When editing or reviewing similar documents, you’ll want to compare them side by side to note differences and similarities. Document comparison is useful for many reasons.
Most people compare documents to check for plagiarism while others want to identify the best document out of the multiple they’re comparing. Rather than do this manually, you should use online document comparison tools.
You’ll find many document comparison tools online but, in this article, I’ve listed out the best ones you can use.
Best Online Document Comparison Software
1. Draftable
Draftable is a popular online software for comparing PDF and Word documents. You can perform a side-by-side comparison of two documents; simply drag and drop the files in the provided space or click and upload.
You can use Draftable to compare documents online for free. You don’t have to create an account and you can compare documents with up to 300 pages. However, each document shouldn’t be more than 10 MB.
You can set Draftable to check for content changes only, style changes only, or content and style changes. Content changes check for word and sentence changes while style changes check for changes in text color, font style, size, and other formatting styles.
From the comparison window, the changes are featured in the right-aligned tab and also highlighted in the document. You can print either or both documents directly from the website with all the highlights visible. You can download it as a PDF too.
Aside from PDF and Word, you can compare PowerPoint files too. After comparing, you can share results with others using a secret URL or embed the comparison in your website. Draftable also includes a paid desktop version.
Also Read: Free Online PDF Summarizer Tools
2. Copyleaks
Copyleaks is a platform against plagiarism. The free File Compare tools lets you compare up to 10 documents at a time. You don’t need an account to compare documents with Copyleaks unless you want to perform a private comparison.
To compare documents, you either upload the files or copy and paste the text in the provided space. If the work is published online, you can simply enter a URL to compare. Hence, with Copyleaks, you can compare documents with web pages. Note that Copyleaks only supports Word and PDF documents.
Copyleaks is an advanced online document comparison software as it uses AI technology. The multi-language adaptability feature allows you to compare files in different languages.
This online software calculates the similarities and differences in percentages. It checks for identical words, minor changes, and paraphrased and omitted words; you can turn off any of these features. The overall score tells you how unique or not one document is from the other and you can view the total number of similar words.
If you have an account, you can download the comparison reports to your device. To get the best experience with Copyleaks, you should use Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome browsers.
3. Diffchecker
This is a user-friendly online text comparison software. As the name states it’s a difference checker and helps you find the differences between two documents. You can copy and paste text or select a Word file.
DiffChecker features an exclusive PDF comparison tool. Also, there are free tools for comparing images and Excel files. This tool works very fast. After pasting your text or uploading documents, you’ll get results in less than five seconds after clicking the Find Difference button.
As mentioned earlier, this tool is only concerned about differences. It highlights differences in the first document in red and the other in green. You can switch text windows and merge texts/files.
When you compare PDFs, you can check for differences in text, image, OCR text, and file details. DiffChecker lets you save your comparison to expire in 24 hours, one week, one month, or never. You can share the results via public links and directly share them to Facebook and Twitter.
Although DiffChecker is available for free, you can access features like real-time comparison, unified view, character review, and private sharing if you purchase the pro version for $8 per month. In addition, DiffChecker features a desktop version.
Also Read: Best Summarizing Tools Without Plagiarizing
4. Simuldocs
Simuldocs is exclusively for comparing Word Documents. The software does more than document comparison as it’s collaboration software. Simuldocs has users in more than 60 countries including top institutions like Harvard University, Johns Hopkins, and companies like FedEx and Oracle.
You can use Simuldocs for free but most of its features are premium. In addition, you have to register before using the free version. Afterward, simply upload your Word documents to compare.
The online software highlights the differences between documents in red with a strikethrough effect. Note that you can’t perform a side-by-side comparison with the free version.
It first displays the newer document version you’re comparing; you’ll have to scroll to the bottom of the page to view the main document. You can download the full comparison as a PDF or share using a generated URL.
Notably, you can collaborate with others for free with SimulDocs. However, the free version only supports one creator and document for collaboration.
Also Read: Best PDF to Word Converters
To access all of Simuldocs document comparison features, you can subscribe to any of the following plans:
- Individual Plan: $15 per month
- Squad Plan: $35 per month
- Team Plan: $75 per month
5. Aspose
Aspose is a popular online file processing platform and document comparison is one of its many features. The document comparison tool is packed with many features but is easy to use. You can compare Word, PDF, JPG, and HTML files all for free.
To use this online software, choose and upload the two documents you want to compare. Next, choose what you want to focus on, words or characters. Also, you can choose to overlook differences in letter case.
When you compare documents with Aspose, you download the results to your device. By default, the software will save the results in a Word document file. You can set the results to save as PDF, JPG, HTML, ODT, RTF, and many other file formats. Also, you can choose to send it to your email.
