How to Compare Two Texts or Files Online (Free Diff Tool)

Comparing two versions of a document manually is tedious and error-prone. Whether you're reviewing contract revisions, checking code changes, comparing two lists, or proofreading an edited essay, a text diff tool can do in seconds what would take you minutes or hours.

What is a Text Diff Tool?

A "diff" (short for "difference") tool compares two blocks of text line by line and highlights:

Added lines (text in the new version that wasn't in the original)

Removed lines (text from the original that was deleted)

Unchanged lines (text present in both versions)

This is the same concept used by developers in version control systems like Git.

When Should You Use a Text Compare Tool?

Writers & Editors: Compare an original draft with an edited version to see every change.

Legal & Contracts: Review two contract versions to spot clause additions or removals.

Data Analysts: Compare two exported lists to find new entries or deleted records.

Students: Compare essay drafts to track revisions over time.

Developers: Quickly diff two config files or snippets without opening a code editor.

How to Compare Two Texts for Free

Paste your original text into the left box.

Paste your new/revised text into the right box.

Click Compare — our Text Compare Tool highlights every difference instantly.

Review the added and removed lines, then copy the summary if needed.

Cleaning Your Lists Before Comparing

For the best results when comparing lists, first clean each list individually. Remove duplicates with our Remove Duplicate Lines tool and sort both alphabetically using Sort Text Alphabetically before comparing.