Compare Excel Files Online
Compare two Excel files directly in your browser. See rows only in file A, only in file B, and rows common to both — no upload required.
How to compare Excel files
- Drop the older file into the File A box and the newer file into the File B box. Each box shows the row and column count once the file has loaded.
- Click Compare. The tool first lists every column with a coloured dot: green for columns that match by name and type, yellow for a type mismatch, and blue or purple for columns found in only one file.
- Read the three summary cards: Only in File A, Only in File B, and In both files. Each card shows the full row count. Click a card or tab to preview up to 500 rows of that set.
- Click Download while a tab is active to save that set as a new file in the same format, for example prices_only_in_file_a.csv.
Your file is processed locally in your browser and is never uploaded. The free limit is 50 MB per file; larger files work if your device has the memory for them.
Worked example
A supplier sends a new price list each month. You want to see which lines were dropped or repriced since last month, and which products are new.
Input (Excel)
Excel workbook, first sheet (Sheet1)
| sku | product | price |
|---|---|---|
| KB-101 | Wireless keyboard | 49.99 |
| MS-220 | Ergonomic mouse | 34.5 |
| HD-310 | USB-C hub | 59.99 |
| CB-015 | HDMI cable 2m | 12.99 |
Settings
- File A: last month's price list (shown above)
- File B: this month's list. KB-101 and HD-310 are unchanged, MS-220 is now 32.0, CB-015 is gone, and DS-400 Laptop stand at 44.95 is new
- Active tab: Only in A
Result
| sku | product | price |
|---|---|---|
| MS-220 | Ergonomic mouse | 34.5 |
| CB-015 | HDMI cable 2m | 12.99 |
Rows are compared on every shared column at once, so a repriced product counts as a different row. MS-220 appears in Only in A with its old price and in Only in B with its new price. Only in B also holds DS-400. In both holds KB-101 and HD-310. Row order within each set is not guaranteed.
Working with Excel files
Only the first sheet of each workbook is compared. The sheet is read the way Excel displays it, not the raw cell values. A price formatted as currency arrives as the text "$1,200.00", while the same number in General format arrives as 1200. If one workbook uses number formatting and the other does not, the column types differ and that column is excluded from the match. Formulas are read as their last calculated value.
Excel files built by hand tend to carry blank rows at the bottom and extra columns with notes. Those rows can load as data, so a blank row in one file and not the other shows up in the Only in A or Only in B set. Delete helper columns or give both workbooks the same headers before comparing. Each result set downloads as a new .xlsx file with a single sheet named Sheet1.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I compare two sheets from the same Excel workbook?
Not directly, because only the first sheet of each file is read. Save each sheet as its own workbook, or extract them with the Excel Sheet Extractor, then load one as File A and the other as File B.
Why do matching Excel rows show up as different?
Usually a formatting difference. A cell showing 1,200.00 is read as text while a cell showing 1200 is read as a number. Clear the number formatting in both workbooks, or compare CSV exports of them instead.
How does the comparison decide two rows are the same?
It uses only the columns that exist in both files with the same name and type, and treats two rows as equal when every one of those values matches. Rows only in A are found with a set difference, and rows in both with a set intersection. A changed value makes the row appear once in each Only set.
What happens to duplicate rows?
Each result set lists distinct rows. If a row appears three times in File A and never in File B, it appears once in Only in A. Use Find Duplicates first if the number of copies matters.
Can I match rows on a key column and see which fields changed?
No. The tool compares whole rows, not rows joined on an ID. To see field-level changes, load both files in the SQL workspace and join them on the key column.
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