of simplicity. Also, it is free to use.
You have three options to create word clouds: paste or type in your text, upload a plain text file, or enter a URL. After that, click on the “Visualize!” button to generate your word cloud.
TagCrowd features some unique customization options. You can choose the language of your text, set the maximum number of words and minimum frequency, exclude unwanted words, and convert all text to lowercase.
In particular, when you set a language for your text, the word cloud generator will ignore all common words in that language. Also, if your set language is English, the tool will group similar words.
TagCrowd has a notable feature you won’t find in many word cloud generators – an option to show word count next to each word. Hence, you can tell the most important words in the data by size and color and compare their frequencies.
You can save your word cloud as a PDF or embed it as HTML.
TagCrowd is free to use, but you can contribute to keeping the tool afloat by “buying the creator a coffee.”
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7. WordSift
WordSift was created for English language teachers and learners. Nevertheless, you can use the website to create a word cloud like others on this list.
With WordSift, you can’t import a text file. You can only paste or type in your text, although there are sample texts to use.
When you click the “Sift!” button, it takes less than five seconds for your word cloud to generate.
The viewer lets you switch between cloud view and text view. In text view, you get insights like word count, unique words, readability index, and average grade level, to name a few.
WordSift lets you choose between five word cloud styles. Your chosen style will affect the orientation, font style, font size, and colors. However, you can customize these elements individually from the settings.
An interesting feature you get with WordSift is the “Sort Words” option. You can sort the order in which the words appear in alphabetical order, ascending, or descending.
In addition, you can sort from rare to common words in ascending or descending order.
You can download your WordSift word cloud as an SVG or PNG file.
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8. WordItOut
WordItOut is a word cloud generator with many customization options. The word cloud generator is free to use, and you don’t have to sign up.
You can type or only copy and paste your text with WordItOut. The website has no option to upload files or extract text from the web. However, it lets you paste normal text, no-filter text, and tables.
Before generating your word cloud, you can set the minimum number of letters in a word, filter punctuation characters, and replace spaces.
After generating your word cloud, you can access other customization options, including font, color, layout, size, and word arrangement.
Notably, you can customize it manually or set it to random. If random, the word cloud generator will automatically assign the best font, color, layout, etc. to your word cloud.
You’ll submit your email to download your word cloud, and you’ll receive the download link in your inbox.
Furthermore, you can browse and discover word clouds created by other WordItOut users. The website lets you download these word clouds or embed them on your website.
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9. Slido
Slido is a famous platform for audience interaction. One of the free tools available on the website is a word cloud generator.
You must sign up to create word clouds with Slido. It’s easy as you can sign up with your Google or Webex account.
After logging in, create a Slido event and then a word cloud poll. You can enter words for your word cloud via the “Participant mode” option in the left tab. The only downside is that you must enter the texts one after the other.
You can view your word cloud from the analytics section within your dashboard. Slido lets you create an infographic from your word cloud, which you can share via a public link or directly on social media.
You don’t get many customization options with Slido. Nevertheless, the website integrates with Webex, Powerpoint, Teams, and Google Slides.
You can create word clouds directly from these platforms or present your finished word cloud. Furthermore, you can draw design inspiration from the many word cloud samples.
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10. Vizzlo
Thousands of people use Vizzlo to create charts and business graphs. The website lets you create word clouds from over 100 pre-made templates. However, like a few platforms on this list, registration is mandatory.
You can register an account using your email address or Google, Apple, or Microsoft accounts.
Vizzlo lets you import text from spreadsheet documents. The word clouds are interactive. Not only can you adjust the appearance from the settings, but you can click on words and edit them individually.
You can change the entire appearance of the word cloud using any of the predesigned color themes. In addition, you can add annotations and edit the styling of specific elements.
Vizzlo lets you download your word cloud as a PNG or VZL file. You can download it as a PDF with a premium account.
However, word clouds you create for free with Vizzlo come with the brand’s watermark. You can remove the watermark by upgrading your account, and pricing starts from $9 per month for teams.
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11. TextMagic
TextMagic offers text message marketing to businesses at a price. However, it features a collection of free tools, including a free word cloud generator.
