Free · Private · No login

Spot every difference, instantly

Paste or upload two files and see exactly what changed — word-by-word, with syntax highlighting, merge tools, and export. Runs entirely in your browser.

L: 0 lines  |  R: 0 lines Paste text or upload files, then click Compare
Original
Drop file here
Modified
Drop file here

Compare text files online — highlight differences instantly

TextFileCompare.com is a free, browser-based diff tool that lets you compare two text files or code blocks side-by-side in seconds. Whether you're a developer reviewing a pull request, a writer proofreading document versions, or a sysadmin validating config changes — our tool gives you fast, accurate, and completely private results. No account, no upload, no tracking.

Paste your content directly or upload files from your device. The tool supports plain text and 15+ programming languages with automatic language detection and full syntax highlighting.

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Word-level diff

Highlights exactly which words or characters changed within each line — ideal for proofreading or config review.

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Syntax highlighting

Auto-detects JavaScript, Python, PHP, HTML, JSON, SQL, YAML, and 10+ more. Manual override available.

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Smart merge

Accept changes from left to right or right to left. Smart patch-based merge handles complex diffs gracefully.

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100% private

All processing happens in your browser with JavaScript. Your content never leaves your device.

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Export & download

Download a unified diff patch, generate a styled HTML report, or copy the diff to your clipboard.

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Session persistence

Your text, settings, and file names are saved in your browser — reload and pick up exactly where you left off.

Frequently asked questions

Yes — 100% free, forever. There is no signup, no login, no usage limits, and no premium tier. The tool is funded by non-intrusive advertising.
Never. All comparison and diff computation happens locally in your browser using JavaScript. Nothing you type or upload is ever sent to our servers. This makes the tool safe for confidential code, legal documents, or sensitive configuration files.
The tool supports plain text, JavaScript, TypeScript, HTML, CSS, PHP, Python, JSON, XML, SQL, YAML, Shell/Bash, Java, C, C++, Markdown, and INI/Config files. Language detection is automatic based on file extension or code content, with a manual override available.
Standard diff tools only show which lines changed. Word diff goes further — it highlights exactly which words or characters within those lines were added or removed. This is especially useful for proofreading documents or comparing configuration values where most of the line stays the same.
Yes. Use Merge → to copy the left panel into the right, or ← Merge for the reverse. Smart merge applies a diff-patch algorithm for more nuanced merging. The result is editable and can be downloaded or exported.
Yes. The interface is fully responsive. On mobile screens the two editor panels stack vertically for comfortable reading and editing. All features including upload, compare, merge, and export are available on mobile.

Explore all tool capabilities on our features page.

New to the tool? Read our step-by-step how-to guide.

Learn about our mission and privacy commitment on the about page.

Questions or feedback? Get in touch with us.