SIDETRACK review
A focused Windows tool for Word redlines, PDF comparison, and local document review.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
SIDETRACK is a Windows desktop application for comparing Microsoft Word documents, aimed at lawyers and legal teams that need a focused local redline workflow. It uses Word’s comparison engine and produces editable redline DOCX files alongside marked-up PDF output. Reviewers can navigate a change list, accept or reject changes, compare one document against up to five reviewers, and work with PDF input through local OCR for scanned files. The application also supports metadata and AI-signature scanning and cleaning, with settings for tables, headers, footers, footnotes, and moves.
Pricing is straightforward across two plans. Monthly costs $19.95 per month and includes unlimited comparisons, no watermark, and free updates. Yearly costs $199.95 per year and includes everything in Monthly, plus the stated value of annual billing and the ability to cancel anytime. A 14-day free trial is available, while the product does not offer a free plan. For regular use, the yearly option lowers the listed effective price compared with paying the monthly rate across a year, while Monthly suits users who prefer monthly billing.
SIDETRACK fits teams already centered on Microsoft Word and Outlook: Outlook draft and clipboard sharing extend the desktop workflow, and local installation with automatic updates keeps document processing on the PC. That local model may suit legal work that favors desktop handling, but the application requires Microsoft Word and is limited to Windows 10/11. Choose it for Word-focused comparison, editable redlines, PDF output, OCR, and detailed review controls. Choose an alternative if your team needs a browser-based or non-Windows workflow, or does not rely on Microsoft Word.
SIDETRACK pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Exports editable redline DOCX files and marked-up PDFs
- Supports one-to-many comparison for up to five reviewers
- Includes local OCR, Outlook sharing, and detailed comparison settings
- Where it doesn't
- Requires Microsoft Word to run
- Available only on Windows 10/11
- No free plan; paid access starts at $19.95 per month
SIDETRACK fact sheet, pricing and score →
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