MergeloomThree-way merge included
Text merge and folder merge are Pro features in Beyond Compare. Mergeloom includes three-way text merge and three-way folder merge for free.
Mergeloom vs Beyond Compare
A free Beyond Compare alternative for Mac
Beyond Compare is a respected, paid comparison tool. Mergeloom is a free, native Mac app for the comparisons most people use it for: files, folders, three-way merge and Git.
Version 1.0.0 · macOS 14 Sonoma or later · Free under the MIT license
Why Mergeloom
What you get without paying
No license to buy
Mergeloom is free under the MIT license, for personal and commercial use. No trial period, no seat counting, no renewals.
Made only for the Mac
Written in Swift with SwiftUI and AppKit, for Apple Silicon. It looks and behaves like the rest of macOS, in light and dark mode.
Git inside the app
Compare a file with HEAD, review staged and unstaged changes, or compare any two branches, tags or commits without leaving Mergeloom.
Understands JSON and XML
Format JSON or XML on both sides with one click. For JSON, get a list of exactly which keys and values changed.
Private by design
No account and no analytics. Your files never leave your Mac, and update checks only run if you allow them.
Side by side
Mergeloom and Beyond Compare, feature by feature
The features people compare most often. Beyond Compare details come from its own feature list.
| Feature | Mergeloom | Beyond Compare Standard | Beyond Compare Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basics | |||
| Price | Free | $35 per user | $70 per user |
| Runs on macOS | |||
| Runs on Windows and Linux | — | ||
| Dark mode | |||
| Saved sessions | |||
| Command-line tool | |||
| Use as git difftool and mergetool | |||
| Files and text | |||
| Side-by-side compare with in-line highlights | |||
| Edit in place with live re-compare | |||
| Syntax highlighting | |||
| Ignore whitespace and case | |||
| Ignore text matching regular expressions | |||
| Ignore comments | |||
| Align lines by hand | |||
| Word, PDF and RTF compared as text | |||
| HTML reports and printing | |||
| Three-way merge with output | — | ||
| Folders and other comparisons | |||
| Folder compare and sync | |||
| Three-way folder merge | — | ||
| Compare inside archives | ZIP, read-only | ||
| Table (CSV) compare | |||
| Excel worksheets | — | ||
| Picture compare | |||
| Hex compare | |||
| Remote files and automation | |||
| FTP servers | — | ||
| SFTP and cloud storage (S3, Dropbox, OneDrive, WebDAV) | — | — | |
| Scripting language for automation | — | ||
Beyond Compare features and prices are from scootersoftware.com in October 2026 (single-user prices; volume discounts are available). Check their site for current details.
Honest trade-offs
Where Beyond Compare is ahead
Beyond Compare is a mature product with features Mergeloom does not have. If you depend on any of these, it may still be the right choice:
- Works with FTP, SFTP and cloud storage such as Amazon S3, Dropbox and OneDrive.
- A scripting language for automating comparisons and reports.
- Compares Excel worksheets, and has more alignment and ignore options for text and tables.
- Edits binary files in hex, compares folders by CRC checksum, and can flip, rotate and zoom pictures.
- Runs on Windows and Linux as well as macOS.
- Dedicated support staff, by email, phone and forums.
Switching
Moving over from Beyond Compare
- Download Mergeloom and drag it to your Applications folder.
- Choose Mergeloom ▸ Install Command Line Tool… to get the mergeloom command.
- Point Git at Mergeloom instead of bcomp with the commands below.
# Use Mergeloom for git difftool
# Use Mergeloom for git mergetool
# Let Mergeloom decide when a merge is finished
# Make it the default
Questions
Beyond Compare and Mergeloom: common questions
Is Mergeloom a free replacement for Beyond Compare?
For everyday work on a Mac, such as comparing files and folders, merging, syncing folders and reviewing Git changes, yes. Mergeloom does not connect to FTP, SFTP or cloud storage and has no scripting language, so if you rely on those, Beyond Compare is the better fit.
Does Mergeloom have three-way merge like Beyond Compare Pro?
Yes, and it is free. Mergeloom merges text files against a common base, marks conflicts for you to resolve one by one, and can also merge whole folders.
Can Mergeloom open my Beyond Compare sessions?
No. Beyond Compare sessions and settings cannot be imported. Recreating a comparison is quick: drop the two files or folders on Mergeloom, then keep it with File ▸ Save Session.
Can I use Mergeloom at work for free?
Yes. Mergeloom is released under the MIT license, which allows personal and commercial use at no cost.
Does Mergeloom run on Windows or Linux?
No. Mergeloom is a Mac app and needs macOS 14 Sonoma or later. Beyond Compare runs on Windows, macOS and Linux.