In the comparison file, the differences from the base documents are highlighted in red with strikethrough effect; similar to SimulDocs mentioned earlier. However, the main text listed afterward is highlighted in red and underlined.
If there are no differences in the two documents you’re comparing, there’ll be no highlights. The resulting file will be saved in the Aspose cloud for 24 hours after which it’ll be permanently deleted.
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6. Text Compare
This free online text comparison tool works for comparing Word, Excel, and PDF documents. You either paste your text or upload the file; if you upload, the tool will extract just the text. For your convenience, you can set the theme to Light, Dark, or High Contrast mode.
Furthermore, Text Compare lets you select a specific language for the results. You can get your results in plain text, JSON, CSS, HTML, Java, and many other web languages. The tool is fast as you get results once you click Find Difference.
You can set the results to inline view or word wrap. Text Compare states the number of changes in the documents at the bottom of the page.
Your documents aren’t saved when you use this online document comparison software. Nevertheless, you can choose to save them for an hour, a day, week, month, or year. You get a unique URL when you save the results.
Alternatively, you can export the results in a PDF file. For this, the tool merges the two documents; texts from the first document are highlighted in red while those from the second document are highlighted in green. Similar texts in both documents remain unchanged.
7. GroupDocs
From your browser, you can compare two or more documents and view their differences using GroupDocs. So far, the tool has been used to compare more than 9,000 files to taking over 10 GB.
GroupDocs support different MS Office formats including Word, Excel, PDF, PowerPoint, Visio, OneNote, and Outlook files. Each of these files has exclusive comparison tools.
The platform supports other formats OpenDocument, AutoCAD, Web, Images, Text, and Portable. In total, there are more than 100 supported file formats.
You can either click to upload or drag and drop the files you want to compare; then click on the Compare Now button. GroupDocs takes a few seconds to complete the comparison. The online software supports batch comparison of many documents and there’s no file-size limit.
From the results page, differences in the documents are listed in the right tab. You can view changes in Category or List view, easily navigate between pages, and there’s the Search tab to find specific word changes.
As you review the results, you can choose to accept or reject changes. Furthermore, GroupDocs lets you export the comparison results in a merged PDF file.
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8. PDF24
PDF24 is a collection of multiple PDF tools. If you mainly want to compare PDF documents, the PDF24 compare tool is a free and unlimited tool you can use.
You can still compare other file types like Word and Image files but the tool first converts them to PDF before comparing. Developed by Stefan Ziegler, PDF24 is a very simple PDF comparison tool.
After uploading the files you want to compare, simply set the comparison mode – Text or Visual – and click on compare. You get your comparison results in an instant.
Like a few other document comparison tools on this list, PDF24 highlights the differences in red with the strikethrough effect. However, you can’t download or share your results. You can only copy and paste the text.
With PDF24, you don’t have to worry about your files getting compromised. The file upload process is encrypted and all uploads are cleared automatically after an hour.
PDF24 is an online document comparison software that you can use anywhere. It’s optimized for browsers on Windows, Mac, Linux, or mobile devices. There are also installable apps for Windows and mobile devices.
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9. SmallSEOTools
SmallSEOTools is online software that’s been featured on top websites like LifeHack, Wikipedia, and Search Engine Journal. Among the platform’s hub of web tools is a diff checker tool known as Text Compare.
You have the option of entering a URL or pasting the different text you want to compare; there’s no upload to upload files. The tool compares the first and second content side by side and calculates a similarity percentage. This percentage is calculated in relation to the total amount of text in the content.
In addition, similar text in both texts will be highlighted in red. The texts will remain blank if there’s no similarity.
SmallSEOTools doesn’t let you download or share the comparison results. In fact, the content you enter is automatically deleted immediately after processing. You can, however, copy the result.
This online document comparison software is recommended if you want to compare documents with short text or simple paragraphs. Since you can’t upload files, it’s not ideal for comparing documents with many pages.
It’s only ideal for comparing long documents if published online, hence, you can compare using the URL option.
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10. DiffNow
Powered by ExamDiff Pro, DiffNow lets you compare documents, text files, archives, and binary files. The tool is available for free with a 2 MB file upload limit.
To compare files, you can copy and paste text, enter URLs, or upload the files. Also, you get to set the document type. From the settings, you can set the Compare, Results, Color, and Plug-in options.
For example, you can set the tool to ignore letter case, white lines, white spaces, and linebreak style differences. From the Color tab, you can choose to set different colors for each change type.
You get an interactive HTML report after clicking on Compare. You can enter an optional title for the files you’re comparing.
Interpreting the result is easy as the software displays the documents side by side. In addition, you get the number of added, deleted, changed, changed in changed, and ignored words.
The result is downloadable as an HTML file. You can directly share the results if you create an account.
