How to use Compare PDF
- 1Add the original PDF as A and the new version as B. Use the swap button if you mixed them up.
- 2Text changes shows removed lines in red and added lines in green, with changed words highlighted.
- 3Visual overlay highlights every area that looks different and lists the pages with changes.
- 4Side by side shows both versions page by page. Export report saves the text differences as a .txt file.
Three views for different jobs
- Text changes is best for contracts, policies and reports. Unchanged parts are collapsed so you only read the edits, and you can ignore spacing or letter case.
- Visual overlay catches changes that text comparison misses, such as moved images, logos, signatures or layout shifts. It also works for scanned PDFs.
- Side by side lets you read both versions together.
How it works
Text is extracted from both files and compared line by line, then word by word inside changed lines. For the overlay, each page is rendered from both files at the same width and compared pixel by pixel; differing areas are highlighted. Everything runs in your browser, which matters for confidential drafts.
Limits
If pages were inserted, the visual overlay compares page 3 with page 3 and will show later pages as changed; use Text changes in that case. Scanned PDFs have no text, so use the overlay. The quick page scan covers the first 300 pages.
Frequently asked questions
Can I compare two PDFs for differences in text?
Yes. The Text changes view lists removed and added lines and highlights the exact words that changed.
Does it work with scanned PDFs?
Use Visual overlay, which compares how pages look, since scans have no text to compare.
Are my documents uploaded?
No. Both files are processed in your browser.
Can I save the comparison?
Yes. Export report downloads the text differences as a plain text file.