- Text and document comparison tools side by side
- Ten diff checkers and comparison programs
- Three jobs hiding behind one search
- Pasting two versions into a browser
- Word and PDF documents with redlines
- Folders, code and merging on the desktop
- Questions to settle before you compare
- My advice on picking a text compare tool
- Frequently asked questions
The best text compare tool depends on what you're comparing. Two pasted snippets need a browser diff checker, two Word or PDF versions need a document comparison tool that shows redlines, and whole files or folders need a desktop diff and merge program. Pick the job first, then the tool, because the makers' own pages split along exactly those lines.
Search for text compare and you'll land on a mix of very different tools. Some are a pair of boxes in a browser. Some compare whole Word and PDF documents. Others are desktop programs that compare entire folders and merge the changes.
This list covers ten of them, using only what each maker's own website says, read on 2 Nov 2026 (as of Nov 2026). It's alphabetical and in no particular order. There's nothing here about speed or accuracy: it's about what each tool compares and where it runs.
Text and document comparison tools side by side
| Tool | Type | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Araxis Merge | Desktop file and folder comparison | Contract drafts and text from Office files |
| Beyond Compare | Desktop comparison program | Folders, text files, images and tables |
| Diffchecker | Online diff checker with a desktop app | Text, code and data diffs |
| DiffNow | Online text comparison | Seeing what changed in pasted text |
| Draftable | Online document comparison | Redlines for Word and PDF |
| Meld | Desktop visual diff and merge tool | Files, folders and version-controlled projects |
| Mergely | Online file comparison editor | Comparing and merging files in the browser |
| Text-Compare (text-compare.com) | Online text, file and code comparison | Quick text edits before you compare |
| TextCompare (textcompare.org) | Online text comparison | Original and modified text, side by side |
| WinMerge | Open-source Windows diff and merge tool | Folders and files on Windows |
Ten diff checkers and comparison programs
Araxis Merge
Best for: Comparing source files, web pages and contract drafts on Windows and macOS, including text compared directly from Word, Excel, OpenDocument, PDF and RTF files.
Beyond Compare
Best for: Reviewing differences across folders, text files, images and tables, then combining changes from two versions into a single output.
Diffchecker
Best for: Checking text, code and data side by side in a browser, or comparing on your own machine with its desktop app.
DiffNow
Best for: Pasting two versions of a text and seeing changed lines, words and characters highlighted side by side.
Draftable
Best for: Spotting changes between two Word, PDF or text documents online, shown as a redline or side by side.
Meld
Best for: Reviewing code changes across files, directories and version-controlled projects, with two- and three-way comparison.
Mergely
Best for: Finding differences between two files online and merging changes left or right, with options to ignore white space, case or accented characters.
Text-Compare (text-compare.com)
Best for: Pasting two texts or opening Word, Excel and PDF files, with quick edits such as sorting lines or removing excess white space.
TextCompare (textcompare.org)
Best for: Entering original and modified text, clicking Compare and reading a side-by-side view with deletions in red and additions in green.
WinMerge
Best for: Windows users comparing folders and files, with three-way file comparison, moved-line detection and a table view for CSV files.
Three jobs hiding behind one search
Here's the split a searcher wouldn't guess: 'text compare' covers three different jobs, and the tools differ by job more than by anything else. DiffNow's page tells you to 'paste two versions of any text to see exactly what changed'. Draftable's page title is 'Compare Two Documents Online: Word, PDF, Text'. And Meld calls itself a 'visual diff and merge tool' for files, directories and version-controlled projects.
- Two pasted texts: a pair of boxes in a browser, the original on one side and the changed version on the other.
- Two documents: Word or PDF versions compared as a redline or side by side.
- Files and folders: a desktop program that compares whole directories and merges the changes.
When the final draft is settled, you can turn it into a document with Markdown to PDF tools.
Pasting two versions into a browser
For a quick check, the browser tools here start the same way: paste the original on the left, the changed text on the right and click Compare. Some add options. One lets you ignore white space, case or blank lines and share a link to the comparison, and another can open Word, Excel and PDF files as well as pasted text.
If you'd rather run the comparison on your own machine, Diffchecker has a desktop app, and its page puts it this way: 'your diffs never leave your computer'. That's the maker's own wording about its desktop app, so read its details on its site.
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If what you need to compare is a table locked in a PDF, convert it first with one of these PDF to Excel converters.
Word and PDF documents with redlines
Comparing two contract drafts is a different job from comparing two snippets. The document comparison tool on this list shows changes as a redline or side by side, and its menu lists redlines in Word, PDF, PowerPoint, Excel and Outlook, plus a Clean product that removes hidden data like author names, tracked changes and comments before a file leaves.
One desktop program here also compares text from Word, Excel, OpenDocument, PDF and RTF files directly, and its page names contract drafts alongside source code. If you compare legal or business documents often, those two are where I'd start looking.
Folders, code and merging on the desktop
The desktop programs go further than two texts. WinMerge describes itself as an 'Open Source differencing and merging tool for Windows' that can compare both folders and files. Beyond Compare says it compares folders, text files, images and tables, and that it runs on Windows, macOS and Linux.
Two programs here also plug into version control: one lists support for Git, Mercurial, Bazaar and Subversion, and another says you can use it directly from most version control systems. If you're comparing code rather than prose, that's the line to look for on a maker's page.
Questions to settle before you compare
- Am I comparing two short texts, two documents or whole folders?
- Do I need to see changes as a redline, side by side, or both?
- Will I merge the changes, or only read them?
- Which system am I on: Windows, macOS or Linux?
- Do I need to compare files inside version control?
- Would I rather run the comparison in a browser or in a desktop app?
Do you make a text or document comparison tool? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My advice on picking a text compare tool
Name the job before you pick the tool. If you're checking two versions of a paragraph or a config file, a browser diff checker is all you need. If you're comparing two drafts of a contract or a report, use a document comparison tool that shows a redline. And if you're comparing folders or merging code, install a desktop diff and merge program that runs on your system.
If the two versions live in a spreadsheet, my guide on how to compare two columns in Excel covers that without a separate tool. And if you write in plain text, here are the best text editors for Mac.
Want your tool on this list? Featured spots and reviews here are paid partnerships. Here's how to partner with me.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between a diff checker and a document comparison tool?
On these makers' pages, a diff checker compares two pasted texts or files and highlights what changed, line by line or down to the character. A document comparison tool compares Word, PDF or text documents and shows the changes as a redline or side by side.
Which of these text compare tools run in a browser?
Six tools on this list work in a browser: four diff checkers where you paste or open two texts (one of them also offers a desktop app), an online file comparison editor, and a document comparison tool for Word, PDF and text.
Can I compare Word and PDF files, not just pasted text?
Yes. One online tool compares two Word, PDF or text documents, one browser diff checker opens Word, Excel and PDF files, another lets you upload Word, Excel, PowerPoint and PDF documents on a Files tab, and one desktop program compares text from Word, Excel, OpenDocument, PDF and RTF files.
Which tools compare whole folders?
Four desktop programs here compare folders as well as files: one describes folder comparison and sync, one compares folders, text files, images and tables, one compares files, directories and version-controlled projects, and one Windows tool compares both folders and files.
Which of these are open source?
One Windows tool on this list calls itself an open source differencing and merging tool, and another desktop program lists a GPL licence on its project page. Check each project's licence on its own site before you build it into a workflow.
Can I merge changes as well as see them?
Yes, with several of these. The desktop programs here describe merging, from combining changes from two versions into a single output to three-way merge assistance with conflict handling, and one online editor has buttons to merge a change left or right.
