{"id":2627,"date":"2026-07-29T09:53:11","date_gmt":"2026-07-28T23:53:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/?p=2627"},"modified":"2026-07-29T12:57:20","modified_gmt":"2026-07-29T02:57:20","slug":"vlookup-vs-xlookup-vs-index-match","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/vlookup-vs-xlookup-vs-index-match","title":{"rendered":"VLOOKUP vs XLOOKUP vs INDEX\/MATCH: Which Excel Lookup Should You Use?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">XLOOKUP is the best choice for most users on Microsoft 365 or Excel 2021+: it looks in any direction, defaults to an exact match, and handles errors natively. INDEX\/MATCH is the flexible fallback for older Excel versions and left-of-key lookups, while VLOOKUP still works well for simple, left-to-right lookups in legacy files shared with older Excel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-dominant-color=\"264a3c\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #264a3c;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"538\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/vlookup-xlookup-index-match-hero-1024x538.webp\" alt=\"XLOOKUP vs VLOOKUP vs INDEX\/MATCH comparison from Dynamic Web Training\" class=\"wp-image-2628 not-transparent\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/vlookup-xlookup-index-match-hero-1024x538.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/vlookup-xlookup-index-match-hero-300x158.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/vlookup-xlookup-index-match-hero.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">If you build reports, reconcile lists, or pull a price or name from a table, you rely on a lookup function every day. Excel gives you three main options, and the \u201cright\u201d one depends on your Excel version and which direction you need to look. Here\u2019s how they compare, with the exact syntax for each and a simple rule for choosing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-what-s-the-difference-between-vlookup-xlookup-and-index-match\" class=\"wp-block-heading has-h-4-font-size\">What\u2019s the difference between VLOOKUP, XLOOKUP, and INDEX\/MATCH?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">All three answer the same question: \u201cfind a value in a table and return something related to it.\u201d They differ in flexibility, direction, and how easily they break.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list has-normal-font-size\">\n<li><strong>VLOOKUP<\/strong> searches the leftmost column of a range and returns a value from a column to its right, identified by a number. It\u2019s the quickest to type and the easiest to break.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>INDEX\/MATCH<\/strong> combines two functions: MATCH finds the position of your lookup value, and INDEX returns the value at that position. It can look in any direction and rarely breaks when columns move.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>XLOOKUP <\/strong>is the modern single-function replacement. It looks left or right, up or down, defaults to exact match, and has built-in error handling. It\u2019s only available in newer Excel.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-how-does-vlookup-work-and-where-does-it-fall-short\" class=\"wp-block-heading has-h-4-font-size\">How does VLOOKUP work (and where does it fall short)?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">VLOOKUP syntax:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-kevinbatdorf-code-block-pro\" data-code-block-pro-font-family=\"Code-Pro-JetBrains-Mono\" style=\"font-size:clamp(14px, .875rem, 21px);font-family:Code-Pro-JetBrains-Mono,ui-monospace,SFMono-Regular,Menlo,Monaco,Consolas,monospace;line-height:clamp(20px, 1.25rem, 30px);--cbp-tab-width:2;tab-size:var(--cbp-tab-width, 2)\"><span style=\"display:block;padding:16px 0 0 16px;margin-bottom:-1px;width:100%;text-align:left;background-color:#2e3440ff\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"54\" height=\"14\" viewBox=\"0 0 54 14\"><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" transform=\"translate(1 1)\"><circle cx=\"6\" cy=\"6\" r=\"6\" fill=\"#FF5F56\" stroke=\"#E0443E\" stroke-width=\".5\"><\/circle><circle cx=\"26\" cy=\"6\" r=\"6\" fill=\"#FFBD2E\" stroke=\"#DEA123\" stroke-width=\".5\"><\/circle><circle cx=\"46\" cy=\"6\" r=\"6\" fill=\"#27C93F\" stroke=\"#1AAB29\" stroke-width=\".5\"><\/circle><\/g><\/svg><\/span><span