Google Sheets GT Function: Syntax, Examples & Tips

What Is GT?

GT is the function form of the > comparison operator in Google Sheets. It takes two values and returns TRUE if the first value is strictly greater than the second, and FALSE otherwise. Writing =GT(A2, B2) gives exactly the same result as writing =A2>B2.

Most people reach for the operator because it is shorter, but the function form has its place. It reads clearly when you are nesting logic, it can be easier to explain to colleagues who are not comfortable with symbols, and it is what Sheets itself uses internally when it describes the operator in help tooltips and error messages.

How GT Relates to the > Operator

Google Sheets maps each comparison operator to a named function:

There is no difference in behaviour between GT and >: same type rules, same blank handling, same results. Pick whichever makes the formula easier to read.

Basic Examples

Compare two numbers

=GT(B2, 1000)

Returns TRUE when B2 is more than 1,000. If B2 is exactly 1,000 the result is FALSE.

Compare actual to target

=GT(C2, D2)

Returns TRUE when actual sales in C2 beat the target in D2.

Compare dates

=GT(TODAY(), E2)

Returns TRUE when the due date in E2 is in the past — useful for overdue flags.

How Sheets Compares Different Kinds of Values

The comparison functions follow exactly the same rules as their operators, so it helps to know them:

• Numbers are compared numerically. Dates and times are stored as serial numbers, so they compare chronologically.
• Text is compared alphabetically and without regard to case — "apple" and "APPLE" are treated as equal.
• Mixed types do not raise an error. Google's documentation doesn't spell out how text ranks against numbers, so a number stored as text (for example "100" typed with a leading apostrophe or imported from a CSV) can produce a surprising answer.
• Blank cells behave like 0 in a numeric comparison and like an empty string "" in a text comparison.
• Errors propagate: if either argument is an error such as #N/A, the result is that error.

Common Use Cases

• Target tracking: Mark reps who exceeded quota.
• Overdue items: Flag tasks whose due date is before today.
• Thresholds and alerts: Highlight costs above budget.
• Ranking logic: Combine with IF to label values as "Above average" (=IF(GT(B2, AVERAGE(B:B)), "Above", "Below")).

Using GT with Arrays

Like the operator, GT works element by element when wrapped in ARRAYFORMULA, which is handy for producing a whole column of TRUE/FALSE flags at once:

=ARRAYFORMULA(GT(B2:B100, C2:C100))

The result can feed straight into FILTER, COUNTIF-style logic via SUMPRODUCT, or conditional formatting.

Common Errors

• Numbers stored as text: A number stored as text may not compare the way you expect against real numbers. Clean the data with VALUE.
• Dates typed as text: A date that Sheets did not recognise is text, and will always look "greater" than a real date. Check alignment (text aligns left) or test with ISDATE-style checks such as ISNUMBER.
• Expecting ties to pass: GT is strict; use GTE when equal values should count.

Tips and Best Practices

• GT is strict: equal values return FALSE.
• For text, comparison is alphabetical and case-insensitive, so =GT("banana", "Apple") is TRUE.
• Swapping the arguments turns GT into LT: GT(a, b) equals LT(b, a).
• Combine GT with AND, OR and NOT to build multi-part tests, e.g. =AND(GT(A2, B2), C2<>"").
• In conditional formatting custom formulas, either form works; the operator is usually shorter.

Related Functions

EQ, NE, GTE, LT, LTE, ISBETWEEN and IF. For counting or summing based on comparisons across a range, use COUNTIF or SUMIF with an operator criterion such as ">100".