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How to calculate the percentage difference between two numbers in Excel and Google Sheets
Topic:PercentagesExcel & Google Sheets
=(B3-B2)/B2✓
Verified example
Computed by a real spreadsheet engine on the sample data below.
| Month | Revenue |
| January | 40000 |
| February | 46000 |
| March | 43000 |
=(B3-B2)/B2→0.15
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Step by step
- 1Put your old value in one cell (e.g. B2) and your new value in another (e.g. B3).
- 2In a result cell, type =(B3-B2)/B2.
- 3Press Enter, then format the result cell as a percentage.
Tips
- If the old value (B2) could be zero, wrap with IFERROR: =IFERROR((B3-B2)/B2,"N/A") to avoid #DIV/0! errors.
- A positive result means the value increased; a negative result means it decreased.
Working on a sheet you inherited? Run the Auditor on the whole file first — it flags every #REF!, #N/A, broken column pattern, and inconsistent formula in seconds, free, no signup.
Frequently asked
What is the difference between percentage difference and percentage change?
Percentage change uses a clear old/new direction: (new−old)/old. Percentage difference sometimes refers to the symmetric formula |(A−B)|/((A+B)/2) used when neither value is a baseline.
How do I show the result as +10% or -5%?
Apply a custom number format like +0.00%;-0.00%;0% to show a plus sign for positive values.
More on Percentages
See all →How-to
How to calculate a percentage
Work out what percentage one number is of another with a simple division, then format the result as a percent. Same in Excel and Google Sheets.
Error fixFix Wrong %
Fix wrong percentage results in Excel and Google Sheets — caused by conflating the percentage symbol with the decimal value or double-applying the % format.
How-toHow to calculate percentage change
Find the percentage increase or decrease between two numbers with (new − old) / old, then format as a percent. Works in Excel and Sheets.
How-toHow to add a percentage to a number
Increase a number by a percentage with number × (1 + rate) — handy for tax, markup, or raises. Same in both apps.
How-toHow to calculate a cumulative percentage
Use a running SUM divided by the total SUM to build a cumulative percentage column in Excel or Google Sheets.
How-toHow to calculate attendance percentage
Divide attended sessions by total sessions and multiply by 100 to get attendance percentage in Excel or Google Sheets.