role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" style=\"color:#d8dee9ff;display:none\" aria-label=\"Copy\" class=\"code-block-pro-copy-button\"><pre class=\"code-block-pro-copy-button-pre\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><textarea class=\"code-block-pro-copy-button-textarea\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-hidden=\"true\" readonly>=VLOOKUP(lookup_value, table_array, col_index_num, &#91;range_lookup&#93;)<\/textarea><\/pre><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" style=\"width:24px;height:24px\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\"><path class=\"with-check\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" d=\"M9 5H7a2 2 0 00-2 2v12a2 2 0 002 2h10a2 2 0 002-2V7a2 2 0 00-2-2h-2M9 5a2 2 0 002 2h2a2 2 0 002-2M9 5a2 2 0 012-2h2a2 2 0 012 2m-6 9l2 2 4-4\"><\/path><path class=\"without-check\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" d=\"M9 5H7a2 2 0 00-2 2v12a2 2 0 002 2h10a2 2 0 002-2V7a2 2 0 00-2-2h-2M9 5a2 2 0 002 2h2a2 2 0 002-2M9 5a2 2 0 012-2h2a2 2 0 012 2\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><pre class=\"shiki nord\" style=\"background-color: #2e3440ff\" tabindex=\"0\"><code><span class=\"line\"><span style=\"color: #D8DEE9FF\">=VLOOKUP(lookup_value, table_array, col_index_num, <\/span><span style=\"color: #ECEFF4\">&#91;<\/span><span style=\"color: #D8DEE9\">range_lookup<\/span><span style=\"color: #ECEFF4\">&#93;<\/span><span style=\"color: #D8DEE9FF\">)<\/span><\/span><\/code><\/pre><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Example<\/strong> \u2014 find an employee\u2019s department from a staff table in A2:D50, where names are in column A and department is the 3rd column:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-kevinbatdorf-code-block-pro\" data-code-block-pro-font-family=\"Code-Pro-JetBrains-Mono\" style=\"font-size:clamp(14px, .875rem, 21px);font-family:Code-Pro-JetBrains-Mono,ui-monospace,SFMono-Regular,Menlo,Monaco,Consolas,monospace;line-height:clamp(20px, 1.25rem, 30px);--cbp-tab-width:2;tab-size:var(--cbp-tab-width, 2)\"><span style=\"display:block;padding:16px 0 0 16px;margin-bottom:-1px;width:100%;text-align:left;background-color:#2e3440ff\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"54\" height=\"14\" viewBox=\"0 0 54 14\"><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" transform=\"translate(1 1)\"><circle cx=\"6\" cy=\"6\" r=\"6\" fill=\"#FF5F56\" stroke=\"#E0443E\" stroke-width=\".5\"><\/circle><circle cx=\"26\" cy=\"6\" r=\"6\" fill=\"#FFBD2E\" stroke=\"#DEA123\" stroke-width=\".5\"><\/circle><circle cx=\"46\" cy=\"6\" r=\"6\" fill=\"#27C93F\" stroke=\"#1AAB29\" stroke-width=\".5\"><\/circle><\/g><\/svg><\/span><span role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" style=\"color:#d8dee9ff;display:none\" aria-label=\"Copy\" class=\"code-block-pro-copy-button\"><pre class=\"code-block-pro-copy-button-pre\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><textarea class=\"code-block-pro-copy-button-textarea\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-hidden=\"true\" readonly>=VLOOKUP(\"J. Smith\", A2:D50, 3, FALSE)<\/textarea><\/pre><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" style=\"width:24px;height:24px\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\"><path class=\"with-check\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" d=\"M9 5H7a2 2 0 00-2 2v12a2 2 0 002 2h10a2 2 0 002-2V7a2 2 0 00-2-2h-2M9 5a2 2 0 002 2h2a2 2 0 002-2M9 5a2 2 0 012-2h2a2 2 0 012 2m-6 9l2 2 4-4\"><\/path><path class=\"without-check\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" d=\"M9 5H7a2 2 0 00-2 2v12a2 2 0 002 2h10a2 2 0 002-2V7a2 2 0 00-2-2h-2M9 5a2 2 0 002 2h2a2 2 0 002-2M9 5a2 2 0 012-2h2a2 2 0 012 2\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><pre class=\"shiki nord\" style=\"background-color: #2e3440ff\" tabindex=\"0\"><code><span class=\"line\"><span style=\"color: #D8DEE9FF\">=VLOOKUP(<\/span><span style=\"color: #ECEFF4\">&quot;<\/span><span style=\"color: #A3BE8C\">J. Smith<\/span><span style=\"color: #ECEFF4\">&quot;<\/span><span style=\"color: #D8DEE9FF\">, A<\/span><span style=\"color: #B48EAD\">2<\/span><span style=\"color: #D8DEE9FF\">:D<\/span><span style=\"color: #B48EAD\">50<\/span><span style=\"color: #D8DEE9FF\">, <\/span><span style=\"color: #B48EAD\">3<\/span><span style=\"color: #D8DEE9FF\">, FALSE)<\/span><\/span><\/code><\/pre><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">The FALSE forces an exact match; always include it, because the default is an approximate match that can silently return the wrong row.