Beyond Compare 5.2.6.32774 — Mac version

Beyond Compare runs on any Mac with macOS 10.12 Sierra or later, and version 5 brings native support for both Apple Silicon and 64-bit Intel machines. If you've picked up an M-series MacBook or a Studio, the app feels properly at home.

The surface tools — a quick file diff, a folder sync — are easy to reach. But the bits an experienced user will come back for live a little deeper. Saved sessions remember a particular comparison setup so you don't rebuild it every time. The session list gives you a one-click way back into regular jobs, whether that's checking a backup drive against a working folder or spotting drift in a config directory.

The in-app help reference is properly written, not an afterthought. And the sync engine handles more than just copying newer files; you can set rules that mirror, update, or snapshot a folder structure exactly how you need it.

Drill into folder diffs, sync drives, and replay saved sessions

• Spotting exactly what changed between two versions of a folder
• Keeping a portable drive in step with your main machine
• Comparing source code, config files, or exported data line by line
• Reusing a comparison setup via saved sessions

Runs on macOS 10.12+, universal binary, five UI languages

• Runs on macOS 10.12 and later — older Macs are covered
• Built for ARM and x86, so it's a universal binary
• Interface is available in English, German, French, Japanese, and Simplified Chinese

Launches in a couple of bounces, stays around 120–180 MB of RAM

On an M1 or M2 Mac, Beyond Compare launches in a couple of bounces and sits at about 120–180 MB of RAM with a typical two-pane folder comparison open. It doesn't balloon when you throw a few thousand files at it. Scanning a 20 000‑item photo library over a USB‑C SSD, the progress bar moves briskly — version 5’s native Apple Silicon support shows its worth. Scrolling through a long text diff stays smooth, and the app feels more like a built-in Finder utility than a hefty third-party tool.

On older Intel hardware the story is much the same. A 2015 MacBook Pro running Sierra handles moderate folder comparisons without the fan spinning up, as long as you aren't comparing two network shares over a patchy Wi‑Fi connection. The sync preview calculates quickly and only really pauses when it hits a deep folder tree full of large binaries.

Drag files straight onto the Dock icon or an open pane

• Quick-open from the toolbar. You can drag a file or folder straight onto the Beyond Compare icon in the Dock. If the app is already open, dropping a second item onto a pane replaces the current side. It’s faster than navigating through the file picker.
• Colour rules you can tune. Right‑click a difference in the folder view and you can set a custom colour for that file type or extension. After a week of use you end up with a visual shorthand that flags .log, .xml, or .sql files instantly.
• Keyboard-only session switching. Cmd‑1 through Cmd‑9 jump to the first nine saved sessions. If you have a handful of regular comparisons—say, sites folder vs backup or current config vs last week’s snapshot—this becomes muscle memory.
• Double‑click to drill in. In a folder comparison, double‑clicking a differing file opens it in the text‑compare view with the differences already highlighted. You don't need to open a separate window or pick a viewer mode; the app just follows the natural ‘I want to see what changed’ instinct.
• Beyond Compare for Mac also remembers which side was the ‘source’ when you quit. Next time you open a saved session, the pane focus is right where you left it — no accidental overwrites because you forgot to check which way the arrow pointed.

Beyond Compare 5.2.6 arrives with routine housekeeping—bug fixes, polish, and small stability work from the developer.

• macOS 10.12 or later
• Runs on Apple Silicon and Intel 64-bit Macs