KDiff3 vs WinMerge
KDiff3
apps.kde.org
WinMerge
winmerge.orgSide by side
| Figure | KDiff3 | WinMerge |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 2 | 1 |
| Spec score · Diff and Merge Tools | 8.3 (#8) | 7.0 (#26) |
| Current release | The KDE application page lists version 1.12.5 released on 2026-07-20. | Version 2.16.58.2 was released on 2026-08-27 and is identified as the current version. |
| Purpose | KDiff3 compares and merges files and folders. | WinMerge compares files and folders and presents differences visually for merging. |
| Version control | It supports version-control keyword and history merging. | WinMerge can create patch files and resolve conflict files. |
Plans
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.