See What Changed Between Two Folders

TL;DR: Folder Compare is a free online tool that shows added, modified, renamed, and deleted files between two folders or archives (ZIP, 7z, RAR, tar) — right in your browser, no signup, nothing uploaded.Great for diffing two versions of a project, checking that a backup copied completely, or comparing two synced cloud folders.

Start Comparing Folders…
Screenshot of Folder Compare
Christopher Atlan

Built by Christopher Atlan at Leitmotif GmbH. Making file-comparison tools since 2020 — building software for over 18 years. diff.tools is one idea: a focused tool for each format, with results you can hand from one tool to the next.

A quick tour

  1. Folders or archives

    Compare two local folders, two archives (ZIP, 7z, RAR, tar) — or mix the two and check an archive directly against a folder. Handy for verifying a zipped backup against the original.

    Folder comparison of two zip archives showing every file, including node_modules and system junk
    A fresh compare of two release zips — noise and all.

  2. Cut through the noise

    The differences that matter are easy to lose between build output, caches, and system junk like .DS_Store. Folder Compare filters the usual noise automatically — and if you're comparing code, it can apply the folder's own .gitignore or one of 40 ready-made ignore templates, ranked by what's actually in your folders. You can always add your own patterns.

    The same folder comparison with the project's .gitignore applied, showing only the meaningful changes
    The same compare with the project's own .gitignore applied — down to the changes that matter.

  3. Find what you're looking for

    Break the result down with one click: only added, only modified, only renamed, or only deleted files, each with a live count. Export the list as a CSV report when you need to share it.

    Status filter chips with live counts: added, modified, renamed, deleted, unchanged

  4. Renames shown as renames

    A renamed or moved file appears as a single old → new row, matched by checksum — not as an unrelated delete plus add.

    A renamed file shown as a single row: utils.ts on the left, helpers.ts on the right, joined by an arrow

  5. From overview to file diff

    Open any changed file directly in the matching tool — text, image, PDF, or hex compare — without losing your place.

    Text compare showing a side-by-side code diff
    Text Compare
    Word compare showing a tracked-changes style redline of a contract
    Word Compare
    Image compare highlighting the changed pixels between two logo versions
    Image Compare

How to compare two folders?

  1. Open the free folder comparison tool in Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge.

    Start Comparing…

  2. Click the Choose Folder A button and find the first folder you want to compare. Confirm the "Let site view files" prompt. Repeat for the second folder with Choose Folder B.

  3. Files that exist only in Folder A are highlighted in red, while files that exist only in Folder B are highlighted in green. Files that are present in both folders but are modified are highlighted in blue, and renamed files are shown in violet as a single old → new row.

Frequently asked questions

  1. Can I compare ZIP or other archives?

    Yes — archives work anywhere a folder does: compare two archives, or an archive against a folder (for example, a zipped backup against the original). ZIP, 7z, RAR, tar, tar.gz, and tar.bz2 are supported.

  2. Does it detect renamed files?

    Yes. Files deleted on one side and added on the other are paired by checksum and shown as a single rename.

  3. Can I exclude node_modules or build folders?

    Yes. If a compared folder contains a .gitignore, it's applied automatically. You can also enable ready-made ignore templates or write your own patterns in gitignore syntax.

  4. Are my files uploaded?

    No. The comparison runs entirely in your browser; file contents never leave your device.

  5. Can it sync or merge folders?

    No — it's deliberately a viewer. It shows you the differences; it never touches your files.

  6. How are files compared?

    By content: size first, then a SHA-256 checksum. Timestamps are shown for reference but never decide the result.

  7. Which browsers are supported?

    Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge.

Requirements

Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge

Privacy & Data Processing

Privacy and security aren't just something you should hope for — they're something you should expect. Modern browsers allow us to process everything directly on your device, which means we never upload, transfer, or share your files.

Your folder contents stay completely private. All comparisons happen locally in your browser. Your data stays your business.

LeitmotifChristopher Atlan
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The team behind the tool

We're Leitmotif, a small company from the Alps — Carinthia, Austria and Bavaria, Germany. File comparison is what we do all day: we make Kaleidoscope, the Mac diff app, and diff.tools brings that experience to the browser.

We believe professional tools should be beautiful to look at and fun to use, while giving you all the power you need to get the job done. And we respect your files too much to ever upload them — everything here runs on your machine.

Feedback

We're constantly improving our free online folder comparison tool to make comparing directories faster and more accurate. Share your feedback and help us understand what kind of directories you compare.

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