Count Cells That Contain Positive Numbers in Excel

Updated 8 November 2026 · Standard formula, shown below

To count cells that contain positive numbers, use Excel’s COUNTIF function with the criterion “>0”: =COUNTIF(A1:A10,">0"). It counts numeric values greater than zero in the selected range and returns the number of matching cells.

Formula

The formula is =COUNTIF(range,">0"). In words, COUNTIF examines each cell in the specified range and counts it when its value is greater than zero.

range is the cell range to examine, such as A1:A10.
">0" is the condition: greater than zero. The quotation marks are required because the condition is written as text inside the function.
The result is a count of qualifying cells, not the sum of their values.

Worked Example

Suppose cells A1:A10 contain these entries: 5, 0, -3, 2.5, a blank, "7" stored as text, 12, -0.1, 1, and 0.

Enter =COUNTIF(A1:A10,">0") in an empty cell.
Excel checks the numeric entries against the condition greater than zero. The positive numeric values are 5, 2.5, 12, and 1.
Zero and negative values do not qualify; the blank and text entry are not counted as positive numbers.
The result is 4.

A numeric-looking entry stored as text may behave differently depending on how it was entered and how the range is evaluated. If you expect it to count, convert it to a real number and check the result.

What Counts as a Positive Number?

A positive number is any numeric value strictly greater than zero. That includes whole numbers such as 4, decimals such as 0.25, and negative-looking values are excluded. Zero is neither positive nor negative for this test, so it does not meet the condition.

COUNTIF is a counting function, not a test for whether a cell merely contains something. A cell with a word, date-like text, or a formula returning an empty string does not count as a positive numeric value. Dates in spreadsheets are stored as numbers, so a valid date can meet a greater-than-zero test. If your range includes dates, exclude those cells or refine the range to avoid counting them accidentally.

How to Choose the Right Range

Replace A1:A10 with the cells that hold the data you want to inspect. A range can be a column segment, row, or rectangular block, for example B2:B500, C3:H20, or D:D. Whole-column references are convenient, though a bounded range can make a workbook easier to audit and may avoid examining irrelevant cells.

Use a single range when all values are in one contiguous set of cells.
For separate sections, add multiple COUNTIF results, such as =COUNTIF(A1:A10,">0")+COUNTIF(C1:C10,">0").
If you need to count only positive numbers that also meet another condition, use COUNTIFS. For example, count positive amounts in B2:B100 only where the corresponding status in A2:A100 is “Paid”: =COUNTIFS(B2:B100,">0",A2:A100,"Paid").

Common Mistakes and Troubleshooting

The most frequent mistake is leaving out the quotation marks around the criterion. Use ">0", not >0 as an unquoted argument. Also make sure the range is the one containing the numbers; selecting a nearby label column can produce a valid formula with an unexpected count.

Zero is included by mistake: Check that the operator is >, not >=. The latter counts zeros too.
Text numbers are skipped: A value that looks like 7 may be stored as text. Convert it to a numeric value, for example using the spreadsheet’s conversion tools or by correcting the source data.
Unexpected date counts: Spreadsheet dates are numeric serial values. Avoid including date columns in a positive-number count unless that is intended.
Formula results are confusing: A formula that displays a number can generally be evaluated by its resulting value; a formula returning text or an empty string is not a positive number.
The formula shows an error: Check the range syntax and quotation marks. Depending on regional settings, a spreadsheet may use semicolons instead of commas between function arguments.

Formatting does not determine whether a value is positive. A cell displayed as currency, a percentage, or a decimal can still be counted according to its underlying numeric value. For instance, 0.08 formatted as 8% is positive and qualifies.

Related Counting Options

Choose the condition that matches the question you actually need to answer:

=COUNTIF(A1:A10,">0") counts positive numeric values.
=COUNTIF(A1:A10,">=0") counts zero and positive values.
=COUNTIF(A1:A10,"<0") counts negative values.
=COUNT(A1:A10) counts numeric cells, including zero and negative numbers, rather than only positive ones.
=COUNTA(A1:A10) counts nonempty cells, including text, so it answers a different question.

These distinctions prevent a common misunderstanding: COUNT does not mean “count cells above zero,” and COUNTA does not mean “count numbers.” For a threshold-based count, COUNTIF makes the condition explicit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does COUNTIF count zero as a positive number?
No. The criterion ">0" requires a value strictly greater than zero. Use ">=0" if zero should be included.

How do I count positive numbers in an entire column?
Use a whole-column reference such as =COUNTIF(A:A,">0"). If the column contains dates or unrelated numeric data, use a narrower range instead.

Will COUNTIF count decimal values?
Yes. Any numeric value greater than zero qualifies, including decimals such as 0.01 or 3.75.

Why is a number that looks positive not counted?
It may be stored as text, be outside the selected range, or be the result of a formula returning text. Check the cell’s actual value and convert text-formatted numbers when appropriate.

Can I count positive numbers with another condition?
Yes. Use COUNTIFS to apply multiple criteria, such as a positive amount in one column and a matching category or status in another.

Method: the standard formula for this calculation, rounded as each result states. See how the calculators work or report an error.