Left Right - File Compare

See what differs, then merge

Only for Mac

Free

Mac

A native macOS app that shows what differs between two files folders or even spreadsheets and brings across only the changes you want. Left Right is a native macOS file compare and merge app. It shows what differs between two files or folders and lets you bring across only the changes you want. ■ Compare two files side by side - Two panes with corresponding lines aligned and synchronized scrolling - Line numbers, difference markers (+ − ~), difference coloring, in-line highlights, a center difference gutter, and difference marks on the scroll bar - Copy a difference from left to right or right to left, hunk by hunk. Also available from the keyboard, and every copy can be undone - Type, delete, cut, copy, paste, undo/redo, and find in pane (Cmd-F) - Ignore whitespace, letter case, blank lines, and Unicode normalization differences. Presets are available, and "Custom" is shown when the current mix does not match one - Text encoding and line endings are detected automatically and preserved on save. When the two sides disagree, Left Right reports it separately from content differences - If a file changes on disk after the comparison starts, you are told before saving - Recent comparisons are remembered as bookmarks. An expired bookmark is kept in gray with a "Grant Access…" button rather than being dropped ■ Compare folders - Recursive scanning with a tree view (hierarchy or list) - Compare modes: Smart, Contents, Metadata, Bytes. Five filters plus a default ignore list and regular-expression rules - Copy items that exist only on one side. Existing items are moved to the Trash before an overwrite - Copying can follow the Finder (default), merge, or replace ■ Merge three versions - Combine left and right that diverged from a common base. Left, base, and right on top, the result below - Separate changes merge automatically; overlapping changes stay in the result as git-compatible conflict markers - Resolve each conflict with "Use Left", "Use Right", "Use Both", or by hand ■ Compare tables, binaries and images - CSV / TSV and .xlsx / .ods / .numbers side by side, showing added, removed, and changed rows and which columns differ. Align columns by the header row and match rows by a key column - Binary comparison in hexadecimal at the same offsets, with a byte map and entropy strip on each side and byte classes in different colors - Image comparison with six views (Side by Side, Overlay, Slider, Difference, Blink, Heat Map) plus a threshold. Differing pixels are grouped into numbered regions - Export or copy a patch as Unified Diff with three lines of context ■ Getting around - Select two items in the Finder and open the comparison from the Services menu ("Compare with Left Right"). Files or folders both work; anything other than exactly two items is refused - Callable from git difftool / git mergetool. Help → "Git Integration…" has commands you can paste (no CLI is bundled) - Settings (Cmd-,) cover defaults for new comparisons, appearance (window colors, difference colors, syntax coloring), and keyboard shortcuts - English and Japanese, and light and dark appearances, follow the system - macOS 27 or later. Runs in the App Sandbox ■ No network, no collection - The app does not communicate over the network (it has no network entitlement) - No account is required, and no usage analytics or data collection - It reaches only the files and folders you open or choose - Text editing, hunk merges, and the three-way result do not touch the disk until you save. Folder merge changes the disk as it runs (existing items are moved to the Trash before an overwrite) - File contents are never written to logs

Ratings & Reviews

  • This app hasn’t received enough ratings or reviews to display an overview.

The developer, Shinichi Nanbu, indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .

  • Data Not Collected

    The developer does not collect any data from this app.

    Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More

    Accessibility

    The developer has not yet indicated which accessibility features this app supports. Learn More

    Information

    Seller
    Shinichi Nanbu
    Size
    6.5 MB
    Category
    Productivity
    Compatibility
    Requires macOS 27.0 or later and a Mac with Apple M1 chip or later.
    • Mac
      Requires macOS 27.0 or later and a Mac with Apple M1 chip or later.
    Languages
    English and Japanese
    Age Rating
    4+
    Copyright
    © 2026 Shinichi Nambu
  • Developer Website
  • Privacy Policy

    • More by Shinichi Nanbu