SheetCompareHow to compare a TSV and a XLS file
- 1
Drop both files
Drag your .tsv file into the left zone and your .xls file into the right zone. SheetCompare auto-detects the format from the extension.
- 2
Match the headers
If column orders differ, SheetCompare matches columns by header name automatically. You can override the mapping if your files use different column names for the same data.
- 3
Read the diff
Added rows are green, removed rows are red, and changed cells are highlighted with the old value crossed out. Filter to show only changes.
TSV vs XLS: the differences that actually matter
Most diff false-positives between TSV and XLS come from one of these gaps. SheetCompare handles them so you don't see phantom changes.
| Property | TSV | XLS |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Tab-Separated Values | Excel 97–2003 Binary |
| Extension | .tsv | .xls |
| Storage | Plain text | Binary |
| Stores formulas | ||
| Stores formatting | ||
| Multiple sheets | ||
| Human-readable | ||
| Streamable |
When TSV is the right format
Like CSV, but values are separated by tab characters instead of commas. Preferred when data already contains commas — common in scientific, bioinformatics, and academic datasets.
- Scientific datasets and bioinformatics pipelines
- Database COPY/dump output (Postgres, MySQL)
- Data interchange where commas are part of the values
When XLS is the right format
Legacy Excel format used by Excel 97 through 2003. A proprietary binary stream (BIFF). Still common in enterprise systems that pre-date the 2007 XLSX switch.
- Legacy financial systems and SAP exports
- Banks, insurers, and government agencies on old toolchains
- Files received from partners still on Excel 2003
Frequently asked questions
Can I compare a TSV file against a XLS file directly?▾
Yes. SheetCompare normalizes TSV and XLS into the same row/column model after parsing, so a cross-format diff works the same as comparing two TSV files. Headers are matched by name, not position, so column order doesn't matter.
Do I need to convert TSV to XLS (or back) before comparing?▾
No. Conversion before comparison is the most common source of false-positive diffs — type coercion and locale formatting silently change values. SheetCompare reads each format with the right parser and compares the underlying values directly.
Where are my files uploaded?▾
Nowhere. Both files are parsed and diffed entirely in your browser using JavaScript. The files never reach our servers, which is why you can compare confidential financial, payroll, or PII data without a vendor review.
What's the largest TSV or XLS file I can compare?▾
The free tier handles files up to 5,000 rows each. Pro raises that to 100,000 rows per file. There's no row limit on Team — only your browser's available memory.
What's actually different between TSV and XLS?▾
Tab-Separated Values (.tsv) is a plain-text format. Excel 97–2003 Binary (.xls) is a binary format. The most common gotchas when crossing them are listed in the differences table above.