What are the best Beyond Compare alternatives?

Beyond Compare is described as 'allows you to compare files and folders. By using simple, powerful commands you can focus on the differences you're interested in and ignore those you're not. You can then merge the changes, synchronize your files, and generate reports for your records' and is a very popular Diff Tool in the backup & sync category. There are more than 50 alternatives to Beyond Compare for a variety of platforms, including Windows, Mac, Linux, Online / Web-based and PortableApps.com. The best alternative is Meld, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like Beyond Compare are WinMerge, KDiff3, Unison File Synchronizer and Diffinity.

Beyond Compare alternatives are mainly Diff Tools but may also be File Comparison Tools or Folder Comparison Tools. Filter by these if you want a narrower list of alternatives or looking for a specific functionality of Beyond Compare.

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Beyond Compare

306

Paid • Proprietary
Diff Tool

Mac
Windows
Linux

Beyond Compare allows you to compare files and folders. By using simple, powerful commands you can focus on the...

Learn more about Beyond Compare

Meld
Do you think this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Diff Tool
File Comparison Tool
Folder Comparison Tool
Mac
Windows
Linux
BSD
Python
45 alternatives to Meld
Meld is a visual diff and merge tool. You can compare two or three files and edit them in place (diffs update dynamically). You can compare two or three folders and launch file comparisons. You can browse and view a working copy from popular version control systems such such as...
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Meld Features
1. Syntax HighlightingMeld supports syntax highlighting for various programming and markup languages.
Compare Source Code
Comparing folders
3 way merge
Real Time Comparison
One-click merging
Meld vs Beyond Compare opinions
Most users think Meld is a great alternative to Beyond Compare.
Guest
Free. but it lacks FTP compare function
Positive comment•
4

Guest
Cannot be added to context menu. Sometimes folder comparison doesn't work. Says empty folder.
Negative comment•
6

Guest
Free, but doesn't do picture and hexadecimal.
Positive comment•
0

Guest
doesn't compare archive files as folders
Negative comment•
2
WinMerge
Do you think this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Diff Tool
File Comparison Tool
Folder Comparison Tool
Windows
PortableApps.com
Wine
58 alternatives to WinMerge
WinMerge is an open source differencing and merging tool for Windows. WinMerge can compare both folders and files, presenting differences in a visual text format that is easy to understand and handle.
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WinMerge Features
1. Ad-freeWinMerge doesn't contain any form of external advertising.
2. Extensible by Plugins/ExtensionsWinMerge can be extended with add-ons, plugins and extensions.
3. PortableWinMerge can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
Diff detection
Image-Diff
Shell integration
Directory sync
WinMerge vs Beyond Compare opinions
Most users think WinMerge is a great alternative to Beyond Compare.
Guest
doesnt even show text differences
Negative comment•
-3

Guest
It's does most of what BC does.
Positive comment•
-5
KDiff3
Do you think this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Diff Tool
File Comparison Tool
Folder Comparison Tool
Mac
Windows
Linux
49 alternatives to KDiff3
KDiff3 is a file and directory diff and merge tool.
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KDiff3 Features
3 way merge
Side-by-Side Comparison
Text Wrapping
KDiff3 vs Beyond Compare opinions
Most users think KDiff3 is a great alternative to Beyond Compare.
Guest
As BC and unlike Meld, it align changes by adding lines, which is a key feature to visually compare code. Meld explicitly states it does not do that. kdiff3 also supports multiple platforms (as stated). Unfortunately, it does not support on-click line/block merging (merge from side to side visually) like Meld or BC.
Positive comment•
3

Guest
its got lovely windows context menu file comparison option. it gets my vote.
Positive comment•
0