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">VLOOKUP\u2019s three weaknesses:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list has-normal-font-size\">\n<li><strong>It can only look right.<\/strong> The lookup column must sit to the left of the value you want. If your ID sits to the right of the name you\u2019re searching, VLOOKUP can\u2019t help.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>It breaks when columns change.<\/strong> The 3 is a fixed column number. Insert a new column into the table and VLOOKUP still points at position 3, now returning the wrong field.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>No native error handling.<\/strong> A missing value returns #N\/A unless you wrap the whole thing in IFERROR.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-how-does-index-match-work\" class=\"wp-block-heading has-h-4-font-size\">How does INDEX\/MATCH work?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">INDEX\/MATCH solves VLOOKUP\u2019s direction and fragility problems. MATCH returns the position of a value in a row or column; INDEX returns whatever sits at that position in another range.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-kevinbatdorf-code-block-pro\" data-code-block-pro-font-family=\"Code-Pro-JetBrains-Mono\" style=\"font-size:clamp(14px, .875rem, 21px);font-family:Code-Pro-JetBrains-Mono,ui-monospace,SFMono-Regular,Menlo,Monaco,Consolas,monospace;line-height:clamp(20px, 1.25rem, 30px);--cbp-tab-width:2;tab-size:var(--cbp-tab-width, 2)\"><span style=\"display:block;padding:16px 0 0 16px;margin-bottom:-1px;width:100%;text-align:left;background-color:#2e3440ff\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"54\" height=\"14\" viewBox=\"0 0 54 14\"><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" transform=\"translate(1 1)\"><circle cx=\"6\" cy=\"6\" r=\"6\" fill=\"#FF5F56\" stroke=\"#E0443E\" stroke-width=\".5\"><\/circle><circle cx=\"26\" cy=\"6\" r=\"6\" fill=\"#FFBD2E\" stroke=\"#DEA123\" stroke-width=\".5\"><\/circle><circle cx=\"46\" cy=\"6\" r=\"6\" fill=\"#27C93F\" stroke=\"#1AAB29\" stroke-width=\".5\"><\/circle><\/g><\/svg><\/span><span role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" style=\"color:#d8dee9ff;display:none\" aria-label=\"Copy\" class=\"code-block-pro-copy-button\"><pre class=\"code-block-pro-copy-button-pre\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><textarea class=\"code-block-pro-copy-button-textarea\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-hidden=\"true\" readonly>=INDEX(return_range, MATCH(lookup_value, lookup_range, 0))<\/textarea><\/pre><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" style=\"width:24px;height:24px\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\"><path class=\"with-check\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" d=\"M9 5H7a2 2 0 00-2 2v12a2 2 0 002 2h10a2 2 0 002-2V7a2 2 0 00-2-2h-2M9 5a2 2 0 002 2h2a2 2 0 002-2M9 5a2 2 0 012-2h2a2 2 0 012 2m-6 9l2 2 4-4\"><\/path><path class=\"without-check\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" d=\"M9 5H7a2 2 0 00-2 2v12a2 2 0 002 2h10a2 2 0 002-2V7a2 2 0 00-2-2h-2M9 5a2 2 0 002 2h2a2 2 0 002-2M9 5a2 2 0 012-2h2a2 2 0 012 2\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><pre class=\"shiki nord\" style=\"background-color: #2e3440ff\" tabindex=\"0\"><code><span class=\"line\"><span style=\"color: #D8DEE9FF\">=INDEX(return_range, MATCH(lookup_value, lookup_range, <\/span><span style=\"color: #B48EAD\">0<\/span><span style=\"color: #D8DEE9FF\">))<\/span><\/span><\/code><\/pre><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Same employee example, returning the department in column C by matching the name in column A:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-kevinbatdorf-code-block-pro\" data-code-block-pro-font-family=\"Code-Pro-JetBrains-Mono\" style=\"font-size:clamp(14px, .875rem, 21px);font-family:Code-Pro-JetBrains-Mono,ui-monospace,SFMono-Regular,Menlo,Monaco,Consolas,monospace;line-height:clamp(20px, 1.25rem, 30px);--cbp-tab-width:2;tab-size:var(--cbp-tab-width, 2)\"><span style=\"display:block;padding:16px 0 0 16px;margin-bottom:-1px;width:100%;text-align:left;background-color:#2e3440ff\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"54\" height=\"14\" viewBox=\"0 0 54 14\"><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" transform=\"translate(1 