How to use the Text Compare
Step 1: Paste the original text on the left and the changed text on the right, or press Load example.
Step 2: Choose Lines, Words or Characters to set how detailed the comparison should be.
Step 3: Tick Ignore upper/lower case or Ignore extra spaces if those differences do not matter to you.
Step 4: Read the summary of added, removed and unchanged parts, then the highlighted differences. Added text is marked with + and removed text with a minus, not by colour alone.
Step 5: Press Copy differences to share the result as text.
Features and benefits
Three levels of detail
Compare whole lines, individual words or single characters, depending on how closely you need to look.
Line numbers
In line view, both the original and the changed line numbers are shown so changes are easy to find.
Forgiving options
Ignore capital letters or extra spaces to avoid noise from formatting differences.
Accessible marking
Differences are marked with symbols and screen-reader text, not just colour.
Swap and copy
Reverse the two texts in one click, and copy the differences in a plain unified format.
How the comparison works
The tool finds the longest run of content that both texts share, and reports everything outside it as added or removed. This is the same idea used by version control systems. In line mode the unit is a whole line, in word mode a word or a stretch of spaces, and in character mode a single character.
Line mode is the best starting point for most documents. If a line changed only slightly, switch to word mode to see which words moved, and to character mode to find a one-letter difference.
Choosing between lines, words and characters
Use lines for code, configuration, lists and anything that is already one idea per line. Use words for paragraphs of prose, where reflowing a line would otherwise make the whole paragraph look changed. Use characters only for short texts, such as two similar names, passwords or ids.
Limits and honest notes
Comparisons look at the first 2,500 lines, words or characters of each text and say so when something is left out, so split very long texts into parts. The tool shows differences; it does not judge whether they matter, and it is not a plagiarism checker, which would need to search other sources.
Example use cases
Checking edits to a document
See what an editor or colleague changed between two drafts.
Comparing code or configuration
Spot the lines that differ between two versions of a file.
Proofreading contracts and policies
Make sure a revised version only changes what it was meant to change.
Finding small typos
Use character mode to find a single wrong letter in two similar strings.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between lines, words and characters?
It is the size of the unit being compared. Lines are best for code and lists, words for prose, and characters for small edits.
Does it highlight moved paragraphs?
A moved block appears as a removal in one place and an addition in the other, because the comparison follows the order of the text.
Is there a size limit?
Each text can be up to 500,000 characters, and the comparison covers the first 2,500 lines, words or characters of each.
Is my text stored or uploaded?
No. Both texts are compared in your browser and nothing is sent anywhere.
Can it ignore case and spacing?
Yes. Tick Ignore upper/lower case or Ignore extra spaces to hide those differences.
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Last updated 11 November 2026.