COUNTIF pitfall 1: Criteria like ">100" must be quoted as a string, including the comparison operator?

Criteria like `">100"` must be quoted as a string, including the comparison operator.

COUNTIF pitfall 2: COUNTIF is single-criterion only?

`COUNTIF` is single-criterion only. For multiple conditions reach for `COUNTIFS`.

COUNTIF pitfall 3: Empty cells and "" are NOT the same?

Empty cells and `""` are NOT the same. `COUNTIF(A:A, "")` only counts truly empty cells.

Home/Formulas/Math/COUNTIF

Matheasy

COUNTIF()

Returns a conditional count across a range.

Syntax

=COUNTIF(range, criterion)

Try it

COUNTIF(B2:B17, "West")
COUNTIF(B2:B17, "West")

→

Sample data · sales.csv

	A	B	C	D
1	Company	Region	Quarter	Revenue
2	Acme Co	West	Q1	18,400
3	Acme Co	West	Q2	22,100
4	Acme Co	West	Q3	31,700
5	Acme Co	West	Q4	48,200
6	Globex	East	Q1	14,200
7	Globex	East	Q2	19,800
8	Globex	East	Q3	23,400

Company

Region

Quarter

Revenue

Acme Co

West

18,400

Acme Co

West

22,100

Acme Co

West

31,700

Acme Co

West

48,200

Globex

East

14,200

Globex

East

19,800

Globex

East

23,400

Common pitfalls

Criteria like ">100" must be quoted as a string, including the comparison operator.
COUNTIF is single-criterion only. For multiple conditions reach for COUNTIFS.
Empty cells and "" are NOT the same. COUNTIF(A:A, "") only counts truly empty cells.

Related formulas

COUNTIFS()

Returns the count of a range depending on multiple criteria.

Used by

COUNTIFS()

Returns the count of a range depending on multiple criteria.

More Math formulas →Keyboard shortcuts for Sheets →