1)\"><circle cx=\"6\" cy=\"6\" r=\"6\" fill=\"#FF5F56\" stroke=\"#E0443E\" stroke-width=\".5\"><\/circle><circle cx=\"26\" cy=\"6\" r=\"6\" fill=\"#FFBD2E\" stroke=\"#DEA123\" stroke-width=\".5\"><\/circle><circle cx=\"46\" cy=\"6\" r=\"6\" fill=\"#27C93F\" stroke=\"#1AAB29\" stroke-width=\".5\"><\/circle><\/g><\/svg><\/span><span role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" style=\"color:#d8dee9ff;display:none\" aria-label=\"Copy\" class=\"code-block-pro-copy-button\"><pre class=\"code-block-pro-copy-button-pre\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><textarea class=\"code-block-pro-copy-button-textarea\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-hidden=\"true\" readonly>=INDEX(C2:C50, MATCH(\"J. Smith\", A2:A50, 0))<\/textarea><\/pre><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" style=\"width:24px;height:24px\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\"><path class=\"with-check\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" d=\"M9 5H7a2 2 0 00-2 2v12a2 2 0 002 2h10a2 2 0 002-2V7a2 2 0 00-2-2h-2M9 5a2 2 0 002 2h2a2 2 0 002-2M9 5a2 2 0 012-2h2a2 2 0 012 2m-6 9l2 2 4-4\"><\/path><path class=\"without-check\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" d=\"M9 5H7a2 2 0 00-2 2v12a2 2 0 002 2h10a2 2 0 002-2V7a2 2 0 00-2-2h-2M9 5a2 2 0 002 2h2a2 2 0 002-2M9 5a2 2 0 012-2h2a2 2 0 012 2\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><pre class=\"shiki nord\" style=\"background-color: #2e3440ff\" tabindex=\"0\"><code><span class=\"line\"><span style=\"color: #D8DEE9FF\">=INDEX(C<\/span><span style=\"color: #B48EAD\">2<\/span><span style=\"color: #D8DEE9FF\">:C<\/span><span style=\"color: #B48EAD\">50<\/span><span style=\"color: #D8DEE9FF\">, MATCH(<\/span><span style=\"color: #ECEFF4\">&quot;<\/span><span style=\"color: #A3BE8C\">J. Smith<\/span><span style=\"color: #ECEFF4\">&quot;<\/span><span style=\"color: #D8DEE9FF\">, A<\/span><span style=\"color: #B48EAD\">2<\/span><span style=\"color: #D8DEE9FF\">:A<\/span><span style=\"color: #B48EAD\">50<\/span><span style=\"color: #D8DEE9FF\">, <\/span><span style=\"color: #B48EAD\">0<\/span><span style=\"color: #D8DEE9FF\">))<\/span><\/span><\/code><\/pre><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">The 0 in MATCH means exact match. Because you reference the return column and the lookup column separately, INDEX\/MATCH can look left, and inserting columns won\u2019t break it. The trade-off is that it\u2019s two functions nested together, which takes longer to write and read than a single lookup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-how-does-xlookup-work\" class=\"wp-block-heading has-h-4-font-size\">How does XLOOKUP work?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">XLOOKUP folds everything above into one function:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-kevinbatdorf-code-block-pro\" data-code-block-pro-font-family=\"Code-Pro-JetBrains-Mono\" style=\"font-size:clamp(14px, .875rem, 21px);font-family:Code-Pro-JetBrains-Mono,ui-monospace,SFMono-Regular,Menlo,Monaco,Consolas,monospace;line-height:clamp(20px, 1.25rem, 30px);--cbp-tab-width:2;tab-size:var(--cbp-tab-width, 2)\"><span style=\"display:block;padding:16px 0 0 16px;margin-bottom:-1px;width:100%;text-align:left;background-color:#2e3440ff\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"54\" height=\"14\" viewBox=\"0 0 54 14\"><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" transform=\"translate(1 1)\"><circle cx=\"6\" cy=\"6\" r=\"6\" fill=\"#FF5F56\" stroke=\"#E0443E\" stroke-width=\".5\"><\/circle><circle cx=\"26\" cy=\"6\" r=\"6\" fill=\"#FFBD2E\" stroke=\"#DEA123\" stroke-width=\".5\"><\/circle><circle cx=\"46\" cy=\"6\" r=\"6\" fill=\"#27C93F\" stroke=\"#1AAB29\" stroke-width=\".5\"><\/circle><\/g><\/svg><\/span><span role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" style=\"color:#d8dee9ff;display:none\" aria-label=\"Copy\" class=\"code-block-pro-copy-button\"><pre class=\"code-block-pro-copy-button-pre\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><textarea class=\"code-block-pro-copy-button-textarea\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-hidden=\"true\" readonly>=XLOOKUP(lookup_value, lookup_array, return_array, &#91;if_not_found&#93;, &#91;match_mode&#93;, &#91;search_mode&#93;)<\/textarea><\/pre><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" style=\"width:24px;height:24px\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\"><path