Text Compare shows the differences between two versions of a text. Paste or drop the original and the new version, and every added, removed and changed line is marked, with the changed words highlighted inside each line. Use it for edited drafts, contracts, configuration files, code or any two lists. Your text stays in your browser.
How to compare text
- Paste the first version into the left box, or drop a text file on it.
- Paste the second version into the right box, or drop a second file.
- Choose the options you need, such as Ignore case or Ignore spaces and line indentation.
- Click Compare.
- Read the result Side by side or in One column, then click Download diff to save it. Swap exchanges the two texts; Clear starts again.
What the colours mean
| Mark | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Red line | Removed: in the first text, not in the second |
| Green line | Added: in the second text, not in the first |
| Highlighted words | The exact words that changed inside a changed line |
| No colour | The same in both texts |
Above the result a summary counts the changed, added, removed and unchanged lines, so you can see at a glance how much was edited. Line numbers on each side make it easy to find a change in the original file.
Side by side or one column
Side by side puts the two versions next to each other, line against line. It is the clearest view on a wide screen and for longer edits. One column lists removed and added lines one after the other, which works better on a phone and reads like a review of changes.
Options
- Ignore case: upper and lower case count as the same letter.
- Ignore spaces and line indentation: extra spaces, tabs and indentation are not counted as changes. Handy after reformatting code or copying text between programs.
- Show only changed lines: hides long unchanged stretches and keeps two lines of context around each change.
- Swap: turns the comparison round, so additions become removals and the other way round.
What people compare
- Writing and editing: see exactly what an editor or co-author changed in your draft.
- Contracts and policies: check which clauses changed between two versions before you sign.
- Code and configuration: find the line that differs between two config files or two snippets. For JSON, format both with the JSON Formatter first so the lines match up.
- Lists and data: compare two lists of names, emails or IDs to find what was added or dropped.
- Translations and SEO copy: compare page text before and after an update.
Tips
- Compare text, not layout. Fonts, colours and page layout are not part of plain text, so only the words and line breaks are compared.
- One sentence per line gives finer results for prose. A whole paragraph on one line still works: the changed words are highlighted inside it.
- To get the text out of a PDF first, use PDF to Text.
- To count words in either version, paste it into the Word Counter.
Private by design
Both texts are compared on your own device and never uploaded. Nothing is saved after you close the page. See how it works.