Spreadsheet Practice

How to find the most common number in Excel (MODE)

Excel formula

=MODE.SNGL(B2:B11)

Use MODE.SNGL: =MODE.SNGL(B2:B11) returns the number that appears most often.

Result on the example
9 in E1
Works in
Every current version
Google Sheets
Different formula, see below

See it work

The formula is already in E1. Change any input and the result updates, or edit the formula to experiment.

How it works

The mode is the most frequent value. Size 9 appears three times; 10.5 and 10 appear twice each. MODE.SNGL returns 9, which tells the store which size to stock most of.

=MODE.SNGL(B2:B11)

Result9

  1. B2:B1110 rows × 1 col: 9, 10.5, 8, 9, …

    A range: 10 cells in one column.

  2. MODE.SNGL(B2:B11)9

    MODE: Most frequently occurring number.

    • number1B2:B1110 rows × 1 col: 9, 10.5, 8, 9, …

In Google Sheets

Google Sheets needs a different formula: =MODE(B2:B11). On the same data it gives the same result. Here it is running in Google Sheets mode.

Other ways to do it

Each one was run on the same example sheet.

FormulaResultWhen to use it
=MODE(B2:B11)9The older name for the same function; it also works in Google Sheets.

Common mistakes

  • If no number repeats, MODE.SNGL returns #N/A.
  • With a tie, MODE.SNGL returns only the tied value that appears first. Use MODE.MULT to get them all.

Try it yourself

Same data, empty answer cell. Your formula is graded instantly, then re-checked on changed data, so a typed-in number won't pass.

Find the most common number in Excel (MODE)

In E1, find the shoe size that was ordered most often.

Questions

How do I get all the modes when there is a tie?

In Excel 365, =MODE.MULT(B2:B11) spills every value that shares the highest count.

How do I find the most common text?

MODE works on numbers only. Use =INDEX(range,MODE.SNGL(MATCH(range,range,0))).

Checked by running on 2026-10-30: every formula and result on this page was calculated by the Spreadsheet Practice formula engine, in both Excel and Google Sheets modes.