Beyond Compare is a long-standing comparison and sync tool for Windows, macOS and Linux. Hydra is a Mac workspace where comparison sits next to the servers, databases and repositories you compare.
If you need folder merging, table comparison, scripted comparisons or the same tool on Windows and Linux, Beyond Compare does more and costs less. If you are on a Mac and the things you compare live on servers you already connect to, Hydra compares them through the same connections and then lets you fix, commit and deploy without leaving the window.
Both are bought once.
From each product's own website, checked October 6, 2026. Prices in US dollars.
| Hydra Dev Studio | Beyond Compare | |
|---|---|---|
| Text | Side by side or unified, changed words highlighted, syntax colours; copy changes across and save, keeping encoding and line endings | Yes; two- and three-way text merge in Pro |
| Folders | Every file changed, only on one side, or identical, byte for byte, with an Exclude filter; copy whole files across | Folder compare and Folder Sync; two- and three-way folder merge in Pro |
| Tables | Not as a comparison; databases open in their own tab with a data grid | Table compare for data files |
| Images | Side by side, swipe, overlay, and a difference view that counts the changed pixels | Picture compare |
| Binary files | Hex, with the differing bytes marked | Viewers for executables and binary data |
| Remote files | Either side can be on SFTP, FTP, WebDAV, S3, Azure or SMB, through the connections in your library; or compare two servers | Pro: SFTP, FTP over SSL, WebDAV, Dropbox, OneDrive, Amazon S3 and Subversion |
| Three-way merge | Three columns (Yours, Result, Theirs) for Git conflicts; Save stays off until every conflict has an answer | Pro: text and folders |
| Version control | A Git client, and Hydra can be git difftool and git mergetool | Works as the diff tool for most version control systems; integrated commands on Windows |
| Runs on | macOS 26 or later, Apple silicon | Windows, macOS and Linux |
| Price | $99 once, with twelve months of updates; the version you have keeps working after that. Fourteen-day trial with everything unlocked. | Standard $35, Pro $70 per user, once. Minor updates free; major upgrades generally half price. |
You work on Windows or Linux too, or need the same tool across a team that does.
You merge folders, compare CSV and other data files as tables, or script comparisons.
You want the least expensive dedicated comparison tool.
You are on a Mac and the files you compare live on servers you already have in Hydra: SFTP, FTP, WebDAV, S3, Azure Blob or SMB, with the credentials stored once.
Comparing is one step of a job: find the drift, fix the file in the editor, which saves straight back to the server, and commit the change in the Git tab.
You want image comparison with swipe, overlay and a per-pixel difference count.
You use AI agents: hydra diff --patch gives them the difference as text, through your connections, without a password.
Add each remote site once under New › File Server, then compare from File › Compare Files or Folders with either side on a server; the credentials stay in Hydra.
The trial is fourteen days with everything unlocked.
Fourteen days, everything unlocked, no account required.
Download for macOS