Compare Excel Files

xlCompare highlights all changed cells and inserted rows automatically.

No formulas. No Conditional Formatting. No Power Query. No manual work.

Comparison report for two Excel files generated by xlCompare

Find differences in Excel Files automatically

Manually finding differences between Excel files requires knowledge of Excel features such as Conditional Formatting, formulas, and Power Query. It also carries a significant risk of errors.

Below, we'll show you how to compare two Excel files automatically with xlCompare and generate a clear comparison report.

1. Open two Excel Files

To open two files in xlCompare, simply launch the application and drag and drop your files from File Explorer into the xlCompare window.

xlCompare has a familiar, Microsoft Excel-like interface, making it easy and intuitive to work with your spreadsheet data.

2. Click the Compare Files button

To see the comparison results, simply click the Compare Files button in the main menu. xlCompare will give you the option to review and adjust the comparison settings, but you can skip this step and proceed with the default settings.

3. Get the Report on your screen

The comparison results are now displayed on the screen. xlCompare compares all worksheets in both Excel files and highlights every difference with color.

xlCompare detects changes in cell values, formulas, fonts, text and background colors, other cell formatting properties, and comments.

Comparison Report

3.1. Changed cells

Cells with changed values are highlighted with an orange background. Use the Changed Value and Display Difference commands to display the changed value together with the original value.

Changed cell in the report

3.2. Inserted and Removed Rows

Rows that are missing from the other file are highlighted with color. In the left file, xlCompare highlights these rows with a green background, while in the right file they are highlighted with a red background.

Inserted rows with green background in the report

You can customize these colors in the application settings.

Removed rows with green background in the report

3.3. All Differences as Single List

The bottom panel displays a list of all differences found between the two files. Above the list, the Legend lets you filter changes by type - such as changed values, formulas, or added rows - and group them by column or row.

All differences as single list

3.4. Review changes one by one

Select any item in the list, and xlCompare will automatically navigate to the corresponding cell in the worksheet. You can also move between differences using the commands in the Navigator menu or the Ctrl+6 and Ctrl+7 keyboard shortcuts.

3.5. Extract Matching and Changed Records

The xlCompare main menu includes filtering commands that let you display only changed rows, completely identical rows, or newly added records.

To extract the filtered records into a new file, right-click the table and select Save | Only Visible Rows from the context menu.

3.6. Export Report

xlCompare provides several options for saving your comparison results. The Report XLSX command in the main menu saves a comparison report containing all detected changes to disk.

The Export XLSX command saves the selected worksheet as an Excel file with all differences highlighted by color.

Reconcile the Changes in Excel files

If you need to synchronize changes across multiple Excel files, xlCompare is an ideal solution for the task.

Merge changes one by one

As you navigate through the list of differences, you can transfer any change to the other file by clicking the corresponding arrow button directly in the worksheet.

Automatic Reconciliation

For automatic change transfer, xlCompare provides a set of commands in the Merge menu.

Merge only Selected Changes

Select the changes you want to transfer from the list of differences, then use the Merge Selected command in the context menu to apply them to the other file.

xlCompare and Other Solutions

You can use formulas, Conditional Formatting, or Power Query to find differences between Excel files. These methods are covered in detail in many Excel expert tutorials. Each approach has its own advantages and limitations, and none of them works equally well in every comparison scenario.

Below, we provide a comparison table showing the differences between xlCompare, AI assistants, and Excel's built-in tools.

	Excel features	Spreadsheet Compare Add-in	AI Assistants	Online Tools	xlCompare
Changes in values	+	+	+	+	+
Changes in formulas		+	+		+
Inserted columns		+	+	+	+
Removed columns		+	+	+	+
Inserted rows		+	+	+	+
Removed rows		+	+	+	+
Compare by key columns			+	+	+
Changes in formatting			+		+
Changes in VBA macros					+
Changes in VBA forms					+
Interactive report	+	+		+	+
List of changes			+		+
Create report			+		+
Filter changes			+		+
Extact inserted rows			+		+
Extract matching rows			+		+
Merge changes			+		+
Command line interface					+
Integrate into repository					+
	Free	Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprize	SAAS	SAAS\Free	One time payment

Best Tool for Teams and Developers

xlCompare is a dedicated application that effectively compares Excel files for the difference. xlCompare provides enterprise solution to Excel users who need to compare two Excel sheets privately. This is a market leading product that instantly solves your Excel problem. If you are working with large and complex Excel files - desktop version of xlCompare is the best option to compare them quickly and privately. xlCompare is more than Spreadsheet Compare tool. It is a solution to the problem - "how to compare two Excel files or sheets".

What are the advantages of xlCompare?

xlCompare makes comparing Excel files effortless. Open your Excel files, click the Compare button, and instantly see the results. Unlike formulas, macros, AI tools, or other comparison methods, xlCompare presents all changes in a clear, visual report that's easy to understand. You don't have to search for differences manually or build complex formulas - the results are available immediately. Most comparison tasks require no configuration at all. Just a few clicks are enough to get accurate results. Advanced options are available when you need them, but they stay out of the way for everyday use.

Download and Install xlCompare

xlCompare is the best desktop solution to compare Excel files. Install xlCompare on your PC to compare your spreadsheets privately. xlCompare is a portable application, enabling fast private comparison of Excel files directly on your computer.

Download xlCompare 12.05

Build Date:

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September 15, 2026

12.05

xlcompare-12-05.msi

https://xlCompare.com/xlcompare-12-05.msi

8.9 Mb

Spreadsheet Tools

15 days

Get xlCompare from the Microsoft Store

Web Store URL	https://apps.microsoft.com/store/detail/XP9KKBZRRPTJ0D
Store deep link	ms-windows-store://pdp/?productid=XP9KKBZRRPTJ0D

Evaluation version is fully-functional. Its working period is limited to 15 days. So you can see how our product works for you. This helps you to decide if you need a dedicated professional tool to compare Excel and CSV files.

Diff viewer for XLSX files stored in GIT

Integrate xlCompare with your source code control application to compare different revisions of the XLSX, XML and TEXT files. Excel files are binary files and can't be processed with a text diff tool. Comparing two or three text files is much more trivial than comparing spreadsheets. xlCompare Professional has 3-way file comparison and automatic merging for Excel files. If you are Game developer and you are using Unreal Engine or Unity - xlCompare will help you to manage XLSX files you keep under version control.

Compare 3 XLSX files at once

Your Excel file was modified by a colleague? Compare LOCAL, BASE and REMOTE versions of the file to resolve merge conflict.

GIT diff XLSX files

How to keep and review all the revisions of your XLSX file? Read this instruction if you are using GIT in your development process.

How to use xlCompare with Perforce (P4V)

Perforce is your source control app? Connect xlCompare with Perforce with view and merge commits in your XLSX files.

Integrate with SVN client

SVN is a common tool for version control. This step-by-step quide will help you to integrate xlCompare into your SVN client tool.

Command line arguments (CLI)

Use xlCompare to compare and merge XLSX, XML and TEXT files with Command Line Interface.

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