4 circle Venn diagram maker
Four sets, 15 regions. Tap a region on the diagram and type. Free, no sign-up.
Why four circles can’t make a Venn diagram
| Regions a 4-set Venn diagram needs | 15 |
|---|---|
| Most regions 4 circles can ever make | 13 |
| Regions in the drawing on the left | 13 |
Missing: A ∩ C only, B ∩ D only. With these circles, nothing can be in those combinations without also being somewhere it shouldn’t.
Each new circle can cross an earlier circle in at most two points, so 4 circles top out at k² − k + 1 = 13 inner regions. Ellipses can cross four times, which is why the maker switches to ellipses from four sets.
The regions of a 4-set Venn diagram
A four-set Venn diagram needs 15 regions inside the shapes. Four circles can make at most 13 of them, so a “4 circle” diagram drawn with circles always misses two combinations. VennMaker uses four ellipses, the classic fix, so every region is there and clickable.
Four sets give 2⁴ = 16 regions including the outside: 4 “only” regions, 6 pairs, 4 triples and 1 region shared by all four.
In the editor’s Text tab every region is listed with its name and set notation, so you always know where an item belongs. Comparing real lists (class rosters, survey answers, gene IDs)? Paste one list per set into the From lists tab and every item is sorted into the right region, with counts and percentages if you want them.
Need paper? Download the printable 4-set Venn diagram PDF (US Letter) or A4, or see the 4-set template page.
Good uses for 4 sets
- Ikigai-style planning (love, skill, pay, need)
- Comparing four products, candidates or research methods
- Gene or data-set overlaps in biology and data science
- Four genres, four eras, four countries
Other sizes
Questions people ask
Why can’t a 4 circle Venn diagram use circles?
Each new circle can cross each existing circle at most twice, which caps four circles at 14 regions counting the outside. Four sets need 16 (15 inside plus the outside). Ellipses can cross each other four times, so four ellipses can show all 15.
How many regions does a 4-set Venn diagram have?
Fifteen inside the shapes: four for single sets, six for pairs, four for triples and one for all four. Add the outside and there are sixteen.
Is a 4 circle Venn diagram readable?
Yes, if you keep region text short. Use one or two words per item and the Text size slider, or switch to a 2 or 3 set diagram if you only need a few overlaps.