How do I separate the two lists?

Put three dashes on their own line. Items above are the source list, items below are the ones to exclude.

Is this the same as an Excel VLOOKUP?

It is the inverse. This shows what is missing rather than what matches.

Find Items Missing From a List

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SOURCE --- ITEMS TO EXCLUDE

MISSING ITEMS

Compare two lists and see what is in the first but missing from the second. Ideal for reconciliation. Free.

How to use Find Items Missing From a List

Paste or type your contentThe result appears as you type — there is no submit button.
Read and copy the resultThe output updates live and the copy button takes it in one click.

Worked example

alice bob carol --- bob: alice carol

Nothing you enter leaves your device

All of the work happens inside your browser. Whatever you type is never packaged up and sent to a server, and no request this page makes carries it.

That makes it safe for contract amounts, personal details and internal documents you would rather not hand to a third party — close the tab and it is gone.

What this tool does not do

Find Items Missing From a List only does what a browser can do on its own — it talks to no backend service. So it keeps no history for you and syncs nothing across devices; if you need a record, copy or download the result.

It is also not a substitute for professional judgement. For legal, medical or tax decisions, treat the output as a starting point rather than a final answer.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I separate the two lists?: Put three dashes on their own line. Items above are the source list, items below are the ones to exclude.
Is this the same as an Excel VLOOKUP?: It is the inverse. This shows what is missing rather than what matches.