You can create word clouds with TextMagic without signing up, even though it’s primarily a premium platform. You can upload a TXT file or type and paste your text data directly.
It takes about two seconds for the tool to generate your word cloud.
Below the word cloud visualization, you’ll find a word frequency list containing all the words in your text, their frequency, and percentage. You can remove any word with a single click.
The TextMagic free word cloud generator features light, dark, and blue themes. The theme you apply primarily affects the background, which you can still edit.
In addition, you can choose between nine different font styles and assign five different word colors.
The tool lets you download your word cloud visualization as an SVG, PNG, PDF, or CSV file. You can also share it with others via a public link.
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12. PresenterMedia
PresenterMedia is another premium tool, but with a free word cloud generator. You can create free word clouds with various premade layouts.
The tool is simple to use. You only need to select a word cloud layout and click on the “Customize Wordcloud” button. There’s an on-site tutorial to walk you through the process.
As you customize, you can remove the default text and enter your own text. Notably, you can’t import data.
PresenterMedia features about 96 color palettes for customizing texts and backgrounds. You can still create your own color palette and adjust the opacity.
Similarly, you have close to 100 different fonts to use, and you can use text as shape. Not to mention you also have over 180 different shapes to use.
With PresenterMedia’s free word cloud generator, you can only download your word cloud as a JPG file and in small or medium quality. You need a premium account to download in other formats, like PNG, and in high quality.
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13. Infogram
Infogram is an all-in-one platform for creating engaging infographics and other visualizations. Hence, you can do more with it aside from generating word clouds.
While some of Infogram’s tools are available for a subscription, the word art generator is always free. However, you need to create an account to use it.
After logging in, simply choose a word cloud template and start customizing. You’ll find word cloud templates among the chart templates.
Notably, the templates will come with sample text. You can edit the data via the built-in sheet editor. As a result, you’ll find the Infogram word cloud generator convenient if your text data is in Excel.
You can upload the Excel file (XLS, XLSX, or CSV) or copy and paste the text rows into the built-in sheet editor.
Furthermore, you can import text files from Google Drive, Dropbox, JSON feed, and other databases like MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, Microsoft SQL, and Amazon RedShift.
All of these indicate that Infogram features an advanced word cloud generator.
You can customize the word cloud’s colors, fonts, and other properties.
Infogram lets you publish and share your word cloud in image format. The only downside is that they’ll feature a “Made with Infogram” branding.
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14. 60tools
The 60tools word cloud generator has a basic GUI. However, it comes with features other well-designed word cloud generators lack, like the option to import text from websites.
Therefore, you either import text from a website or enter it directly. With 60tools, you can adjust all the settings before generating your word cloud.
You can set the word cloud’s font style, size, background color, font color, font position, maximum word count, and image resolution.
In addition, you can choose a word cloud shape or import an image from your device as a shape. You can import a PNG, JPG, or GIF file for the latter.
To select shapes, you need to type in letters or Unicode letters (like symbols, for example).
You can download the output as a PNG, PDF, or SVG file. You can further edit the word cloud as an SVG using the 60tools SVG editor.
With the editor, you can individually customize each word element. When done, you can download the editing visualization as SVG or PNG.
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15. DanielSoper
DanielSoper isn’t the best word cloud generator in terms of appearance. However, it does the job and is available for free. In addition, it’s easy to use.
After entering your text, simply click on “Draw Cloud!” and you’ll get your word cloud visualization. With a single click, you can clear all text in the editor to add new ones.
The DanielSoper free word cloud generator features a few customization options.
You can set the word cloud size between small, medium, and large and the maximum word count between 10 and 50.
The tool features a few different font types, including Arial, Times New Roman, and Trebuchet, and font styles, including bold and italic. You can also add shadow to words. There are options to ignore capitalization, numbers, and stop words.
You can download your word cloud visualization by right-clicking on the image and selecting the “Save picture as” or “Save image as” option. The tool has no button to download the image directly.
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Bottom Line
Word clouds are helpful in different circumstances.
Irrespective of why you need a word cloud visualization, you can create one using any of the tools listed in this article.
They are free and easy to use, and they work fast.
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