PDiff review
A private desktop comparator with OCR, batch processing and reporting for Windows and macOS.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
PDiff is desktop document-comparison software from CSci Computer Science GmbH for businesses, law firms and compliance teams. It compares PDF files alongside DOC, DOCX, RTF, TXT and XLS files, highlighting insertions, deletions, replacements and rearranged text. Users can also enable formatting and style-difference detection, including changes across layouts and page breaks. OCR text recognition and Unicode support extend its usefulness to scanned documents and international scripts, while local processing keeps documents on the user’s machine.
Pricing is handled through a business offer from CSci rather than a published tier structure. There is no free plan, although a free trial is available. The product’s purchasing path therefore suits teams that want to discuss requirements with the vendor before adopting a desktop comparison tool. Buyers should clarify the commercial offer and trial terms directly with CSci. PDiff is available for Windows and macOS, giving it a defined desktop footprint rather than a browser-first or cloud deployment model.
Its strongest distinction is the combination of comparison depth and workflow output. Alongside synchronized PDF and text displays, PDiff can produce PDF, XML, HTML and CSV reports, process batches of files, and support command-line automation. These capabilities make it a practical fit for repeatable review, compliance workflows and document-heavy teams that need more than a side-by-side visual check. The narrow platform coverage and lack of a free plan make it less suitable for teams seeking broad device access or self-serve entry. Choose PDiff when local processing, OCR and automation matter; consider another option when browser access or a published plan structure is central.
PDiff pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Compares PDF, Office, RTF, TXT and XLS files
- OCR, formatting detection and synchronized document views
- Batch processing, automation and local document processing
- Where it doesn't
- Runs only on Windows and macOS
- No free plan is published
- Business pricing requires a request to CSci
PDiff fact sheet, pricing and score →
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
Last updated · How we research and update