GOOGLEFINANCE function

GOOGLEFINANCE retrieves real-time and historical financial data from Google Finance, including stock prices, volume, and market metrics for any ticker.

=GOOGLEFINANCE(ticker, [attribute], [start_date], [end_date], [interval])

Generate a GOOGLEFINANCE formula

Describe what you need. The generator will reach for GOOGLEFINANCE where GOOGLEFINANCE is the right tool, and tell you when it is not.

How to get a better answer
  • Name your columns by letter and by header: "column F (Net Value)" beats "the amount column".
  • State every condition, including the negatives — "not cancelled" changes the formula's shape.
  • Say where the data starts if it is not row 1, and whether it will grow.
  • Check the settings above match your spreadsheet: the wrong argument separator is a syntax error on your machine.

Arguments

How GOOGLEFINANCE reads its arguments
tickerrequiredattributeoptionalstart_dateoptionalend_dateoptionalintervaloptionalGOOGLEFINANCE →
ArgumentRequiredDescription
tickerRequiredStock ticker symbol in format TICKER:SYMBOL (e.g., TICKER:AAPL). Required. If invalid, returns #N/A.
attributeOptionalType of financial data to retrieve (e.g., price, tradevolume, pe, marketcap). Optional; defaults to current price if omitted.
start_dateOptionalStarting date for historical data as date or serial number. Optional; if omitted, returns current value only.
end_dateOptionalEnding date for historical data. Optional; used only if start_date is provided.
intervalOptionalDAILY or WEEKLY for how to aggregate historical data. Optional; defaults to DAILY.

Returns

Returns a single value (for current data) or array of values (for historical date ranges).

Availability

Excel: Not available · Google Sheets: Supported

Worked examples

1. Get stock price at project kickoff date

TaskOwnerStart DateDue DateHours
Website RedesignSarah Chen2026-01-152026-03-31120
API IntegrationMarcus Johnson2026-02-012026-04-1585
=GOOGLEFINANCE("TICKER:MSFT","price",DATE(2026,1,15))

Result: 425.3

GOOGLEFINANCE retrieves the MSFT closing price on the project start date (2026-01-15). The price attribute returns a single numeric value. This is useful for recording company valuation at project initiation or milestone dates.

2. Fetch daily trading volume for project period

TaskOwnerStart DateDue DateHours
Website RedesignSarah Chen2026-01-152026-03-31120
Testing & QAElena Rodriguez2026-03-012026-04-3095
=GOOGLEFINANCE("TICKER:GOOG","tradevolume",DATE(2026,1,15),DATE(2026,3,31),"DAILY")

Result: Daily volumes: [[2026-01-15, 54320000], [2026-01-16, 48950000], [2026-01-17, 52180000], ...]

By specifying the project's start and end dates with DAILY interval, this returns a complete array of trading volumes. The data can reveal market patterns during project execution and correlate activity with team milestones.

3. Use spreadsheet dates for historical price trends

TaskOwnerStart DateDue DateHours
Mobile App DevMarcus Johnson2026-02-012026-04-1585
Security AuditSarah Chen2026-03-102026-05-2060
=GOOGLEFINANCE("TICKER:AAPL","price",B2,C2,"WEEKLY")

Result: Weekly prices: [[2026-02-02, 192.50], [2026-02-09, 194.20], [2026-02-16, 191.80], ...]

This formula references cells B2 and C2 from the timesheet (start and end dates) to dynamically fetch weekly AAPL prices spanning the project. WEEKLY aggregation reduces the dataset size, making trends easier to spot across multi-week projects.

Common errors

Which GOOGLEFINANCE error are you seeing?
GOOGLEFINANCE returned an error#N/A
Verify the ticker symbol using format TICKER:SYMBOL (e.g., TICKER:GOOG). Check Google Finance directly to confirm the symbol exists and is active.
#VALUE!
Convert text dates to actual date values using the DATE() function. Ensure interval is spelled exactly as DAILY or WEEKLY if provided.
#NUM!
Verify start_date comes before end_date. Request a date range within available history, usually back to the 1980s for major US-listed stocks.
ErrorWhy it happensHow to fix it
#N/AThe ticker symbol is invalid or not recognized by Google Finance (e.g., TICKER:INVALID, misspelled symbol, or delisted company).Verify the ticker symbol using format TICKER:SYMBOL (e.g., TICKER:GOOG). Check Google Finance directly to confirm the symbol exists and is active.
#VALUE!Arguments have wrong data types: dates provided as text strings instead of date values, or interval parameter is not exactly DAILY or WEEKLY.Convert text dates to actual date values using the DATE() function. Ensure interval is spelled exactly as DAILY or WEEKLY if provided.
#NUM!Start date is after end date, or the requested date range falls outside Google Finance's available historical data (typically last ~40 years for major stocks).Verify start_date comes before end_date. Request a date range within available history, usually back to the 1980s for major US-listed stocks.

Tips and when to use something else

  • GOOGLEFINANCE is only available in Google Sheets, not Excel. For Excel users, use external financial API services or QUERY functions with public data sources.
  • For real-time prices, GOOGLEFINANCE updates during market hours only; data outside market hours may be delayed 15–20 minutes or show the previous day's close.
  • To compare multiple tickers, use ARRAYFORMULA to apply GOOGLEFINANCE across many rows in a single formula rather than duplicating the function for each ticker.
  • For time-series analysis spanning months or years, use WEEKLY intervals instead of DAILY to reduce data volume and avoid hitting sheet limitations.

Related functions

ARRAYFORMULAARRAYFORMULA applies a single formula to an entire array or range, automatically filling results into multiple cells.QUERYQuery a dataset using SQL-like syntax to filter, sort, and extract specific rows and columns that match your conditions.SPARKLINESPARKLINE displays a miniature chart within a cell to visualize data trends and patterns without taking up extra space.IMPORTDATAImports delimited data from a URL and returns it as a range of cells in your spreadsheet, parsing content automatically for immediate use.LETLET lets you name a single intermediate result inside a formula, then return that result, making complex calculations clearer and easier to read.

Frequently asked questions

Can GOOGLEFINANCE retrieve data for international stocks or cryptocurrencies?
Yes, GOOGLEFINANCE supports international stocks using country-specific ticker formats (e.g., TICKER:SAP for SAP SE on German exchanges, TICKER:BTC for Bitcoin). Not all tickers are available—always verify the symbol exists on Google Finance before using it.
Why is GOOGLEFINANCE returning delayed or outdated prices?
Google Finance delays data 15–20 minutes outside trading hours and may not update frequently for thinly-traded securities. For real-time data, use a dedicated financial API. Cryptocurrency and international market data have their own update schedules.
How do I get multiple attributes (price AND volume) in one formula?
Call GOOGLEFINANCE separately for each attribute in adjacent columns. Google Sheets does not support multi-attribute returns in a single function call—each GOOGLEFINANCE invocation fetches one metric.
Can I reference spreadsheet cells for the ticker, dates, or attribute in GOOGLEFINANCE?
Yes, all arguments accept cell references: =GOOGLEFINANCE(A1,B1,C1,D1,E1). This is ideal for building dynamic dashboards where users select tickers or date ranges from dropdown lists.

Need a different formula?

The full generator is not scoped to one function — describe any spreadsheet problem and it will pick.

Open the formula generator

Reviewed 2026-09-17