KDiff3 vs UltraCompare
KDiff3
apps.kde.orgUltraCompare
ultraedit.comSide by side
| Figure | KDiff3 | UltraCompare |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $8.33/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 2 | 4 |
| Spec score · Diff and Merge Tools | 8.3 (#8) | 8.3 (#9) |
| Spec score · File Comparison Software | 8.2 (#10) | 8.3 (#7) |
| Platforms | The app page lists Linux installation and links to Windows and macOS; nightly installers are listed for Windows and macOS ARM and Intel. | UltraCompare has versions for Windows, Mac, and Linux. |
| Purpose | KDiff3 compares and merges files and folders. | UltraCompare compares and merges text files, folders, and documents including Word, Excel, and PDF. |
| Version control | It supports version-control keyword and history merging. | It integrates with Git, Subversion, and CVS as a difftool and mergetool. |
Plans
UltraCompare
- UltraEdit Core Subscription$99.95 a year
- UltraEdit Enterprise Subscription$119.95 a year
- UltraEdit Core Perpetual$179.95, paid once
- UltraEdit Enterprise Perpetual$249.95, paid once
In their own words
KDiff3
KDiff3 is a free, open-source desktop app for comparing and merging files and folders on Linux, macOS, and Windows. It can compare two or three text files or folders, showing differences line by line and character by character. For merge work, it can combine changes automatically and includes an editor for resolving conflicts, including three-way merges. Folder comparison and Git integration are supported. KDiff3 handles Unicode, UTF-8, and other file encodings; users can highlight or hide whitespace and comment changes, and print differences. It also supports version-control keyword and history merging, with network transparency through KIO. Its listed license is GPL-2.0-or-later. The Free plan costs nothing, and there is no free trial. Linux installation options include Discover or another AppStream store, a distribution package manager, or Flathub. The app page links to a handbook, forum, and bug-reporting page. KDE describes itself as an international community building and distributing free, open-source software since 1996.
UltraCompare
UltraCompare compares and merges files, folders, and documents, including Word, Excel, and PDF. It can show two or three files side by side and lets users merge differences visually. Folder tools compare, merge, and synchronize directory structures, with rule-based automation available. For spreadsheets and other tabular data, it can compare and merge cells, rows, or columns, including across multiple Excel sheets. UltraCompare works as a diff and merge tool with Git, Subversion, and CVS. It can compare remote files over FTP or SFTP and by URL, and folders over FTP and network shares. ZIP, RAR, and JAR contents can be compared without extraction. Additional tools include highlighting for characters, words, or lines; options to ignore whitespace or case; editable comparisons; saved sessions; and HTML or text reports. The maker lists Windows, macOS, and Linux, while a fully functional Windows trial includes all features for 30 days. There is no free plan. Subscriptions start at $99.95 a year for Core or $119.95 a year for Enterprise; perpetual options cost 179.95 USD or 249.95 USD once.