class=\"with-check\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" d=\"M9 5H7a2 2 0 00-2 2v12a2 2 0 002 2h10a2 2 0 002-2V7a2 2 0 00-2-2h-2M9 5a2 2 0 002 2h2a2 2 0 002-2M9 5a2 2 0 012-2h2a2 2 0 012 2m-6 9l2 2 4-4\"><\/path><path class=\"without-check\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" d=\"M9 5H7a2 2 0 00-2 2v12a2 2 0 002 2h10a2 2 0 002-2V7a2 2 0 00-2-2h-2M9 5a2 2 0 002 2h2a2 2 0 002-2M9 5a2 2 0 012-2h2a2 2 0 012 2\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><pre class=\"shiki nord\" style=\"background-color: #2e3440ff\" tabindex=\"0\"><code><span class=\"line\"><span style=\"color: #D8DEE9FF\">=XLOOKUP(lookup_value, lookup_array, return_array, <\/span><span style=\"color: #ECEFF4\">&#91;<\/span><span style=\"color: #D8DEE9\">if_not_found<\/span><span style=\"color: #ECEFF4\">&#93;<\/span><span style=\"color: #D8DEE9FF\">, <\/span><span style=\"color: #ECEFF4\">&#91;<\/span><span style=\"color: #D8DEE9\">match_mode<\/span><span style=\"color: #ECEFF4\">&#93;<\/span><span style=\"color: #D8DEE9FF\">, <\/span><span style=\"color: #ECEFF4\">&#91;<\/span><span style=\"color: #D8DEE9\">search_mode<\/span><span style=\"color: #ECEFF4\">&#93;<\/span><span style=\"color: #D8DEE9FF\">)<\/span><\/span><\/code><\/pre><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Same example, with a friendly message if the name isn\u2019t found:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-kevinbatdorf-code-block-pro\" data-code-block-pro-font-family=\"Code-Pro-JetBrains-Mono\" style=\"font-size:clamp(14px, .875rem, 21px);font-family:Code-Pro-JetBrains-Mono,ui-monospace,SFMono-Regular,Menlo,Monaco,Consolas,monospace;line-height:clamp(20px, 1.25rem, 30px);--cbp-tab-width:2;tab-size:var(--cbp-tab-width, 2)\"><span style=\"display:block;padding:16px 0 0 16px;margin-bottom:-1px;width:100%;text-align:left;background-color:#2e3440ff\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"54\" height=\"14\" viewBox=\"0 0 54 14\"><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" transform=\"translate(1 1)\"><circle cx=\"6\" cy=\"6\" r=\"6\" fill=\"#FF5F56\" stroke=\"#E0443E\" stroke-width=\".5\"><\/circle><circle cx=\"26\" cy=\"6\" r=\"6\" fill=\"#FFBD2E\" stroke=\"#DEA123\" stroke-width=\".5\"><\/circle><circle cx=\"46\" cy=\"6\" r=\"6\" fill=\"#27C93F\" stroke=\"#1AAB29\" stroke-width=\".5\"><\/circle><\/g><\/svg><\/span><span role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" style=\"color:#d8dee9ff;display:none\" aria-label=\"Copy\" class=\"code-block-pro-copy-button\"><pre class=\"code-block-pro-copy-button-pre\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><textarea class=\"code-block-pro-copy-button-textarea\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-hidden=\"true\" readonly>=XLOOKUP(\"J. Smith\", A2:A50, C2:C50, \"Not found\")<\/textarea><\/pre><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" style=\"width:24px;height:24px\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\"><path class=\"with-check\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" d=\"M9 5H7a2 2 0 00-2 2v12a2 2 0 002 2h10a2 2 0 002-2V7a2 2 0 00-2-2h-2M9 5a2 2 0 002 2h2a2 2 0 002-2M9 5a2 2 0 012-2h2a2 2 0 012 2m-6 9l2 2 4-4\"><\/path><path class=\"without-check\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" d=\"M9 5H7a2 2 0 00-2 2v12a2 2 0 002 2h10a2 2 0 002-2V7a2 2 0 00-2-2h-2M9 5a2 2 0 002 2h2a2 2 0 002-2M9 5a2 2 0 012-2h2a2 2 0 012 2\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><pre class=\"shiki nord\" style=\"background-color: #2e3440ff\" tabindex=\"0\"><code><span class=\"line\"><span style=\"color: #D8DEE9FF\">=XLOOKUP(<\/span><span style=\"color: #ECEFF4\">&quot;<\/span><span style=\"color: #A3BE8C\">J. Smith<\/span><span style=\"color: #ECEFF4\">&quot;<\/span><span style=\"color: #D8DEE9FF\">, A<\/span><span style=\"color: #B48EAD\">2<\/span><span style=\"color: #D8DEE9FF\">:A<\/span><span style=\"color: #B48EAD\">50<\/span><span style=\"color: #D8DEE9FF\">, C<\/span><span style=\"color: #B48EAD\">2<\/span><span style=\"color: #D8DEE9FF\">:C<\/span><span style=\"color: #B48EAD\">50<\/span><span style=\"color: #D8DEE9FF\">, <\/span><span style=\"color: #ECEFF4\">&quot;<\/span><span style=\"color: #A3BE8C\">Not found<\/span><span style=\"color: #ECEFF4\">&quot;<\/span><span style=\"color: #D8DEE9FF\">)<\/span><\/span><\/code><\/pre><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What makes XLOOKUP the default choice on modern Excel:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list has-normal-font-size\">\n<li class=\"has-normal-font-size\"><strong>Any direction.