Compare PDF Files Online Free
Compare two PDF versions side by side. Review added and removed words, check each page, and export a comparison report.
This tool compares selectable text, not images, formatting, signatures, or exact visual layout. Scanned PDFs need OCR before comparison. Differences are automated and should be reviewed manually. Files are processed in your browser; the PDF reader library is loaded from a third-party CDN.
Compare Two PDF Files Online and Find Text Differences
Use the JIOPDF PDF comparison tool (PDF diff checker) to compare two PDF files online free and find words or text that were added or removed between document versions. It is useful for checking revised contracts, reports, assignments, policy documents, drafts and other PDFs where wording changes matter. Choose the original PDF first and the revised PDF second, then select Compare documents. Review highlighted differences, the page-by-page summary, and word counts, or download a text comparison report.
How to Compare PDF Documents
- Select the original PDF document.
- Select the revised or updated PDF document.
- Click Compare documents and wait for text extraction to finish.
- Review green highlights for added text and red highlights for removed text.
- Check the page-by-page summary and download the comparison report if needed.
What Does This PDF Comparison Tool Check?
- Text present in the revised PDF but missing from the original.
- Text present in the original PDF but removed from the revised version.
- Word counts and a summary of changes detected on each page.
- A downloadable text report of the detected differences.
Important Limitations
This is a text-based PDF comparison tool. It does not reliably identify changes to images, signatures, colours, fonts, or page layout. Scanned PDFs that contain only page images need OCR before their text can be compared. PDF text extraction can also differ from the reading order shown visually, so review important changes in the source documents. Very large pages may use simplified matching to help keep your browser responsive.
The selected PDF files are read and compared in your browser by this tool. The PDF.js library is loaded from a third-party CDN, so your browser contacts that provider to load the library; the selected PDF file data is passed to the library in the browser for processing.
What Are the Limits of PDF Text Comparison?
This tool compares selectable text extracted from the PDF. It does not provide a pixel-by-pixel visual comparison of page design, fonts, images, signatures or layout. Scanned PDFs without a selectable text layer may need OCR before you compare them. For important legal or financial documents, review the original files and verify each reported change yourself.
Related JIOPDF tools: PDF to Text, PDF to Word, and Merge PDF.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I compare two PDF files for differences?
Choose the original PDF and the revised PDF, click Compare documents, then review the highlighted text, word counts, and page-by-page summary. You can download a text report after the comparison finishes.
Is this PDF comparison tool free?
JIOPDF provides this browser-based PDF comparison tool for use online. Check the current page for any limits that apply to file size or processing.
Can it compare scanned PDF files?
Not directly when the PDF contains only scanned page images and no selectable text. Run OCR on both PDFs first, then compare the resulting searchable PDFs.
Does it compare images, signatures, fonts, or formatting?
No. The current tool compares extracted text. Visual changes such as a moved image, signature, font, colour, or page layout may not be detected.
Are my PDF files uploaded to a server?
The comparison code reads and processes the selected PDF data in your browser. The page also loads the PDF.js library from a third-party CDN. Review JIOPDF's privacy policy for more information about site-wide data handling.
Can I download the PDF comparison results?
Yes. After a comparison completes, use Download comparison report to save a plain-text report summarizing added and removed text by page.
Why does the tool show no differences?
The PDFs may have the same selectable text, or the differences may be visual only. If the files are scanned images, OCR may be needed. Always check the source documents manually for important changes.
More Free PDF Tools
Continue working with your documents using PDF to Text, PDF to Word, or Merge PDF.