Guest
I would like to suggest kdiff3 as the best alternative selection for Beyond compare, esp. folder compare and sync!
Positive comment•
0
Unison File Synchronizer
Do you think this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
File Sync Tool
Mac
Windows
Linux
51 alternatives to Unison File Synchronizer
Unison is a file-synchronization tool for POSIX-compliant systems (e.g. *BSD and GNU/Linux), macOS and Windows, with the caveat that the platform must be supported by OCaml. It allows two replicas of a collection of files and directories to be stored on different hosts (or diffe.
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Unison File Synchronizer Features
1. Command line interfaceUnison File Synchronizer either have CLI support or is a CLI-only app.
2. DecentralizedUnison File Synchronizer is based on a decentralized infrastructure with no single entity controlling it.
3. Works OfflineUnison File Synchronizer can be used without the need to connect to the internet.
4. Selective SynchronizationUnison File Synchronizer allows you to pick which files are synced between the server and your devices.
Bidirectional sync
Synchronization
2 way sync
Folder Sync
Gtk
Well documented
Unison File Synchronizer vs Beyond Compare opinions
pros, cons and recent comments
Guest
It only compares two disks to each other. You cannnot compare just two files by choosing them by your own.
Negative comment•
0
Diffinity
Do you think this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Proprietary
Diff Tool
File Comparison Tool
Folder Comparison Tool
Windows
40 alternatives to Diffinity
Diffinity is a diff and merging tool with focus on accurate and easy to read source code diffs. It will compare the content of two files and present the differences in an easy to read line by line and char by char basis.
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Diffinity Features
1. Syntax HighlightingDiffinity supports syntax highlighting for various programming and markup languages.
2. PortableDiffinity can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
Intuitive Interface
Readability
XAML
Compare
Do you think this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Diff Tool
File Comparison Tool
Windows
Notepad++
52 alternatives to Compare
Comparison plugin for Notepad++ editor.
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Compare Features
1. PortableCompare can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
Side-by-Side Comparison
Compare vs Beyond Compare opinions
Some users think Compare is a great alternative to Beyond Compare, some don't.
Guest
No option to align text lines, copy lines to and from each text being compared...just a host of things BeyondCompare does on a text compare level.
Negative comment•
-2
Araxis Merge
Do you think this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Paid • Proprietary
Diff Tool
File Comparison Tool
Folder Comparison Tool
Mac
Windows
53 alternatives to Araxis Merge
Merge is the visual file comparison (diff), merging and folder synchronization application from Araxis. Use it to compare and merge source code, web pages, XML and other text files with native application performance.
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Araxis Merge Features
Folder Sync
Araxis Merge vs Beyond Compare opinions
Almost everyone thinks Araxis Merge is a great alternative to Beyond Compare.
DiffMerge
Do you think this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Freemium • Proprietary
Diff Tool
File Comparison Tool
Folder Comparison Tool
Mac
Windows
Linux
47 alternatives to DiffMerge
DiffMerge is a graphical file comparison program for Windows, Mac OS X and Unix, published by SourceGear.
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DiffMerge Features
1. Windows Explorer ExtensionDiffMerge can extend Windows Explorer in various ways, for example add context menu options, etc..
2. Git SupportDiffMerge supports Git, a free and open source distributed version control system.
Configurable
Support for Unicode
Side-by-Side Comparison
Discontinued
The program is no longer updated. Last version, 4.2.0, released in October 2013, can be still downloaded from the official website

DiffMerge vs Beyond Compare opinions
Almost everyone thinks DiffMerge is a great alternative to Beyond Compare.
Diff Checker
Do you think this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Paid • Proprietary
Diff Tool
Mac
Windows
Linux
Online
44 alternatives to Diff Checker
Diff Checker is a free online diff tool that quickly and easily gives you the text differences between two files.
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Diff Checker Features
Image Comparison
SemanticDiff
Do you think this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Proprietary
Diff Tool
File Comparison Tool
Mac
Windows
Linux
43 alternatives to SemanticDiff
SemanticDiff is a programming-language aware diff for Visual Studio Code. The extension helps software developers understand code changes faster by hiding style-only changes, detecting moved code blocks as well as refactorings.
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SemanticDiff Features
1. Git SupportSemanticDiff supports Git, a free and open source distributed version control system.
2. LightweightSemanticDiff consumes less device resources compared to similar apps.
3. Dark ModeSemanticDiff supports dark mode for comfortable usage in low light conditions.
4. Syntax HighlightingSemanticDiff supports syntax highlighting for various programming and markup languages.
5. PortableSemanticDiff can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
VSCode
Compare Source Code
Side-by-Side Comparison
Text Wrapping
Version Control Integration