<\/strong> You name the lookup array and the return array separately, so it looks left, right, up (with vertical arrays), or down.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Exact match by default.<\/strong> No FALSE or 0 to remember, and no accidental approximate matches.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-normal-font-size\"><strong>Built-in \u201cif not found\u201d.<\/strong> The fourth argument replaces the need to wrap it in IFERROR.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-normal-font-size\"><strong>Robust to column changes.<\/strong> Like INDEX\/MATCH, it references ranges directly, so inserting columns doesn\u2019t break it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-normal-font-size\"><strong>Returns whole arrays. <\/strong>Point the return array at several columns and XLOOKUP spills all of them at once.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">The catch is version support, covered below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-which-lookup-function-is-faster\" class=\"wp-block-heading has-h-4-font-size\">Which lookup function is faster?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">For everyday spreadsheets the speed difference is negligible; you will not notice it on a few hundred or few thousand rows. The difference only shows up in very large models with tens of thousands of formulas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">In those large workbooks, INDEX\/MATCH and XLOOKUP tend to be lighter than VLOOKUP when VLOOKUP references an entire wide table, because they only scan the specific lookup and return arrays rather than the full table block. XLOOKUP references two arrays and is broadly comparable to INDEX\/MATCH in practice. The bigger performance lever is almost always good spreadsheet design, referencing tight ranges instead of whole columns, not which of the three functions you pick.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-does-xlookup-work-in-older-versions-of-excel\" class=\"wp-block-heading has-h-4-font-size\">Does XLOOKUP work in older versions of Excel?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">No. XLOOKUP is available in <strong>Microsoft 365<\/strong> and <strong>Excel 2021<\/strong> (and later), on Windows, Mac, and the web. It is not available in Excel 2019, 2016, or earlier. If you build a workbook with XLOOKUP and send it to someone running Excel 2019, they will see a #NAME? error where the formula should be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">This is the single biggest reason INDEX\/MATCH and VLOOKUP are still worth knowing: both work in every modern version of Excel, so they\u2019re the safe choice for files shared across an organisation that hasn\u2019t fully upgraded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-which-one-should-you-use\" class=\"wp-block-heading has-h-4-font-size\">Which one should you use?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Use this rule:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list has-normal-font-size\">\n<li class=\"has-normal-font-size\"><strong>On Microsoft 365 or Excel 2021+ and the file stays in-house?<\/strong> Use <strong>XLOOKUP.<\/strong> It\u2019s the simplest to write correctly and the hardest to break.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-normal-font-size\"><strong>Need to look to the left, or share the file with people on Excel 2019 or older?<\/strong> Use <strong>INDEX\/MATCH<\/strong>. It\u2019s flexible and universally compatible.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-normal-font-size\"><strong>Simple right-of-key lookup in a legacy file, or a quick one-off?<\/strong> VLOOKUP is fine, just remember the FALSE.