DiffNow features a pro version that lets you compare files of up to 8 MB and access plugins among other premium features.
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11. GlobalVision Verify
GlobalVision is a quality control software. With Verify, a web-based text inspection tool, you can compare Word and PDF documents and check for changes and unintended errors.
If you need enterprise-level online document comparison software, Verify by GlobalVision is one of the best options. The tool scans for any inconsistency between documents and will identify even the smallest ones.
It works by running a character to character comparison. Hence, it highlights differences in font, spelling, and location. The tool also identifies changed, added, and deleted words.
You can create PDF reports from the comparison results and add annotations and comments. Files and data you work with are securely transferred.
Aside from Word and PDF files, you can compare Excel, HTML, XML, and a few others. Also, GlobalVision Verify can compare documents in 30 different languages.
As an enterprise-level online document comparison tool, Verify by GlobalVision is a premium tool; you can’t use it for free. However, the pricing plans aren’t public. You need to contact the sales team for a quote but you can use the tool for free on trial.
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12. PDFForge
PDFForge is popular for its PDFCreator app which has been in use for over 15 years. Also, it’s still one of the best websites if you need free online PDF tools. The website features PDF Convert, Edit, and Organize tools.
One of the available PDF organization tools on the platform is the Compare PDF tool. With the PDFForge tool, you can only compare PDF documents; it doesn’t support Work or image files.
In addition, you can only compare a maximum of two files. Nevertheless, PDFForge supports uploading documents up to 250 MB in size. After uploading the PDF documents, it takes seconds to generate results.
You can set the comparison view as Inline or Side by Side. The tool renders the PDF files as TXT files in the results. The PDFForge Compare tool only highlights the differences between the two PDF documents.
Differences in the first and second documents are highlighted in red and green respectively. You cannot download or export the results but you can copy the text.
Your files are safe when you compare with PDFForge as the website is particular about data security. Uploaded texts are automatically deleted after two hours.
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13. eComparefiles
At number 13, we have eComparefiles. This is a unique online document comparison software based on the results it generates. eComparefiles is free to use and you don’t have to create an account.
This online tool lets you compare Word, PDF, Excel, XML, Database, and Notepad files. Supported database files include db, db3, accdb, mdf, sqlite, and sqlite3 formats.
However, you can only compare two documents/files at a time. When you click compare selected files after upload, you get a simple tabulated result featuring two columns – Similarities and Differences.
eComparefiles checks the two documents and any similar text is featured in the first column with a count beginning from one. The sample applies to the Difference column but for dissimilar text.
The lines and rows are highlighted in different colors depending on the level of difference. You can go through line by line to review each similarity and difference.
However, the total number of each is displayed at the top of each column so you get a quick overview. Note that you can’t download or share the comparison results and the output pattern makes it impossible to copy the text.
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14. BlitzCompare
BlitzCompare, a tool from Editive, lets you carry out simple document comparisons. Professional versioning and text comparison are some of the top features of the Editive collaboration software.
However, BlitzCompare is an exclusive online option you can access for free. This online comparison software employs an HD-diff algorithm for a fast and precise comparison of documents.
Thanks to its advanced algorithm, BlitzCompare offers better and more efficient document comparison than most other tools. Notably, BlitzCompare can point out differences in insertions, deletions, and moved blocks.
You can compare Word, PDF, LaTex, and a few other text formats. After uploading the documents, you can view the comparison results in one or two columns.
From the results, moved words and sentences are highlighted in yellow, while similar texts are highlighted in red and green. After comparing, the documents you upload are automatically deleted.
If you want to save and share them, you need a BlitzCompare pro account. The pro plan also lets you download results in PDF format and it costs $19 per month.
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15. ExtendsClass
Created by Cyril, ExtendsClass provides a hub of free tools for developers including testers, code checkers, code testers, code converters, compare tools, and HTTP API tools.
With the ExtendsClass PDF Compare tool, you can quickly compare two PDF texts online whether you’re a developer or not. You can’t use this tool to compare other document formats; it only supports PDF. Nevertheless, there are exclusive compare tools for XML and CSV files.
You can compare documents by pasting the text into the provided space or uploading them from your computer. ExtendsClass PDF Compare also supports loading documents via URL; the webpage must be HTTPS.
The software converts the PDF files you upload to TXT for comparison. With this, you get an instant result once you upload the second document; you don’t have to click any compare button.
The ExtendsClass PDF Compare tool displays the total number of differences between the documents while also highlighting them in green. You can navigate between differences using the Next Diff and Previous Diff buttons.
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Conclusion
Any of these best online document comparison software will automatically scan your documents and provide a report on how different or similar they are.
With such tools, you’ll be able to easily identify plagiarized works and also identify the most unique document to work with.
