SourceGear DiffMerge vs UltraCompare

SourceGear DiffMerge is a free desktop application for visually comparing and merging files and folders on Linux, macOS, and Windows. Its Diff feature displays changes between two files, highlights differences within lines, and supports editing. Merge compares three files and can combine changes automatically when it considers that safe. Folder Diff compares two folders side by side and classifies files as identical, equivalent, different, or present in only one folder. Rulesets and options let users adjust its appearance and behavior, and it can import files in a wide range of character encodings. A command-line interface compares files and can write differences in unified or traditional formats. The manual documents integrations with Git, Mercurial, TortoiseSVN, Microsoft TFS, and Microsoft VSS 2005. Windows Explorer integration adds context-menu actions for selected files or folders. The download page lists version 4.2 builds for Windows, MacOS 10.6+, Ubuntu 12.04+, and Fedora 17+. SourceGear support stated in February 2026 that it was no longer accepting registrations and was moving DiffMerge toward an open-source project.

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.