How to check what changed between two versions of a contract
By TechCompare · Updated · How we check
Put each clause on its own line, compare the drafts, and read every marked word. Numbers, dates, names and words like "may" and "must" are where the meaning changes.
The example
1 change: 4 lines removed, 5 added
| Original: supply-agreement.txt | Changed: supply-agreement.txt | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Removed | 1. The Supplier will deliver the goods within | 1 | Added | 1. The Supplier will deliver the goods within 14 days of the order date. |
| 2 | Removed | 2. The Buyer will pay each invoice within | 2 | Added | 2. The Buyer will pay each invoice within 30 days of receipt. |
| 3 | Removed | 3. Either party may end this agreement with | 3 | Added | 3. Late payments carry a fee of 1.5% per month. |
| 4 | Removed | 4 | Added | 4. Either party may end this agreement with 90 days written notice. | |
| 5 | Added | 5. This agreement is governed by the laws of the State of Delaware. | |||
A new draft of a contract arrives with a note that says "minor changes". A text diff tells you exactly which ones. Paste the text of both drafts and every changed clause shows up with the edited words marked, so a new payment term or a different notice period can't slip through.
How this is calculated
In the example, a supply agreement gained a new clause about late fees. Because the clauses are numbered, inserting clause 3 renumbered every clause after it. The tool shows 1 change: 4 lines removed, 5 added. The whole block counts as changed, since every line differs at least in its number.
The word marks sort out what really happened. In the first clause, only the delivery period is marked. The second clause changed the payment term. Clause 3 is new. The notice period and the governing law changed in the last two, and that's easy to miss when you expect a renumbering and nothing else.
Some tips for contracts:
- Copy the text, not the layout. Text from a PDF often breaks at the end of each printed line and splits words with hyphens. Join each clause into one line before comparing.
- Compare against the version you agreed to, not an older draft, so the diff only shows what changed since then.
- Read numbers, dates, party names, "may" versus "must" and "and" versus "or" in every marked spot. Small words change obligations.
- The diff compares words, not legal meaning. It finds changes, it doesn't tell you what they mean for you.
Contracts are private, and the tool treats them that way. The texts are compared in your browser, they aren't uploaded, and they stay out of the page URL.
Verdict
Run a diff on every new draft before you sign, against the last version you reviewed. Read each marked word in its clause. If anything changed that you didn't expect, ask about it before signing. For a contract with real money or risk in it, have a lawyer review the changes the diff found.
More Text Diff scenarios
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Can a text diff replace a lawyer's review?
Why does every clause show as changed after one new clause was added?
Is it safe to paste a confidential contract?
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