Best Document Comparison Software in 2026
Updated
In short: PDF24 Compare PDF is ranked #1 of 25 as of 3 October 2026, ahead of SmarterDiff and Litera Compare. The best-ranked option with a free plan is SmarterDiff. The lowest first paid tier on this page is Draftable Compare at $0.90/mo.
Document comparison software helps identify differences between files, but the comparison features and limits can vary. Consider whether you need Office file or PDF comparison, and compare how each option handles formatting changes and redline output. Maximum file size and deployment are also listed criteria; free-plan availability and paid-from details can help you weigh access. SmarterDiff, Diffchecker, and PDF24 Compare PDF are among the first entries, followed by Differino and Draftable Compare. Use the listed criteria to focus on the file types and comparison outputs that fit your work.
25 document comparison software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
Recognised 40% · Phone app 26% · Documented 20% · Free plan 14% of the score
- 1 PDF24 Compare PDF iPhone + Android RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 7.9Free PDF comparison: YesOffice file comparison: Yes
- 2 SmarterDiff iPhone + Android RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 7.8Free PDF comparison: YesOffice file comparison: YesFormatting changes: Yes
- 3 Litera Compare iPhone + Android RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.8
- 4 Diffchecker No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.4$15/mo
- 5 Differino No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.4Free PDF comparison: YesOffice file comparison: YesFormatting changes: Yes
- 6 DocFather Compare Documents No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.4Free PDF comparison: YesOffice file comparison: YesFormatting changes: No
- 7 Document Delta No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.4Free PDF comparison: NoOffice file comparison: YesFormatting changes: Yes
- 8 GigAI Document Comparer No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.3Free PDF comparison: YesOffice file comparison: YesFormatting changes: No
- 9 Redline Compare No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.3$4.99/mo PDF comparison: YesOffice file comparison: Yes
- 10 Draftable Compare No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.6$0.90/mo PDF comparison: YesOffice file comparison: YesFormatting changes: Yes
- 11 AFileFix Document Comparison No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.4 PDF comparison: YesOffice file comparison: YesFormatting changes: No
- 12 DeltaCompare No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.4 PDF comparison: YesOffice file comparison: YesFormatting changes: Yes
- 13 XKit Document Compare No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.4Free PDF comparison: YesOffice file comparison: YesFormatting changes: No
- 14 Crowdsourced Redlines No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.3 Office file comparison: YesFormatting changes: Yes
- 15 DocxLens No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.3 PDF comparison: YesOffice file comparison: Yes
- 16 DrawDiff No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.3 PDF comparison: YesFormatting changes: Yes
- 17 PdfCompare.app No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.3 PDF comparison: YesFormatting changes: Yes
- 18 Compare Suite No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.2
- 19 Diff Doc No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.2 PDF comparison: YesOffice file comparison: YesFormatting changes: Yes
- 20 i-net PDFC No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.2 PDF comparison: YesOffice file comparison: YesFormatting changes: Yes
- 21 PDiff No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.2 PDF comparison: YesOffice file comparison: YesFormatting changes: Yes
- 22 VisibleThread No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.2 PDF comparison: YesOffice file comparison: Yes
- 23 Setpdf PDF Compare No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.1 PDF comparison: YesOffice file comparison: Yes
- 24 SIDETRACK No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.1 PDF comparison: YesOffice file comparison: YesFormatting changes: Yes
- 25 UltraCompare No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.1
Is your app on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which document comparison software is ranked first on Samsung Mobile US Press?
PDF24 Compare PDF is ranked #1 of 25 with a score of 7.9. SmarterDiff is second and Litera Compare third.
How many of these have a free plan?
9 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, Draftable Compare has the lowest first paid tier we found: $0.90/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked mobile-first: a phone app alongside the web or desktop product, a free tier and the depth of its documentation. Paid placements never change a rank.