What is an Hlookup vs VLOOKUP?
Ava Arnold
Updated on March 08, 2026
The most commonly used LOOKUP functions in Excel are VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP. VLOOKUP allows you to search a data range that is set up vertically. HLOOKUP is the exact same function, but looks up data that has been formatted by rows instead of columns.
What is VLOOKUP and Hlookup with example?
Use HLOOKUP when your comparison values are located in a row across the top of a table of data, and you want to look down a specified number of rows. Use VLOOKUP when your comparison values are located in a column to the left of the data you want to find. The H in HLOOKUP stands for "Horizontal."What is an Hlookup good for?
HLOOKUP in Excel stands for 'Horizontal Lookup'. It is a function that makes Excel search for a certain value in a row (the so called 'table array'), in order to return a value from a different row in the same column.What is the difference between VLOOKUP and VLOOKUP?
The main difference between VLOOKUP and LOOKUP functions is the VLOOKUP is limited to vertical lookups only and the LOOKUP function has cross functionality which means that it can perform both vertical lookups and horizontal lookups. However, there are some other differences as well.Does Xlookup replace Hlookup?
XLOOKUP was released by Microsoft in 2019 and is meant as the replacement for VLOOKUP, HLOOKUP, INDEX/MATCH functions. Like VLOOKUP or INDEX/MATCH, there are 3 mandatory arguments.What is an Xlookup?
The XLOOKUP function searches a range or an array, and then returns the item corresponding to the first match it finds. If no match exists, then XLOOKUP can return the closest (approximate) match.Can you use both Hlookup and VLOOKUP together?
First add a helper row (Row 3 below) with the column numbers. Then use the HLOOKUP Function to return the column number from that row for use in the VLOOKUP Function.How use Hlookup function in Excel with example?
Example 1
- The first argument to the function i.e. ' lookup_value ' = 75 (Marks of the student in Science)
- Second argument i.e. ' table_array ' = B2:I4 (Range of student table)
- Third argument i.e. ' row_index_num ' = 3 (the row number whose value the HLOOKUP function should return)
Can I combine Hlookup and VLOOKUP?
We can use a nested formula that combines the VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP Functions in excel to retrieve values from a table. Approximate and exact matching is supported by this combined formula and wildcards (* ?) are for finding partial matches.How do you explain Hlookup in interview?
HLOOKUP stands for Horizontal Lookup and can be used to retrieve information from a table by searching a row for the matching data and outputting from the corresponding column. While VLOOKUP searches for the value in a column, HLOOKUP searches for the value in a row.What are the advantages of using VLOOKUP over VLOOKUP Hlookup?
The new XLOOKUP function has solutions for some of the biggest limitations of VLOOKUP. Plus, it also replaces HLOOKUP. For example, XLOOKUP can look to its left, defaults to an exact match, and allows you to specify a range of cells instead of a column number. VLOOKUP is not this easy to use or as versatile.How do you write a Hlookup formula?
The HLOOKUP function has the following syntax, with 3 required arguments, and 1 optional argument: HLOOKUP(lookup_value, table_array, row_index_num, [range_lookup])Does Hlookup work with text?
Excel HLOOKUP syntax and usesIt can be a cell reference, numeric value or text string.