COUNTA in Google Sheets
Use COUNTA to count every cell that is not empty in a range — text, numbers, dates, even error values all count.
=COUNTA(A2:A100)
Returns how many cells in A2:A100 contain anything at all. Truly blank cells are ignored.
How it works
COUNTA counts every cell in the range that holds a value of any type — numbers, text, dates, TRUE/FALSE and even errors. The only thing it skips is a genuinely empty cell. Watch out for cells that look empty but hold a formula returning "" (an empty string); COUNTA still counts those because a formula result is a value.
Variations
Count across several columns
=COUNTA(A2:C100)
Counts every non-empty cell in the whole block.
Count entire columns
=COUNTA(A:A)-1
Counts column A and subtracts 1 for the header row.
Count non-empty in two separate ranges
=COUNTA(A2:A100, D2:D100)
Add ranges with commas to total them together.
Examples
| Scenario | Formula |
|---|---|
| How many people are on the list | =COUNTA(B2:B) |
| Count filled cells ignoring header | =COUNTA(A2:A1000) |
FAQ
What is the difference between COUNT and COUNTA?
COUNT counts only cells that hold a number. COUNTA counts cells that hold anything — text, numbers, dates or errors.
Why does COUNTA count a blank-looking cell?
Because a formula that returns "" still puts a value in the cell. To ignore those, use COUNTIF(range,"<>") minus the empty-string count, or SUMPRODUCT with LEN.
How do I count only cells with text?
Use =COUNTIF(A2:A100,"*") to count cells containing text, which ignores numbers and blanks.
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