Data & Spreadsheets
Compare Two Spreadsheets
Free to useNo sign-up requiredNo watermarkRuns in your browser
Two versions of the same export, a month apart. Which rows are new, which have gone, and which values changed? Reading them side by side does not scale past a few dozen rows.
Match the two files on a key column and this tells you precisely: added, removed, changed, unchanged - and for the changed rows, which column moved and what it moved from and to.
How this tool works
Add both files
Two XLSX, XLS or CSV files. Add the same file twice to compare two of its sheets.
Choose the sheets
Each file lists its sheets with row counts.
Choose the columns that identify a row
Usually an ID or reference. Tick several if it takes more than one column to be unique.
Compare and review
The changed rows are listed with the old and new value for each column that moved.
Download the report
An Excel workbook with a sheet for each outcome.
How it works
Rows are paired by the key columns you choose, after tidying up spacing and capitalisation if you leave that on. Only columns present in both files are compared; columns that exist in one file only are listed on the summary rather than being reported as a change on every single row.
A key that appears more than once on either side is reported as a duplicate rather than matched, because with two rows sharing a key there is no way to know which corresponds to which. Rows with a blank key are reported separately for the same reason.
The changed sheet has one row per changed field rather than per record, because "which column changed, from what, to what" is the question, and one row per record buries it.
A sheet is only created when it has something in it. An empty "Duplicate Keys" tab invites you to wonder what you are missing; its absence tells you plainly there were none.
Frequently asked questions
Is this comparison tool free?
Yes, free with no sign-up.
Are my files uploaded anywhere?
No. Your files stay on your device. Both are read and compared by your browser.
Can I compare two sheets in the same workbook?
Yes. Add the same file on both sides and choose a different sheet on each.
What if the two files have different columns?
Only the columns they share are compared. Columns unique to one file are listed on the summary sheet so you know they were left out.
What happens if the key appears twice?
Those rows are reported as duplicate keys rather than matched, because there is no way to tell which row on one side corresponds to which on the other.
Guides for this tool
How to compare two Excel files and find what changed
Have two versions of a spreadsheet that should match but might not? Compare them in your browser with VSThiran and identify exactly which rows changed, without checking every row by hand.
How to match two spreadsheets without writing a formula
Need to pull columns from one Excel file into another? Match two spreadsheets in your browser with VSThiran - click the two columns to match on, no VLOOKUP formula required.
How to reconcile two Excel reports and find differences
Two Excel reports don't reconcile? Compare them in your browser with VSThiran's reconciliation workflow and identify exactly which references or amounts don't agree.