Written and reviewed by FormulaCraft Team. Each formula on this page is run through our verification engine before publishing.
Last reviewed:
MIN vs SMALL: lowest value vs the nth lowest in Excel and Sheets
Excel & Google Sheets
=MIN(A2:A7)✓
Verified example
Computed by a real spreadsheet engine on the sample data below.
| Score |
| 45 |
| 80 |
| 30 |
| 95 |
| 60 |
| 75 |
=MIN(A2:A7)→30
Try it with your data
Edit the grid or formula, then run it through a real spreadsheet engine — no signup.
Sample data — click any cell to edit
Runs server-side · free · no signup
Step by step
- 1MIN(A2:A7) returns the lowest value — here 30.
- 2SMALL(A2:A7, 1) returns the same 30; SMALL(A2:A7, 2) returns the 2nd lowest, 45.
- 3Use MIN for the floor value and SMALL when you need a specific low rank.
Tips
- To ignore zeros, use MINIFS(range, range, "<>0") instead of plain MIN.
- SMALL errors if n exceeds the count of numbers in the range.
Need it for your exact data?
Describe your columns in plain English and get the precise formula for your sheet, with the right Excel or Sheets syntax.
Frequently asked
How do I find the lowest non-zero value?
Use MINIFS(A2:A7, A2:A7, "<>0"), or an array MIN(IF(A2:A7<>0, A2:A7)) entered with Ctrl+Shift+Enter in older Excel.