Compare Two Excel Files
Upload two Excel workbooks, choose which sheets to compare, and instantly see every cell-level difference — changed, added, and removed values highlighted. Download a full comparison report. Your files never leave your browser.
Original File (File 1)
Click to upload file 1
.xlsx, .xls, .xlsm, .xlsb
Updated File (File 2)
Click to upload file 2
.xlsx, .xls, .xlsm, .xlsb
100% private — both files are processed entirely in your browser
How to Compare Two Excel Files
Upload File 1
Upload the original (or older) version of your Excel file into the left upload zone.
Upload File 2
Upload the updated (or newer) version into the right upload zone. Select sheets if the workbooks have multiple.
Compare
Click "Compare Files" to run the cell-by-cell comparison. Results appear instantly.
Review & download
View differences in the table — changed, added, removed. Download the full comparison report as Excel.
When Should You Compare Excel Files?
Comparing two versions of a spreadsheet is essential in many workflows:
- Audit changes — verify exactly what changed between two versions of a financial report or budget before signing off
- Data reconciliation — compare an exported dataset with a previous export to identify what was added, changed, or removed
- Version control — Excel has no built-in diff tool; this fills that gap without needing plugins or specialist software
- Contract or pricing changes — compare a supplier's updated price list against the previous version to find price changes
- Collaboration review — check what a colleague changed in a shared file when you don't have track changes enabled
- Data migration testing — verify that a database or system migration produced identical data by comparing before and after exports
Frequently Asked Questions
What types of differences does this tool find?
Three types: Changed (both files have a value but they differ), Added (empty in file 1, has value in file 2), and Removed (has value in file 1, empty in file 2). Each difference shows the row, column, original value, and new value.
Can I compare sheets with different dimensions?
Yes — the tool compares the union of both sheets' ranges. Cells that exist in one file but not the other appear as "added" or "removed" differences.
Does the tool compare formulas or just values?
Values only (the calculated result). Two cells with different formulas that produce the same result are considered identical. This is usually the right behaviour — you want to know if the data changed, not the formula.
Is there a limit on how many differences are shown?
The on-screen list and download report are capped at 500 differences to keep the browser responsive. For files with more changes than that, the first 500 are shown — usually enough to identify what changed.
Do both files need to have the same structure?
No — you can compare any two sheets regardless of structure. But the comparison is most meaningful when both sheets represent the same data in the same column layout (e.g., two versions of the same report).