Is MINUS the same as using the subtraction operator?

Yes, MINUS returns identical results to the minus operator. =MINUS(10, 3) equals =10-3. MINUS is primarily useful in templated formulas, large spreadsheets where consistency with other named functions is preferred, or when the formula reads more clearly as a named function. Most everyday subtraction uses the operator for simplicity.

Can I use MINUS to subtract dates?

Yes. Subtracting one date from another returns the difference in days. For example, =MINUS(TODAY(), hire_date) calculates how many days an employee has worked since being hired. Google Sheets treats dates as numbers internally (days since a reference date), so MINUS works seamlessly with date arithmetic.

What happens if I subtract a negative number with MINUS?

Subtracting a negative number is mathematically equivalent to adding its positive counterpart. =MINUS(50, -10) returns 60, the same as =50 + 10. This follows standard algebra rules and is useful when working with data that includes negative values (debits vs. credits, performance deltas, temperature changes, etc.).

How do I find the absolute difference between two salaries regardless of order?

Wrap MINUS in ABS(): =ABS(MINUS(salary1, salary2)). This returns the magnitude of the difference without regard to sign. Use this when you care only about the gap size, not which salary is higher (e.g., finding compensation outliers across departments).

MINUS function

Subtracts the second number from the first number and returns the resulting difference, commonly used to find gaps between values.

=MINUS(number1, number2)

Generate a MINUS formula

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

Arguments

How MINUS reads its arguments

Argument	Required	Description
number1	Required	The starting value from which another number will be subtracted; must be a number or cell containing a number.
number2	Required	The value to be subtracted from number1; must be a number or cell containing a number. Subtracting a negative number is equivalent to addition.

Returns

Returns a number representing the difference between the two arguments.

Availability

Excel: Not available · Google Sheets: Supported

Worked examples

1. Calculate salary difference between two employees

Name	Salary
Alice Johnson	75000
Bob Smith	95000

=MINUS(95000, 75000)

Result: 20000

Bob Smith earns $95,000 while Alice Johnson earns $75,000. MINUS subtracts the second argument (75000) from the first (95000) to show Bob earns $20,000 more. This is useful for identifying pay gaps between roles or experience levels.

2. Compare employee ID ranges

Employee ID	Name
101	Alice Johnson
105	Eve Davis

=MINUS(105, 101)

Result: 4

The first employee in the roster has ID 101 (Alice Johnson) and the last has ID 105 (Eve Davis). MINUS returns 4, showing the span of employee IDs. This helps identify how many ID slots have been assigned or the range of employees in a sequence.

3. Determine raise amount to equalize salaries

Name	Salary
Carol White	72000
Bob Smith	95000

=MINUS(95000, 72000)

Result: 23000

Carol White earns $72,000 in sales while Bob Smith earns $95,000 in engineering. The difference of $23,000 shows exactly how much Carol's salary would need to increase to match Bob's. HR teams use this calculation to plan compensation adjustments.

Common errors

Which MINUS error are you seeing?

Error	Why it happens	How to fix it
#VALUE!	Using text, booleans, or other non-numeric values as arguments instead of actual numbers or cells containing numbers.	Ensure both arguments are numeric. If referencing text that looks like a number (e.g., "75000"), wrap it in VALUE(): =MINUS(VALUE(B2), VALUE(B3)). Check the source data for formatting issues or invalid characters.
#N/A	Either argument references a cell containing #N/A (often from a failed VLOOKUP or XLOOKUP), or the formula explicitly uses NA() as an argument.	Verify that any lookups in your formula find matches in the source data. Use IFNA() to provide a fallback number: =MINUS(IFNA(VLOOKUP(...), 0), salary). Alternatively, use IF with ISERROR() to catch and handle the error before passing to MINUS.
#REF!	One or both arguments reference cells in a range that has been deleted, moved to another sheet, or has a broken reference path.	Update the formula to reference cells that still exist. If you deleted a column, recreate the formula using available columns. Use Find & Replace to update all formulas referencing the deleted range, or restore the deleted range from file history.

Tips and when to use something else

MINUS is functionally identical to the subtraction operator (-). =MINUS(10, 3) returns the same result as =10-3. Use MINUS in templated formulas or when consistency with other named functions matters; use the minus operator for everyday simplicity.
MINUS always returns a signed result. Subtracting a larger number from a smaller one produces a negative result (e.g., =MINUS(5, 10) returns -5). Use ABS(MINUS(val1, val2)) if you need the absolute magnitude regardless of order.
When you need conditional subtraction (subtract only if a condition is true), combine MINUS with IF: =IF(salary1 > salary2, MINUS(salary1, salary2), 0). Avoid using just MINUS, which will always subtract regardless of context.
For simple numeric subtraction, reach for the minus operator (-) instead of MINUS. Reserve MINUS for scenarios where readability demands consistency with other named functions (PLUS, MULTIPLY, DIVIDE) or when building reusable templates at scale.

Related functions

PLUSPLUS returns the sum of two numbers, making it ideal for combining values in retail calculations and data analysis.MULTIPLYMULTIPLY returns the product of two numbers, commonly used to calculate total inventory value, costs, or other scalar quantities in spreadsheets.DIVIDEDIVIDE returns the quotient of one number divided by another, with support for error handling to prevent division-by-zero crashes.UMINUSReturns the negative of a number, converting positive values to negative and vice versa; use it for accounting entries or reversing numeric signs.IFThe IF function returns one value if a condition is true and another (or nothing) if it is false, letting you branch logic in a cell.

Frequently asked questions

Is MINUS the same as using the subtraction operator?: Yes, MINUS returns identical results to the minus operator. =MINUS(10, 3) equals =10-3. MINUS is primarily useful in templated formulas, large spreadsheets where consistency with other named functions is preferred, or when the formula reads more clearly as a named function. Most everyday subtraction uses the operator for simplicity.
Can I use MINUS to subtract dates?: Yes. Subtracting one date from another returns the difference in days. For example, =MINUS(TODAY(), hire_date) calculates how many days an employee has worked since being hired. Google Sheets treats dates as numbers internally (days since a reference date), so MINUS works seamlessly with date arithmetic.
What happens if I subtract a negative number with MINUS?: Subtracting a negative number is mathematically equivalent to adding its positive counterpart. =MINUS(50, -10) returns 60, the same as =50 + 10. This follows standard algebra rules and is useful when working with data that includes negative values (debits vs. credits, performance deltas, temperature changes, etc.).
How do I find the absolute difference between two salaries regardless of order?: Wrap MINUS in ABS(): =ABS(MINUS(salary1, salary2)). This returns the magnitude of the difference without regard to sign. Use this when you care only about the gap size, not which salary is higher (e.g., finding compensation outliers across departments).

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Reviewed 2026-09-17