Compact mode

FILTER vs AGGREGATE vs FREQUENCY

Table of content

Basic Classification Comparison
Usage Context Comparison
Basic Information Comparison
History Comparison
Facts Comparison

Usage Information Comparison
Technical Details Comparison
Evaluation Comparison
Ratings Comparison

Basic Classification Comparison

Function Category 📊

Primary classification of the Excel function based on its main purpose and usage domain, helps users quickly identify function types

FILTER

Database

FILTER belongs to the Database category. Excel functions for managing and analyzing database-like data Click to see all.

AGGREGATE

Mathematical

AGGREGATE belongs to the Mathematical category. Excel functions for performing mathematical calculations Click to see all.

FREQUENCY

Statistical

FREQUENCY belongs to the Statistical category. Excel functions for statistical analysis and calculations Click to see all.
Operation Type 🔧

Fundamental type of operation or action that the Excel function performs on its inputs

FILTER

Manipulation

FILTER performs Manipulation operations. Functions that modify and transform data in different ways Click to see all.

AGGREGATE

Calculation

AGGREGATE performs Calculation operations. Excel functions for performing various calculations Click to see all.

FREQUENCY

Calculation

FREQUENCY performs Calculation operations. Excel functions for performing various calculations Click to see all.

Usage Context Comparison

Basic Information Comparison

Known For ⭐

Distinctive characteristic or primary strength of the Excel function

FILTER

Advanced Filtering

FILTER is known for Advanced Filtering.

AGGREGATE

Advanced Calculations With Options

AGGREGATE is known for Advanced Calculations With Options.

FREQUENCY

Distribution Analysis

FREQUENCY is known for Distribution Analysis.

History Comparison

Creation Date 📅

Original release date of the Excel function

FILTER

Excel 2019

FILTER was created in Excel 2019. Functions introduced in Excel 2019 release Click to see all.

AGGREGATE

Excel 2010

AGGREGATE was created in Excel 2010. Functions that were new in Excel 2010 version Click to see all.

FREQUENCY

Excel 3.0

FREQUENCY was created in Excel 3.0. Functions that originated in Excel 3.0 version Click to see all.
Created By 👤

Organization or team responsible for developing the function

For all*

Microsoft Excel Team

Functions officially created by the Microsoft Excel development team

Facts Comparison

Interesting Fact 💡

Unique or lesser-known information about the Excel function

FILTER

Revolutionized Excel data filtering

AGGREGATE

Combines multiple function capabilities

FREQUENCY

Essential for histogram creation
Sarcastic Fact 🤣

Humorous or ironic observation about the Excel function

FILTER

The Marie Kondo of Excel functions

AGGREGATE

The Swiss Army knife of Excel functions that nobody uses

FREQUENCY

The function statisticians dream about

Usage Information Comparison

Formula Complexity Level 📖

Indicates the difficulty level and complexity of using the Excel function effectively

For all*

Advanced

Complex Excel functions for sophisticated calculations and operations

Technical Details Comparison

Input Data Type 📝

Types of data that the Excel function accepts as input parameters

For all*

Array

Excel functions designed to work with arrays and ranges of data

FILTER

Range

FILTER accepts Range as input data. Excel functions that operate on cell ranges and data sets Click to see all.

AGGREGATE

Number

AGGREGATE accepts Number as input data. Excel functions specifically designed for numerical calculations Click to see all.
Version Compatibility 💻

Indicates which Excel versions and platforms the function is compatible with < including Office 365< Excel 2019< 2016< etc.

For all*

Excel 2019

Excel functions that work specifically in Excel 2019 version

FILTER

Microsoft 365

FILTER is compatible with Microsoft 365 Excel functions optimized for the latest Microsoft 365 platform Click to see all.

AGGREGATE

Excel 2016

AGGREGATE is compatible with Excel 2016 Excel functions that work specifically in Excel 2016 version Click to see all.

FREQUENCY

Excel 2016

FREQUENCY is compatible with Excel 2016 Excel functions that work specifically in Excel 2016 version Click to see all.
Operating System 💾

Specifies the operating systems where the function can be used < including Windows< macOS< and web platforms

For all*

Windows

Excel functions optimized for Windows operating system
MacOS

Excel functions optimized for MacOS users

FILTER

Excel Online

FILTER runs on Excel Online Excel functions available in the online version of Excel Click to see all.

Web Excel

FILTER runs on Web Excel Excel functions available in web-based versions Click to see all.
Required Arguments Count 🔢

Number of mandatory arguments needed for the function to work properly

FILTER

2

FILTER needs 2 required arguments Click to see all.

