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Compare Two Lists
Paste two lists, one item per line or separated by commas, and instantly see what is only in list A, only in list B, in both lists, and in either. Options for case, spaces and sorting make it easy to compare emails, SKUs, names or IDs.
Last updated:
A Only in A (missing from B)
0B Only in B (missing from A)
0A∩B In both lists
0A∪B In either list (union)
0Each result lists an item once. Duplicates inside a list are counted in the summary above each box.
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How to use the Compare Two Lists
- Paste list A in the left box and list B in the right box, one item per line or separated by commas.
- Pick the separator or leave it on Auto-detect.
- Set the matching options: ignore case, trim spaces and skip empty items.
- Read the four results: only in A, only in B, in both and in either list. They update as you type, or press Compare lists.
- Sort, copy or download any result, with the output separator you prefer.
What each result means
Comparing two lists is set logic. Treat list A and list B as sets of distinct items, then:
| Result | Set name | Notation | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Only in A | Difference A minus B | A \ B | Customers who did not reorder, files missing from a backup |
| Only in B | Difference B minus A | B \ A | New sign-ups since the last export, newly added SKUs |
| In both | Intersection | A ∩ B | Emails on two mailing lists, students in both classes |
| In either | Union | A ∪ B | Merge two lists into one without duplicates |
Only in A plus Only in B is the symmetric difference: everything that is not shared. The overlap percentage in the summary is the Jaccard index, |A ∩ B| ÷ |A ∪ B|: 100% means the lists hold the same items, 0% means nothing is shared.
Tips for accurate list comparisons
- Ignore case for emails, domains and usernames, where uppercase and lowercase usually mean the same thing.
- Keep Trim spaces on when data comes from spreadsheets or PDFs: a hidden trailing space is the most common reason two identical-looking items do not match.
- Numbers are compared as text, so 007 and 7 are different items. Format both columns the same way before copying.
- Sorting A to Z is number aware, so item2 comes before item10.
- To compare whole documents line by line in order, use a text diff tool instead; this tool ignores order and position.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find the differences between two lists?
Paste one list into List A and the other into List B. The Only in A box shows items that are missing from B, and the Only in B box shows items that are missing from A. Together they are the full difference between the lists.
How do I find the items that appear in both lists?
Look at the In both box. It lists every item found in A and in B, which is called the intersection of the two lists. Each common item is listed once, even if it repeats.
What is the union of two lists?
The union is every distinct item that appears in at least one of the lists, with duplicates removed. The In either list box shows it, so you can use it to merge two lists without repeats.
Does the comparison ignore uppercase and lowercase?
Only if you tick Ignore case. Then Apple, apple and APPLE count as the same item, and the results show the spelling that appeared first. With the box unticked, the comparison is exact.
What happens to duplicate items inside a list?
Duplicates are counted and shown in the summary under each list, but every result lists an item only once. To clean a single list, use a duplicate remover.
Can I compare two columns from Excel or Google Sheets?
Yes. Copy a column and paste it into List A, then copy the other column into List B. Cells arrive one per line, so the New line or Auto-detect separator works directly.
Is my data uploaded anywhere?
No. The lists are compared by JavaScript in your browser and are never sent to a server, so it is safe for customer emails, order numbers and other private data.
Are all the tools on FreeToolCabin tested for quality and accuracy?
Yes! Every tool on our site undergoes automated Q/A testing in real browser environments to ensure high precision, correct output, and zero errors. If you happen to spot a bug or have a suggestion, please contact us at [email protected] and our team will review it right away.
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