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table has-normal-font-size\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>Feature<\/th><th>VLOOKUP<\/th><th>INDEX\/MATCH<\/th><th>XLOOKUP<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Looks left<\/td><td>No<\/td><td>Yes<\/td><td>Yes<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Survives inserted columns<\/td><td>No<\/td><td>Yes<\/td><td>Yes<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Exact match by default<\/td><td>No (needs FALSE)<\/td><td>No (needs 0)<\/td><td>Yes<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Built-in \u201cif not found\u201d<\/td><td>No<\/td><td>No<\/td><td>Yes<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Ease of writing<\/td><td>Easiest<\/td><td>Hardest<\/td><td>Easy<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Works in Excel 2019 &amp; earlier<\/td><td>Yes<\/td><td>Yes<\/td><td>No<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Best for<\/td><td>Quick legacy lookups<\/td><td>Compatibility + flexibility<\/td><td>Modern default<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><\/td><td><\/td><td><\/td><td><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Still juggling all three in real workbooks? Our hands-on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/microsoft-excel-training-courses\/advanced-excel-course\">Advanced Excel Training Course<\/a> walks you through lookup functions on real business data with a Microsoft Certified Trainer, and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/microsoft-excel-training-courses\/excel-data-analysis-course\">Excel for Data Analysis Course<\/a> takes you further into Power Query and Power Pivot. To build your Excel skills end to end, browse our full range of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/microsoft-excel-training-courses\">Microsoft Excel training courses<\/a>, and if you\u2019re new to the newest function, start with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/xlookup-explained\">XLOOKUP Explained<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-frequently-asked-questions\" class=\"wp-block-heading has-h-4-font-size\">Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"schema-faq wp-block-yoast-faq-block has-normal-font-size\"><div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1785219812297\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">What\u2019s the difference between VLOOKUP and XLOOKUP?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">VLOOKUP searches only the leftmost column and returns a value to its right using a fixed column number, which breaks if columns move. XLOOKUP looks in any direction, defaults to exact match, and has built-in error handling, but it only works in Microsoft 365 and Excel 2021 or later.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1785219819658\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Is INDEX\/MATCH better than VLOOKUP?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">For flexibility, yes. INDEX\/MATCH can look to the left and doesn\u2019t break when you insert columns, and it works in every modern Excel version. The trade-off is that it combines two functions, so it takes a little longer to write and read than VLOOKUP.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1785219834204\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Which is faster: VLOOKUP, XLOOKUP, or INDEX\/MATCH?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">On normal-sized spreadsheets the difference is negligible. In very large models, INDEX\/MATCH and XLOOKUP are usually lighter than a VLOOKUP that references an entire table, because they only scan the specific lookup and return ranges. Good range design matters more than the function you choose.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1785219857451\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Can XLOOKUP look to the left?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Yes. Unlike VLOOKUP, XLOOKUP lets you name the lookup array and the return array separately, so it can return a value from a column to the left of your search column.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1785219872166\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Does XLOOKUP work in Excel 2019?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">No. XLOOKUP requires Microsoft 365 or Excel 2021 or later. In Excel 2019, 2016, or earlier it returns a #NAME? error, so use INDEX\/MATCH or VLOOKUP for files shared with older versions.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1785283018996\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Should you still use VLOOKUP in 2026?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Yes, in the right situations. VLOOKUP is quick to write for simple left-to-right lookups and works in every Excel version, which makes it useful for legacy files. But if you\u2019re on Microsoft 365 or Excel 2021+, XLOOKUP is the better default.