AGGREGATE

3

AGGREGATE needs 3 required arguments Click to see all.

FREQUENCY

2

FREQUENCY needs 2 required arguments Click to see all.
Required Arguments Type 📊

The data types accepted as valid input arguments for the function

For all*

Range

Excel functions that operate on cell ranges for calculations

FILTER

Array

FILTER accepts Array as input types Excel functions that specifically work with array inputs for calculations Click to see all.

Boolean

FILTER accepts Boolean as input types Excel functions that work with true/false logical inputs for decision-making Click to see all.

AGGREGATE

Number

AGGREGATE accepts Number as input types Excel functions that perform calculations specifically with numerical inputs Click to see all.

FREQUENCY

Array

FREQUENCY accepts Array as input types Excel functions that specifically work with array inputs for calculations Click to see all.

Evaluation Comparison

Pros ✅

Key advantages and strengths of the Excel function

FILTER

Dynamic Filtering

Functions that enable real-time filtering of data based on changing criteria Click to see all.

Multiple Criteria

Flexible Output

Returns Dynamic Arrays

Flexible Filtering

AGGREGATE

Versatile Calculation Options

Ignores Errors

Excel functions that skip over errors maintain formula continuity without breaking calculations Click to see all.

FREQUENCY

Powerful Statistical Analysis

Array Output
Cons ❌

Limitations and potential drawbacks of the Excel function

FILTER

Requires Modern Excel

Functions only available in recent versions of Excel Click to see all.

Complex For Beginners

Requires Latest Excel Versions

Memory Intensive

AGGREGATE

Complex Parameter Requirements

Functions that need detailed parameter setup for operation, requiring specific input formats Click to see all.

Steep Learning Curve

Functions that require significant time and effort to master Click to see all.

FREQUENCY

Must Be Entered As Array Formula

Complex Usage

Ratings Comparison

Ease of Use Score 📊

User-rated score for function's ease of use

FILTER

8

User-rated score for function's ease of use (25%) Having high ease of use score means the function is more intuitive and user-friendly. Click to see all.

AGGREGATE

7

User-rated score for function's ease of use (25%) Having high ease of use score means the function is more intuitive and user-friendly. Click to see all.

FREQUENCY

7.5

User-rated score for function's ease of use (25%) Having high ease of use score means the function is more intuitive and user-friendly. Click to see all.
Versatility Score 📈

Rating for function's adaptability to different scenarios

FILTER

9.5

Rating for function's adaptability to different scenarios (25%) Functions with higher versatility scores can be used in more diverse scenarios and applications. Click to see all.

AGGREGATE

9.8

Rating for function's adaptability to different scenarios (25%) Functions with higher versatility scores can be used in more diverse scenarios and applications. Click to see all.

FREQUENCY

8.5

Rating for function's adaptability to different scenarios (25%) Functions with higher versatility scores can be used in more diverse scenarios and applications. Click to see all.
Performance Score ⚙

Rating for function's execution speed and efficiency

For all*

9
Reliability Score 🛠

Rating for function's consistency and error handling

For all*

9.5
Score ⭐

Overall rating combining all scoring attributes

FILTER

9

The overall score for FILTER is 9. Click to see all.

AGGREGATE

8.8

The overall score for AGGREGATE is 8.8. Click to see all.

FREQUENCY

8.6

The overall score for FREQUENCY is 8.6. Click to see all.

Alternatives to FILTER

Known for Counting Numeric Cells

📊 is easier to use than AGGREGATE

⭐ is rated higher than AGGREGATE

Known for Multiple Condition Sum

📊 is easier to use than AGGREGATE

Known for Two-Way Lookup Power

📊 is easier to use than AGGREGATE

⚙ performs better than AGGREGATE

🛠 is more reliable than AGGREGATE

⭐ is rated higher than AGGREGATE

Known for Multiple Criteria Counting

📊 is easier to use than AGGREGATE

Known for Basic Arithmetic Calculations

📊 is easier to use than AGGREGATE

🛠 is more reliable than AGGREGATE

⭐ is rated higher than AGGREGATE

Known for Conditional Sum Calculations

📊 is easier to use than AGGREGATE

Known for Conditional Average Calculations

📊 is easier to use than AGGREGATE

Known for Multiple Criteria Max

📊 is easier to use than AGGREGATE

Known for Database Sum Operations

Known for Measuring Data Peakedness