- Home
- File Comparison Software
- Beyond Compare
Beyond Compare
Madison, Wisconsin, USA
What it is
Beyond Compare is a desktop application for comparing folders, text files, images, tables, and other structured data, then reviewing differences and merging changes. Folder comparison can recurse through subfolders and filter by modified time, size, filename case, or content. Text comparison offers syntax highlighting, inline editing, and controls to ignore whitespace or comments; Pro adds two-way and three-way text merging. Supported formats include CSV, tab-delimited data, HTML tables, Excel worksheets, binary files, images, and audio tags. Folder Sync reconciles data with disks, FTP servers, and zip files, while command-line scripts can run scheduled synchronizations. Pro adds secure FTP, remote Subversion repositories, and cloud storage through WebDAV, Amazon S3, Dropbox, and OneDrive. The software integrates with major version-control systems and has a Visual Studio Code extension resource. Beyond Compare runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows. A free evaluation is available, but continued use requires a license. Standard Edition costs $35, paid once per user; Pro costs $70, paid once per user.
For and against
For
- Recursive folder comparison and filtering
- Syntax highlighting with inline editing
- Three-way merge in Pro
- Command-line scheduled synchronization
- Runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows
Against
- No free plan
- Continued use requires a license
- Pro-only remote and cloud features
- One-time per-user pricing starts at $35
The verdict
Beyond Compare covers detailed file comparison, synchronization, and merge workflows across desktop platforms. The Standard and Pro licenses differ in merge and remote-access capabilities, so the edition choice matters.
Who it suits
Beyond Compare suits developers and teams comparing code, folders, tabular data, images, or synchronized files across desktop and remote locations.
Plans and prices
Standard Edition — Per-User
Per user · each licensed user may use Beyond Compare on any number of computers
Read 4 Oct 2026 · scootersoftware.com
Pro Edition — Per-User
Per user · each licensed user may use Beyond Compare on any number of computers
Read 4 Oct 2026 · scootersoftware.com
Standard Edition — Site
Unlimited users at a single named location
Read 4 Oct 2026 · scootersoftware.com
Pro Edition — Site
Unlimited users at a single named location
Read 4 Oct 2026 · scootersoftware.com
Standard Edition — Enterprise
All users of an organization worldwide
Read 4 Oct 2026 · scootersoftware.com
Pro Edition — Enterprise
All users of an organization worldwide
Read 4 Oct 2026 · scootersoftware.com
On the record
- Customer base
- Scooter Software says Beyond Compare has over a million users worldwide, ranging from individual developers to Fortune 500 personnel.scootersoftware.com · read 4 Oct 2026
- Folder comparison
- Folder comparison supports filters, recursive subfolder comparison, and criteria including modified time, size, filename case, and file content.scootersoftware.com · read 4 Oct 2026
- Free evaluation
- Beyond Compare may be evaluated for free, but a license must be purchased for continued use; the site does not state a trial duration.scootersoftware.com · read 4 Oct 2026
- License updates
- The license is a one-time purchase, minor updates are free within the licensed major version, and major version upgrades are generally half price.scootersoftware.com · read 4 Oct 2026
- Other formats
- The feature list includes comparisons for CSV, tab-delimited, HTML table, Excel worksheet, binary, image, and audio tag data.scootersoftware.com · read 4 Oct 2026
- Privacy
- Scooter Software says it does not sell, trade, or rent personal information and states that its handling of personal information is GDPR compliant.scootersoftware.com · read 4 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Beyond Compare compares folders, text files, images, and tables, and helps users review differences and merge changes.scootersoftware.com · read 4 Oct 2026
- Remote and cloud access
- Pro includes secure FTP connections, remote Subversion repositories, and cloud storage options including WebDAV, Amazon S3, Dropbox, and OneDrive.scootersoftware.com · read 4 Oct 2026
- Support
- Support resources include a help file, video tutorials, articles, user forums, problem reporting, and direct contact options.scootersoftware.com · read 4 Oct 2026
- Synchronization
- Folder Sync can reconcile data and copy to or from disks, FTP servers, and zip files, while scripts can be run from the command line for scheduled syncs.scootersoftware.com · read 4 Oct 2026
- Text and merges
- Text comparisons support syntax highlighting, inline editing, and ignoring differences such as whitespace and comments; Pro adds two-way and three-way text merge.scootersoftware.com · read 4 Oct 2026
- Version control integration
- Beyond Compare can launch comparisons from major version control systems, and its site lists resources for version control integration and a Visual Studio Code extension.scootersoftware.com · read 4 Oct 2026