<\/p> <\/div> <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>XLOOKUP is the best choice for most users on Microsoft 365 or Excel 2021+: it looks in any direction, defaults to an exact match, and handles errors natively. INDEX\/MATCH is the flexible fallback for older Excel versions and left-of-key lookups, while VLOOKUP still works well for simple, left-to-right lookups in legacy files shared with older&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2627","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-microsoft-excel"],"yoast_head":"<title>VLOOKUP vs XLOOKUP vs INDEX\/MATCH: Which to Use<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"View and Share Dynamic Web Training Blog Archives. 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XLOOKUP looks in any direction, defaults to exact match, and has built-in error handling, but it only works in Microsoft 365 and Excel 2021 or later.","inLanguage":"en-AU"},"inLanguage":"en-AU"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/vlookup-vs-xlookup-vs-index-match#faq-question-1785219819658","position":2,"url":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/vlookup-vs-xlookup-vs-index-match#faq-question-1785219819658","name":"Is INDEX\/MATCH better than VLOOKUP?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"For flexibility, yes. INDEX\/MATCH can look to the left and doesn\u2019t break when you insert columns, and it works in every modern Excel version. The trade-off is that it combines two functions, so it takes a little longer to write and read than VLOOKUP.","inLanguage":"en-AU"},"inLanguage":"en-AU"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/vlookup-vs-xlookup-vs-index-match#faq-question-1785219834204","position":3,"url":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/vlookup-vs-xlookup-vs-index-match#faq-question-1785219834204","name":"Which is faster: VLOOKUP, XLOOKUP, or INDEX\/MATCH?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"On normal-sized spreadsheets the difference is negligible. In very large models, INDEX\/MATCH and XLOOKUP are usually lighter than a VLOOKUP that references an entire table, because they only scan the specific lookup and return ranges. Good range design matters more than the function you choose.","inLanguage":"en-AU"},"inLanguage":"en-AU"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/vlookup-vs-xlookup-vs-index-match#faq-question-1785219857451","position":4,"url":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/vlookup-vs-xlookup-vs-index-match#faq-question-1785219857451","name":"Can XLOOKUP look to the left?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Yes. Unlike VLOOKUP, XLOOKUP lets you name the lookup array and the return array separately, so it can return a value from a column to the left of your search column.","inLanguage":"en-AU"},"inLanguage":"en-AU"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/vlookup-vs-xlookup-vs-index-match#faq-question-1785219872166","position":5,"url":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/vlookup-vs-xlookup-vs-index-match#faq-question-1785219872166","name":"Does XLOOKUP work in Excel 2019?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"No. XLOOKUP requires Microsoft 365 or Excel 2021 or later. In Excel 2019, 2016, or earlier it returns a #NAME? error, so use INDEX\/MATCH or VLOOKUP for files shared with older versions.","inLanguage":"en-AU"},"inLanguage":"en-AU"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/vlookup-vs-xlookup-vs-index-match#faq-question-1785283018996","position":6,"url":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/vlookup-vs-xlookup-vs-index-match#faq-question-1785283018996","name":"Should you still use VLOOKUP in 2026?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Yes, in the right situations. VLOOKUP is quick to write for simple left-to-right lookups and works in every Excel version, which makes it useful for legacy files. But if you\u2019re on Microsoft 365 or Excel 2021+, XLOOKUP is the better default.","inLanguage":"en-AU"},"inLanguage":"en-AU"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2627","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2627"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2627\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2634,"href":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2627\/revisions\/2634"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2627"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2627"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2627"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}