Beyond Compare icon
Beyond Compare icon

Beyond Compare

 320 likes

File and folder comparison tool offering source control integration, 3-way merge support, and selective synchronization. Supports FTP, cloud, runs offline, uses simple commands for files, customization, and scripting for reporting. Lightweight, portable with CLI and built-in viewer.

Folder compare

License model

Application types

Platforms

  • Mac
  • Windows
  • Linux
Text compare
Folder merge
+3
Text merge
Alternatives  
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4.2 / 5 Avg rating (20)
320 likes
22comments
64 alternatives
0 news articles

Features

Suggest and vote on features

Properties

  1.  Lightweight

Features

  1.  Folder Comparison
  2.  File Sync
  3.  Folder Sync
  4.  File Comparison
  5.  Support for FTP
  6.  Support for SFTP
  7.  Full-Text Search
  8.  Syntax Highlighting
  9.  Works Offline
  10.  Portable
  11.  Built-in viewer
  12.  Command line interface
  13.  Selective Synchronization
  14. File Explorer icon  Windows Explorer Extension

 Tags

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Beyond Compare information

  • Developed by

    Scooter Software, Inc.

  • Licensing

    Proprietary and Commercial product.

  • Pricing

    One time purchase (perpetual license) ranging between $35 and $42000.

  • Rating

    Average rating of 4.2 (20 ratings)

  • Alternatives

    64 alternatives listed

  • Supported Languages

    • English
    • German
    • French
    • Japanese
    • Chinese
    • Czech
    • Dutch
    • Indonesian
    • Italian
    • Korean
    • Portuguese
    • Russian
    • Slovene
    • Spanish
    • Swedish

AlternativeTo Categories

Backup & Sync, File Management, Development, OS & Utilities

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Our users have written 22 comments and reviews about Beyond Compare, and it has gotten 320 likes

Beyond Compare was added to AlternativeTo by DaveOnCode on Apr 6, 2009 and this page was last updated Feb 13, 2025.

Comments and Reviews

   
 Post comment/review
Comment summary: Beyond Compare is largely praised for its powerful file/folder comparison and synchronization features, versatile usage across platforms, and reliable support for developers. Many users commend its robustness in handling various comparison tasks, such as comparing contents of compressed files and integrating with FTP servers. However, some users flagged issues such as frequent freezes, crashes, and usability challenges. The interface and temporary file management have been criticized, while the Mac version lacks version control comparison.
menace97
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Top positive comment •Mar 21, 2016

I am so happy to have purchased this (version 3) after using the trial quite a while ago. It is fantastic, for comparing so many different things. I use it for backing up, finding duplicates, keeping files that are the latest and dumping the older, seeing the various changes you have made in a document, slight changes of images using tolerance... the list goes on. I honestly am surprised at how many functions this helps my workflow while on the computer - I needed it for doing basic comparisons early on, but have found so many ways to use it in my workflow. It truly is "Beyond Compare" ;)

I am looking forward to trying the new 3-way-compare in version 4, and I will likely be upgrading to 4. Plus Scooter Software has excellent support. Highly recommended!

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Nuncio Bitis
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Top negative comment •Sep 10, 2023

I loved Beyond Compare for years. However, nowadays I get frequent freezes and crashes. Especially when comparing/syncing folders across a home network.

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Megachip
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Positive comment •Apr 13, 2022

Didn't find anything better.

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Olorin
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Positive comment •Aug 27, 2021

One of the very best, most powerful file/folder synchronization applications around.

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johanvandemerwe
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Positive comment •May 17, 2021

I am using this software on both Windows and Linux for over 10 years now and I can't do without it. I think that every serious programmer should have at least this software in their toolset. The price of 30 USD (standard) or 60 USD (professional) per license is a very good investment. No returning license costs either.

And above all, it's very reliable software.

Disclaimer: I am a happy user of Beyond Compare and not affiliated to any one working at Scooter Software or their owners.

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Geoff Hutchinson
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Positive comment •Oct 29, 2020

A must-have utility for any serious software developer/programmer. I use Beyond Compare on a near-daily basis. Very reliable and solid.

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Guest
Comment •Aug 27, 2019

Versatile and well done. I use it to compare and manage folder structures having same/similar content - BC4 makes it easy!

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What is Beyond Compare?

Beyond Compare 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.

You can compare entire drives and folders at high speed, checking just sizes and modified times. Or, thoroughly verify every file with byte-by-byte comparisons. FTP sites and zip files are integrated seamlessly, so you can update your website with the touch of a button. Beyond Compare also supports cloud storage and can be used directly from most version control systems. Folder synchronization is also possible and repetitive tasks can be automated using a flexible scripting language.

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