CSV compare
Diff two CSV exports row by row to find the records that were added, removed or edited between them. Sort rows first when the two files list the same data in a different order. Everything happens in your browser, so exports containing customer or financial data stay on your machine.
Add text to both panels to see the differences appear here.
Comparing two data exports
Two exports of the same table rarely line up perfectly. Row order changes, padding varies between the tools that produced them, and a single edited cell can look like a wholesale rewrite. A few settings resolve almost all of it.
Reconciling row order
If the same records appear in a different sequence, enable Sort lines before comparing. Rows that merely moved stop being reported, leaving the genuine additions, deletions and edits. Compare the header row separately first, since sorting mixes it into the data.
Ignoring formatting noise
This mode trims each row by default. Add Repeated whitespace when one export pads its columns, and Letter case when the two systems disagree about capitalisation in identifiers.
Reading changed rows
An edited record appears as a single amber row with the changed cell values highlighted inside it, rather than as an unrelated deletion and insertion, which makes it obvious whether a price, a status or a quantity moved.
CSV comparison questions
How do I compare two CSV files online?
Paste the rows from each file into the two panels, or drag the .csv files straight onto them. Each row is treated as a line, so added rows appear in green, removed rows in red, and edited rows in amber with the changed cell values highlighted inside the row.
My two exports have the same rows in a different order. How do I compare them?
Turn on 'Sort lines before comparing' in the comparison settings. Both files are sorted before matching, so rows that simply moved are no longer reported as a deletion plus an insertion, and you are left with the records that were genuinely added, removed or edited.
Can I compare data exported from Excel or Google Sheets?
Yes. Export or copy the sheet as CSV or tab-separated values and paste each version into a panel. Because the comparison is textual, it works with any delimiter, and because it runs locally, spreadsheets containing personal or financial data are never uploaded.
How do I ignore differences in spacing around commas?
Turn on 'Leading / trailing spaces' to trim each row, and 'Repeated whitespace' to collapse runs of spaces. This mode already trims rows by default, since inconsistent padding is common between tools that generate CSV.
Why is my header row reported as changed?
Because the column names or their order differ between the two files. If you sort lines before comparing, the header will also be sorted into the body of the data, so compare headers first with sorting off, then turn sorting on to reconcile the rows.