VLOOKUP vs XLOOKUP: Which Should You Use in 2026?

VLOOKUP has been the go-to lookup function for decades, but XLOOKUP is now available in Excel 365 and Google Sheets. This guide compares both so you can choose the right one.

Key differences

VLOOKUP only looks right and requires a column index number. XLOOKUP looks in any direction, uses separate lookup and return arrays, and supports built-in if-not-found.

Use our VLOOKUP Generator or XLOOKUP Generator to build formulas instantly.